2009 NHL neutral site preseason games

by James Mirtle on Aug 13, 2009 1:15 AM CDT Comment 38 comments

The NHL's off to a few wacky places this preseason, just like always. Here's the full list of neutral site exhibition games this year (none in Hamilton so far):

SEPT. 14 NY Islanders vs. Vancouver, at Terrace, B.C. (Terrace Sportsplex), 10 p.m.
SEPT. 15 Florida vs. Ottawa, at Halifax, N.S. (Metro Centre), 6 p.m.
SEPT. 17 Philadelphia vs. Toronto, at London, Ont. (John Labatt Centre), 7 p.m.
SEPT. 17 Los Angeles vs. San Jose, at Ontario, Calif. (Citizens Business Bank Arena), 10:30 p.m.
SEPT. 19 Calgary vs. NY Islanders, at Saskatoon, Sask. (Credit Union Centre), 8 p.m.
SEPT. 20 Boston vs. Montreal, at Quebec City, Que. (Colisée Pepsi), 7 p.m.
SEPT. 20 Edmonton vs. NY Islanders, at Saskatoon, Sask. (Credit Union Centre), 8 p.m.
SEPT. 21 Ottawa vs. Tampa Bay, at Regina, Sask. (Evraz Place), 9 p.m.
SEPT. 22 Los Angeles vs. NY Islanders, at Kansas City, Mo. (Sprint Center), 8 p.m.
SEPT. 22 Phoenix vs. Tampa Bay, at Everett, Wash. (Comcast Arena), 10:30 p.m.
SEPT. 23 Phoenix vs. Tampa Bay, at Loveland, Colo. (Budweiser Events Center), 9 p.m.
SEPT. 24 Edmonton vs. Tampa Bay, at Winnipeg, Man. (MTS Centre), 8:30 p.m.
SEPT. 26 Colorado vs. Los Angeles, at Las Vegas, Nev. (MGM Grand), 9 p.m.
SEPT. 28 Florida vs. Tappara, at Tampere, Finland (Hakametsan Arena), 12 p.m.
SEPT. 28 Chicago vs. HC Davos, at Zurich, Switzerland (Hallenstadion), 2:15 p.m.
SEPT. 29 St. Louis vs. Linkoping HC, at Linkoping, Sweden (Cloetta Center), 1 p.m.
SEPT. 29 Chicago vs. ZSC Lions, at Zurich, Switzerland (Hallenstadion), 2:15 p.m.
SEPT. 30 Florida vs. Jokerit, at Helsinki, Finland (Hartwall Arena), 12 p.m.
SEPT. 30 Detroit vs. Farjestad, at Karlstad, Sweden (Lofbergs Lila Arena), 1 p.m.

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Buffalo and Toronto

should play in Hamilton to mark their territory.

Honk if you love Justice!
"I'm betting that I'm just abnormal enough to survive. "

by TheTick on Aug 13, 2009 5:32 AM CDT reply actions 4 recs

Is it wrong of me to think that more NHL teams should do preseason games in their AHL affiliate’s arena? In that list, only the MTS Center is an AHL rink, and then the Moose’s affiliate Canucks aren’t one of the teams playing. It’d be good business, and helpful to the minor club, to have the primary team come in, play a game, and get some connection with the fans. “Here’s the major club, some of these guys will be on your local team, and some will get the chance to play for the Cup. Your team and it’s success are important to us”.

Then again, I do live in Boston, where it’s a less than an hour drive to 3 different AHL rinks, so I may be biased.

by Arenacale on Aug 13, 2009 6:49 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I completely agree, although the Sabres have kind of made strides in that elsewhere recently.

The Portland Pirates (AHL Sabres affiliate) are playing I believe two of their regular season games in Buffalo this season after playing one last year.

The year after the lockout when the Sabres were still affiliated with the Rochester Americans, the Sabres actually played a regular season game or two in Rochester.

by Afino on Aug 13, 2009 10:14 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I like that, too. I was hoping one of the Winter Classic side games would be between the P-Bruins and either Worcester or Lowell to promote the AHL in MA, but alas, nothing (yet).

by Arenacale on Aug 13, 2009 11:39 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

May favorite part of that was when some lameass writer (at ESPN maybe) lambasted the NHL’s attendance after the lockout (with the huge sample size of maybe a dozen or 15 games), specifically pointing out this one Sabres game where ‘only 8994 people attended’. Hey genius, that’s the game they played in Rochester, guess how many people can fit in that arena??

Honk if you love Justice!
"I'm betting that I'm just abnormal enough to survive. "

by TheTick on Aug 13, 2009 1:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Baby Sens are playing a game in Ottawa as well this year, and it’s happened once or twice that the Hamilton Bulldogs have played at the Centre Bell.

by dzuunmod on Aug 13, 2009 6:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It might be different elsewhere, but I’m not sure most Winnipeggers really give a crap about the Canucks, farm team or otherwise. Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal would all be bigger draws. Given all the Winnipeg kids on the team, the Blackhawks would likely do better as well.

by Robert Cleave on Aug 13, 2009 11:18 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Was going to suggest the same.

But a Vancouver vs. Calgary series in Abbotsford and Winnipeg would probably sell well. Ironically, the Canucks would have more fans in Abbotsford and the Flames more fans in Winnipeg, despite the affiliations.

by Resolute on Aug 13, 2009 1:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I wonder if they should just switch affiliations.

Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com

by James Mirtle on Aug 13, 2009 2:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

There are a lot of people who would agree with that… though the Moose just re-upped with Vancouver for another two or three years.

I think it would make a ton of sense from the standpoint of enhancing your market, but the Flames and Moose have markedly different philosophies on what a farm team is for. Winnipeg’s ownership cares about winning first and foremost. The Flames care about player development, even at the cost of winning. That was part of the problem in Quad Cities, and why the Baby Flames didn’t draw well. Something the team has had to reassess slightly with their partners in Abbotsford as well.

by Resolute on Aug 13, 2009 7:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I hope the Farjestad game will actually be televised.

by hallock on Aug 13, 2009 8:48 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Tampa Bay has four preseason games in four straight nights in four different cities – Regina, Saskatchewan; Everett, Washington; Loveland, Colorado; and Winnipeg, Manitoba. So far, it appears to be one squad going to all four places. What a way to get ready for the season. Although, I guess any travel quirks in the regular season schedule after that wouldn’t seem so bad, right?

Cassie
Raw Charge, an SBN Tampa Bay Lightning Blog. It's what's for dinner.

by Cassie McClellan on Aug 13, 2009 8:59 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

You play where you get a gig. Got to do it like rock stars.

by Hansmoleman on Aug 13, 2009 9:02 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’ll trade you your horrible travel in the pre-season for our horrible travel in the regular season…

by Resolute on Aug 13, 2009 1:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just beat me to it. No whining in hockey. :)

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle." -- Philo of Alexandria

by Baroque on Aug 13, 2009 1:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’m pretty sure I read some where that TB was going to carry an extra large roster for those 4 games, so that no player would play more than 2 or 3 games.

I've seen enough to know that I've seen too much.

by Smoboy41 on Aug 13, 2009 9:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hm, no EDM-PHX in Winnipeg this year? Interesting, that was starting to become a tradition.

SNN Sports - A theoretical Oilers blog (i.e. theoretically, I write stuff there)

by Doogie2K on Aug 13, 2009 9:04 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

For the sake of collaborative accuracy...

Technically the September 29th Chicago/ZSC game (is that the Victoria Cup matchup?) isn’t a neutral site game. The Hallenstadion is the Lions’ home arena.

by Dr. Ice on Aug 13, 2009 9:38 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I’m going to the Phoenix TB game. Sure it’s preseason about 2 teams I only care marginally about, but it’ll be fun because:

I can drink beer and watch hockey. that’s always a good time.

The 2009-10 Colorado Avalanche: Aiming for the Charity Point
Jibblescribbits: C'mon over and waste some time

by Jibblescribbits on Aug 13, 2009 9:39 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

It’s the Brandt Centre. Evras Place is the entire exhibition grounds in Regina. I don’t know why they do that in Regina, but hey, the Riders now play at “Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field”, so think of this as “Brandt Centre at Evras Place”. Stupid Regina.

If I’m going to watch hockey in Regina, I’m going to the Brandt Centre. If I’m going to Buffalo Days or Agrhibition, I’m going to Evras Place. It’s like saying the Flames play at the Stampede Grounds and not the Saddledome.

Hockey blogging can't get any flatter.

by saskhab on Aug 13, 2009 10:07 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Hey, I’m still bitter about SaskPlace being renamed to Credit Union Center and that’s not nearly as bad as the Taylor Field fiasco ;)

by ShaneG on Aug 13, 2009 12:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kamloops’ arena went from Riverside Coliseum to Interior Savings Centre. Yeck.

Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com

by James Mirtle on Aug 13, 2009 2:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The P-Bruins play in the former Providence Civic Center, now the…wait for it…Dunkin Donuts Center. Welcome to New England!

by Arenacale on Aug 13, 2009 4:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don’t think anything tops the National Car Rental Center.

by dzuunmod on Aug 13, 2009 6:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Jobing.com Arena?

by Dr. Ice on Aug 14, 2009 9:33 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

No, because when you hear “Jobing.com Arena”, at least you can tell right away that it’s a place where they probably play hockey or basketball or hold concerts. With “National Car Rental Center”, I’m picturing the largest car rental business in the country!

by dzuunmod on Aug 15, 2009 12:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I heard a pretty funny tale from one of the hockey writers in these parts: They caught a cab at the Miami airport and asked for a ride to the National Car Rental Center in Sunrise. What they ended up with was a trip to a car rental outfit in the neighbourhood.

Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com

by James Mirtle on Aug 16, 2009 5:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hah!

by dzuunmod on Aug 17, 2009 4:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

had to keep up with the Kelowna Joneses, and their newfangled prospera place.

by Passive Voice on Aug 13, 2009 7:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

So Kelowna has a Prospera Place, and Chilliwack has a Prospera Place, in the same league. Nice.

I've seen enough to know that I've seen too much.

by Smoboy41 on Aug 13, 2009 9:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Goes well with Red Deer’s Enmax Centrium, and Lethbridge’s Enmax Centre.

by Resolute on Aug 13, 2009 11:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Baltimore has “Oriole Park at Camden Yards,” so I suppose the Orioles started it.

And the naming of the Baltimore Ravens’ stadium was quite a topic of conversation. They should have forgotten about the money and named it Johnny Unitas Memorial Stadium – the ownership would have been loved forever. (Although I was actually hoping that Mayflower would buy the naming rights to the stadium.)

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle." -- Philo of Alexandria

by Baroque on Aug 13, 2009 1:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Memorial?

Johnny U was still alive when they opened it!

by bison on Aug 17, 2009 3:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’ve never called the Riders’ home stadium anything other than Taylor Field. I guess it’s just been ingrained in me from so many years as such.

SNN Sports - A theoretical Oilers blog (i.e. theoretically, I write stuff there)

by Doogie2K on Aug 13, 2009 5:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not even a team as downright shitty as the Islanders deserves to be stuck in Terrace for several hours.

Honest to God, I hate Terrace.

by Passive Voice on Aug 13, 2009 12:26 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

My ears… they bleed.

Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com

by James Mirtle on Aug 13, 2009 2:34 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Also, can you imagine how enraged Patty Kane is gonna get when he has to try and pay a cab fare with a pocket full of Dollars, Euros, and Francs?

by Passive Voice on Aug 13, 2009 12:28 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Switch locations

SEPT. 23 Phoenix vs. Tampa Bay, at Loveland, Colo. (Budweiser Events Center), 9 p.m.
SEPT. 26 Colorado vs. Los Angeles, at Las Vegas, Nev. (MGM Grand), 9 p.m.

Or at least add another preseason game for the Avalanche in Loveland, CO.

by Altitude on Aug 19, 2009 1:46 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs