Not going to miss a chance to split this thread and feed the Whalers' forum...
saskhab wrote:
Wasn't Primeau traded after they moved to Carolina?
Yes, but if I recall, it was in response to a request. So yeah, not Hartford-related as such, I was just trying to think if the trend continued with another moaning player.
saskhab wrote:
I think the 'playing in a mall' thing did Hartford in more than the 'low profile city' thing.
Honestly, though, why would it matter in the slightest? Particularly in the era before the cookie cutter new buildings. Once you're on the ice, I can't see what impact the architecture could have on you. The Rangers play in a train station. The Oilers play on an exhibition ground. And anyway, the idea that arenas could matter never even really entered the NHLPA's vocabulary until the very recent past... everything used to suck by today's standards. I'll bet the dressing rooms at the Montreal Forum or Boston Garden were awful. Hell, we had the Cow Palace in the NHL at one point, albeit temporarily.
saskhab wrote:
Most hockey players want to stay away from Canadian cities because of the attention and would rather play in, like, Anaheim or even New Jersey (Carolina even has a good rep). Detroit is a top destination even though it's freaking Detroit. Meanwhile, baseball and basketball players all want to play in high profile markets.
Despite their drawbacks as urban centers, places like Detroit and Philadelphia
are high-profile in the NHL, though, just because they're large and relatively historic/successful in the league. And in any event, no NHLer ever has much trouble suiting up for typical NBA destinations like the Rangers or Kings, either. Although Florida kind of gets the shaft, but that has more to do with team management than anything, you'd expect.