Do NHL players play for their fans?

Question

I asked this question under my other account and no one understood it.

Without the fans there's no fancy cars, no luxury houses, no multi-million dollar salaries and no NHL.

Relating this question to the Buffalo fans (with the majority only supporting them when they are winning) <--- can the Buffy players (asking themselves - "where were you when we were struggling? & will you be here through hard times?) follow-through and stop choking?"

My answer - is "Yes, the players play for their fans and that's why Buffy can not get over the hump."

Your take?

Answer 1

I am in disbelief that so many people apparently are unable to see through the facade that is Babs Lowblow CHEATING the system yet again. Hmmm... A newly-created handle spewing anti-Buffalo, pro-Philly rubbish... Hmmm... Embarrassingly illiterate rantings presented in a smug, arrogant and belligerent manner.... Hmmm... The use of the term "Buffy" to describe the city of Buffalo. Game. Set. Match. Hello? Can you say Babs Lowblow? This is the little puke’s M.O. in black and white. It is ******* transparent!

People, this is your site too. Look at his first statement: "I asked this question under my other account and no one understood it." Guess what? NO ONE is allowed to have more than one account here. He says he used his "other account" but he has at least a half-dozen by now. This same villain ran off another member for the exact same offense. Doesn't this bother anyone but me? Here we have a lying, cheating, hypocritical bully-coward flagrantly abusing the rules of the site and boasting about the fact.

Look, it doesn't matter what team he hates (Buffalo) and what team he favors (Philadelphia). What matters is that he is CHEATING the system. Do I need to spell out for you WHY it is that Yahoo made the ONE ACCOUNT ONLY rule? This jerk gets to ask and answer his own questions and promote himself with bogus “best answers” and the accompanying points. He gets to add bogus “thumbs up” rating to his own answers and bogus “thumbs down” ratings to members he dislikes. It is anarchy and chaos and it must be stopped. This cheating worm needs to be punished, once and for all.

Please click on the "report abuse" link and bust his @$$. I've already filed a report and will continue until this vermin is vanquished.

Answer 2

I think first and foremost, players play because they LOVE hockey. It's not easy to make it to the NHL; if they weren't passionate about the sport, they wouldn't make it. There has been some tremendously skilled players whose teams didn't win the Cup in the end because they just didn't have the character there to pull together for it.

In every interview I've heard/read players have said it was their dream. I don't think that's a selfish reason---even though it doesn't always work that way, everyone should be able to realize their dreams. Also, it is every player's dream to win the Stanley Cup. I've never heard/read anyone saying their dream was to play in the NHL and make 8 million dollars.

The money and the fans go hand-in-hand as secondary reasons. Some players care more about the money, some care more about the fans. HOCKEY PLAYERS ARE ONLY HUMAN TOO. There is an uglier side to the business that involves politics and such and I can see why a player would play for many years for a team and would eventually leave if they weren't earning what they should be for putting THAT much work into a team, trying to make it into a contender. They want to be somewhere they can WIN THE CUP.

Wait, how in the world do you know that the majority of fans only support them when they're winning? I don't see that... I'm not a Buffalo fan, so I'm looking from the outside, and I've talked to a lot of diehards who backed the Sabres up even when they were down and out... They've been repaid by the Sabres being a great team this year. I've talked to some fans recently and despite being down 3-0, they haven't jumped ship...

By the way, fans DO effect hockey players. That's a big part of why they call it "home ice advantage". When an arena is thundering players get pumped.

EDIT: All you people bringing up the LOCKOUT, I guess you didn't hear about the Shanahan Summit: 30 players, one representative from each team, who tried to PREVENT the lockout. THEY were the ones that suggested the shootout and some other things that went into the "new NHL". The players didn't WANT to have a lockout, it's their DREAM to play in the NHL. They just couldn't come up with an agreement with the league and there was a lot of politics going into play, it had nothing to do with the fans.

The issue of FIGHTING comes up every year, and it's not the PLAYERS bringing it up, every player I've heard interviewed has said that fighting is a part of the game. I've even heard them mention that the fans love it. The people bringing up fighting and talking about banning it are the MEDIA and ignorant people who think hockey is just a violent sport that's all about fighting.

As far as OPEN ICE HITS go, as long as they're clean, they're fine...and I've seen them happen all year long...

Haha, and if you're going to complain about the way a team plays, don't worry, they'll change. New Jersey has had their defensive trap style of play (I hate it, SO boring) for how long and it didn't do them any good in the end, against Ottawa, because they just didn't have enough offense.

The great thing about the new NHL is that in the playoffs, everyone has to adapt to react to the way the other team is playing. I thought this year had some exciting games.

Answer 3

I think the fans play a part, but not entirely. As for Buffalo, a majority of the fans support the team when the Sabres are losing. I'm a fan and have been for 10 years, which means when the Sabres weren't where they are today I was still watching them and cheering them on. The Sabres always appreciate their fans...just because they've been losing doesn't mean its because of the fans. If Buff doesn't happen to win tomorrow and the following 2 games after that...then good luck to the Sens and Ducks/Wings and there is always next season...there's been multiple points during the season where the Sabres hit a losing slump and the fans kept cheering and eventually the players came back around. Whatever happens, happens...it's been a great season and I look forward to watching next year :)

Answer 4

a million) Chicago Blackhawks 2) Nashville (native land), Tampa Bay, or Washington 3) suitable wing, i'm a righty shot. I unquestionably have a incredibly sturdy shot, yet my perfect function is my stick-dealing with skill. 4) 21 5) i might want to be humble. i'm keen to take efficient, i will kill consequences, and that i'm getting dissimilar assists. I stick up for my teammates. i will see myself contained in the nhl digging the p.c.. out of the nook, and throwing it out the front for an help. Then on my next shift furnish efficient to take the p.c.. away, carry close the protection and tuck one on the goalie. 6) 5'10 one hundred forty lbs (i'm 15 years previous in the present day) 7) Kinda like a blend of Patrick Kane because i will stick take care of and set human beings up. yet also someone like Patrick Hornqvist because he's not a movie star contained in the nhl yet he's aggressive, and receives the p.c.. away, and he can provide efficient.

Answer 5

I think you have a point. My Pens made the playoffs. That was the reward the fans REALLY wanted this year. Yeah the Cup would have been great but we didn't really expect it. The Fans supported them though so they played the whole game even the playoffs. Perfect example of playing through a game was Recchi stealing the puck when they were down by 2 and like 8 seconds left or whatever. You know they couldn't win but he wasn't letting Ottawa get the Empty Net goal. I think the Sabres though ran into the better team and that is part of the problem.

Add: Hey sushi Jagr left BECAUSE OF THE FANS. He left the 'burgh on good terms to TRUE fans. He was being called Mario Jr(rearrange Jarmoir) and he wanted to be JAGR not Mario Jr. He wanted his own identity, something he couldn't have with Pittsburgh fans. THAT is why he left.

Answer 6

the answer above (first one) has entirely made my day. ROFLMFAO!!! THIS IS THE REASON WHY I GO ON THIS FORUM. thank you for the entertainment.

i feel your pain, man. try to ask a good question and get an answer like that. lol

good question though. that's what enticed me to look at the answers in the first place. it'll be interesting to read the answers ... especially from Buffalo fans.

i'll give you an answer off the top of my head. i think you're on to something. that is why hockey is the best professional sport. there is more loyalty to fans than in other sports. but i do agree w/ the guy above me. the players play for their fellow players, to win, and for close personal fans mostly, but i think they value their fans more than the other sports, and don't just worship the dollar only.

i will say this to the Buffalo fans who will inevitably answer this question. i have enough common sense to admit that if the wings were down 3-0 to the ducks (or shoot ... any other team), that i would admit that the ducks would probly win. would i still root for the wings? sure. but i wouldn't look like a moron GUARANTEE-ING a win. DEFINITELY not a comeback to the whole series. some of you might want to consider that. you discredit yourself when you cheerlead w/ reckless abandon.

Answer 7

I think the NHL player play more for the fans than do the athletes of the other three Major League Sports. The question you have to ask yourself is which sport's fans are the most accomodating to the fans.
My own thoughts is: (from best to worst)
1. NHL
2. MLB
3. NFL
4. NBA

NASCAR would actually be at the top of the list but since I was refering to team sports I will give it honorable mention.

Answer 8

I think so too. Hockey players for the most part are nice guys off the ice when meet and greet the fan. I mean , when i saw Michael Nylander on the street of Manhattan i when up and ask for a picture taken and he let me took a picture of him. Hockey players dont get pay alot either. Jagr , Brodeur , Hasek and all those elite players are like Jeter , Ortiz , Rodriguez , Bonds of baseball but they make at most 7 or 8 million due to salary cap ?

I think some hockey players who work there rare ends off and play their hearts out like the grinders play for the fan.

Answer 9

To a certain extent, yes, they play for their fans. That's why so many do better at home than on the road. They feed off the home crowd's energy. They try harder in their own barn, not only because they feel their fans deserve it, but because they don't want to disappoint their fans.

For the most part, I feel like they play for each other. Clashing personalities in the dressing room usually spells doom for a team. The term chemistry is probably over used, but a championship team has it. Everyone pulling for each other, creating and Us vs The World mentality.

Answer 10

are you serious??? of course not...!!! you people think NHL'ers are our second cousins, neighbors or something..?

If that was the fairy tale case... why was it soooo hard to get a salary cap?? Its all about the money and individual goals... why don't star players take a pay cut to keep a super team intact?

Lindros would of been a Nordique, Coffey may of been a Whalers for a few years, Gretzky maybe wouldn't of ever left Edmonton, Jagr would of been a Penguin for life, fan favorites would never be traded away for rolling back payroll, like Ryan Smyth...

Sure they seem to be nice people most of the times... but thier professional contact tells him to conduct themselves that way... players like Yzerman do play for the fans... but even that took years for him to think like that he admitted... Alexander Daigle was pretty open about this too during his prospect days.. you think Yashin or Satan really gives a whoop about the Islanders..?

All atheletes, in most part, play for their individual goals, for money and the teams objectives... being adored and loved by fans is just a bonus for them... like any other group of people, there are really nice ones and there are not so nice ones (Belfour wasn't assaulting people with hugs when he got arrested a month ago at a bar)...

Bottom line is... fans are fans... atheletes are atheletes...
They work hard to stay in the big leagues where they make their living and career... and they appreciate the fans support and they work hard to bring a quality product for its customers but they don't play for us..!