For hockey fans, September is akin to New Year's Eve. The upcoming season brings the promise of new talent and the familiarity of veterans. For me, it also marks a different way of watching hockey. I'll be watching to write, not for personal enjoyment. 2008-2009 will be my first full season of hockey reports and stories. In theory that should mean daily posts on this blog. In practice, between school and intern assignments, I'm aiming for two posts per week here at hockeytalkie.
What I'm looking forward to the most is seeing OHL and GTHL games. Living close to some of the arenas is something I'll take full advantage of. You might well spot me observing the St. Mike's Buzzers, Don Mills Flyers, North York Rangers, or Toronto JR Canadiens. The Brampton Battalion and Mississauga St. Mike's Majors also figure in my hockey plans.
The downside of being media is that you don't get to cheer. Luckily I can still do that at my child's hockey games.
Professionally and personally, this hockey season is gearing up to be one of the most wonderful times of my life, not just the year.
I'm currently working on an NHL Pacific division preview and hockey camp experience. Stay tuned.
Showing posts with label St. Mike's Majors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label St. Mike's Majors. Show all posts
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Hockey Central? Not By a Long Shot
Toronto is not the Centre of the Hockey Universe; it is merely the Capital of Leafs Nation.
The Toronto Maple Leafs continue to sell out game after game, season after sub-par season. The Marlies, 3rd in the AHL, North division leaders, clinched a playoff spot a week before the Leafs lost their post season dance tickets. According to the game sheet, attendance at Ricoh that night was 4 309. I was at the arena and to say 1500 bums were in seats would be generous.
Leafs lemmings blindly shell out $50.00 for standing room to watch the Leafs lose, yet $40.00 gets a platinum seat to the Marlies. $120.00 gets 4 tickets, 4 pops, 4 popcorn and 4 hot dogs at Ricoh! At the ACC that gets a couple three hours leaning against a cold rail, as far from the ice as possible.
A 30 minute schlep from the ACC gets you even more bang for your hockey bucks. Just over $500.00, the cost of two golds at Always Counting Cash, buys season tickets for the Mississauga St. Mike's Majors. They even throw in the parking and programs! MLSE just seems to throw in the towel. The Majors prices are similar for the other 6 0HL teams within an hour of the Big Smoke.
Brampton and Mississauga were both in the OHL playoffs, yet struggled to fill the seats.
This isn't a new phenomenom. In the 1970s, Toronto's WHA team, the Toros managed at best 10 000 fans at Maple Leaf Gardens. That was largely due to star players Frank Mahovlich, Paul Henderson amd Vaclav Nedomansky.
The Toronto Roadrunners, Edmonton's AHL affiliate had a terrible time getting crowds to Ricoh Coliseum. Pundits placed the blame on bad location and no connection to the Leafs. Location is a non issue; over 1 million people manage to get there just fine during the CNE, thank you very much. Toronto FC fans have no problem getting to BMO Field, and they're not smarter than hockey fans. If they were they wouldn't be at a footie match!
Lacking a Leafs connection is another baseless argument. The Marlies have a 100 year long umbilical cord to the Leafs. For 62 years the Toronto Marlboros were the Buds breeding ground. Despite that, they still had rough spells when it came to ticket sales.
You see, you can't say Torontonians are hockey fans. The ticket take screams otherwise.
Sorry Hogtown, you're Leafs greatest fans, definitely not hockey's.
The Toronto Maple Leafs continue to sell out game after game, season after sub-par season. The Marlies, 3rd in the AHL, North division leaders, clinched a playoff spot a week before the Leafs lost their post season dance tickets. According to the game sheet, attendance at Ricoh that night was 4 309. I was at the arena and to say 1500 bums were in seats would be generous.
Leafs lemmings blindly shell out $50.00 for standing room to watch the Leafs lose, yet $40.00 gets a platinum seat to the Marlies. $120.00 gets 4 tickets, 4 pops, 4 popcorn and 4 hot dogs at Ricoh! At the ACC that gets a couple three hours leaning against a cold rail, as far from the ice as possible.
A 30 minute schlep from the ACC gets you even more bang for your hockey bucks. Just over $500.00, the cost of two golds at Always Counting Cash, buys season tickets for the Mississauga St. Mike's Majors. They even throw in the parking and programs! MLSE just seems to throw in the towel. The Majors prices are similar for the other 6 0HL teams within an hour of the Big Smoke.
Brampton and Mississauga were both in the OHL playoffs, yet struggled to fill the seats.
This isn't a new phenomenom. In the 1970s, Toronto's WHA team, the Toros managed at best 10 000 fans at Maple Leaf Gardens. That was largely due to star players Frank Mahovlich, Paul Henderson amd Vaclav Nedomansky.
The Toronto Roadrunners, Edmonton's AHL affiliate had a terrible time getting crowds to Ricoh Coliseum. Pundits placed the blame on bad location and no connection to the Leafs. Location is a non issue; over 1 million people manage to get there just fine during the CNE, thank you very much. Toronto FC fans have no problem getting to BMO Field, and they're not smarter than hockey fans. If they were they wouldn't be at a footie match!
Lacking a Leafs connection is another baseless argument. The Marlies have a 100 year long umbilical cord to the Leafs. For 62 years the Toronto Marlboros were the Buds breeding ground. Despite that, they still had rough spells when it came to ticket sales.
You see, you can't say Torontonians are hockey fans. The ticket take screams otherwise.
Sorry Hogtown, you're Leafs greatest fans, definitely not hockey's.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Weekend at the Rink
Big rinks boast amenities a plenty but hockey's heart beats loudest in local rinks. That's where I spent most of my time this weekend. I experienced the excitement of house league playoffs. My spawn and his team mates had a 7-0 victory; don't let the score fool you. The competition never let up; it was a goalie having a house league career game that made the difference!
After Spawn's game, we walked over to the bigger rink and watched the St. Mike's Majors take on the Ottawa 67s. Things looked dim for the Majors. Down 1-0 until Kyle Neuber scored his first OHL career goal, the Majors picked up their energy. Casey Cizikas notched the game winner.
The hockey marathon continued when we got home. Saturday nights in our home mean Hockey Night in Canada. Being a fan of Russian hockey, it was a treat to see the Washington Capitals Russian roster - Fedorov, Ovechkin, Semin, host the Toronto Maple Leafs. I got the best of both worlds - Ovechkin scored and the Leafs won!
Sunday morning it was hockey practice. For this night owl, waking up that early on a weekend - UGH. With only a couple more to go, I'll miss them.
Lucky for me I need never look far to get a hockey fix.
After Spawn's game, we walked over to the bigger rink and watched the St. Mike's Majors take on the Ottawa 67s. Things looked dim for the Majors. Down 1-0 until Kyle Neuber scored his first OHL career goal, the Majors picked up their energy. Casey Cizikas notched the game winner.
The hockey marathon continued when we got home. Saturday nights in our home mean Hockey Night in Canada. Being a fan of Russian hockey, it was a treat to see the Washington Capitals Russian roster - Fedorov, Ovechkin, Semin, host the Toronto Maple Leafs. I got the best of both worlds - Ovechkin scored and the Leafs won!
Sunday morning it was hockey practice. For this night owl, waking up that early on a weekend - UGH. With only a couple more to go, I'll miss them.
Lucky for me I need never look far to get a hockey fix.
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