Vancouver Blazers WHA

[scott231]

I wasn't even born yet when the WHA folded in 1979, I heard that Vancouver had a franchise called the Blazers which played @ the Pacific Coliseum in 1974 and then the team moved to Calgary. Well the WHA is coming back to Vancouver and they will be playing @ General Motors Place and will be named the Blazers. This team has already drafted Todd Bertuzzi, Kirk Muller, Doug Gilmour and junior sensation Gilbert Brule. BUT this league starts play in October and none of the teams have a coach, gm, tv and radio deals, season ticket plans, commitments from any of their players, contracts worked out, some of the teams don't even have arena deals in place and the WHA pre season starts in September? I'd be VERY suprised if this league even starts up, you can't possibly get all of these things done in less then 2 months. But if they do get it done it will atleast give the residents in this city something to watch as the NHL is going to more likely be in a lenghty labour dispute with the NHLPA which will wipe out the whole season, when the NHL is back people in this city will come back BUT people in most U.S. cities won't give a rats ass because hockey doesn't mean squat to most Americans.

www.worldhockeyassociation.net

 

[James]

Actually, the people in Vancouver will have something to watch if the NHL isn't on the go.

Spend fifteen bucks, and check out the Giants. Forty kids busting their asses every night, trying to make it to the bigs.

It ain't top end hockey. It is hard working, hard hitting, generally a tilt or two (with far more effort than most NHL level tilts), usually several goals, and virtually always entertaining.

The WHL, as part of the CHL, is recognized as one of the top development leagues in the world.

Check 'em out.

As for the new WHA, given the ownership structure of the Canucks and GM Place, it would be a bit of a surprise to see the WHA in the Garage. If memory serves, the Oilers, Hartford Whalers (now Hurricane), Quebec Nordique (now Avalanche), and Winnipeg Jets (now Coyotes), survived and joined up with the NHL. Nobody said that it would work last time either, and it survived a few years. Who knows?

 

[godzilla]

Owners till paying big bucks.

is going to more likely be in a lenghty labour dispute with the NHLPA which

The owners are still paying big bucks, even though they're crying that they're poor.

$10 million per year for Chris Pronger.

$3 million per year for Rechi, and this is from the poorhouse Pittsburgh Penguins no less.

No wonder the players don't believe that the owners are that poor.