the los angeles kings will open next season with a game at The O2 in London the first one is against the anehiem ducks. they will also be playing against another team i believe vancover but not sure the games are to take place on the 29 and 30th of september.
in addition do you feel this will help spread the game of hockey to the uk and more importantly your thoughts
2007-07-29 05:32:15 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Hockey
I'm still on the fence about having a regular season game there, but NHL teams going to other parts of the world for exhibition games isn't anything new. The Leafs went to Sweden the season just before the lockout, I believe, to play some games against the Swedish Elite teams, and I think there was one NHL exhibition game in Japan.
They do introduce the NHL and hockey to other parts of the world, and this regular season game is a first and probably just something to test the waters of something new.
If Bettman decides to take the game to...Nigeria or something like that, then he's reaching.
2007-07-29 05:43:13 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
This is a huge step in hockey. People have aleady discussed having European Teams playing in the NHL. For example, Moscow would most likely have a team along with Stockholm and Helsinki and so on, lol, maybe even Torino. Problems with this however, would be currency, travel and possibly the threat of all players wanting to play for their home countries. I am not for European teams joining the NHL for these reasons, but I do feel that the NHL should play in Europe every year. There should be a game or two in all of the Countries where a number of NHL players are from. Sweden, Finland, Russia, Czech Republic, Slovakia for starters. I don't think London should've been the first place at all. It should have been in the home of the Olympic Gold Medalists. Sweden. It seems that everyone forgot about Sweden and Finland being in the finals. Until 2010 comes around, these two teams are the best hockey countries and they deserve a little more respect.
To answer your question, it is a great idea.
2007-07-29 14:02:59 · answer #2 · answered by Jay P 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The Kings and Ducks will be playing both nights against each other, kind of like a home and home in the states. I was told that the reasoning for this, is that the owner of the Kings also had something to do with the O2 in London. And the owner of the Kings, Anschutz, is also very much involved with O2. The Arena Operator/Management is Ansco Arena Limited aka Anschutz Entertainment Group Europe.
Also, I think it's pretty cool that people on another continent get to see 2 NHL teams play. It's not very often things like that happen. But hey, I get to add another country to my "Been there" list.
2007-08-01 01:49:11 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it'd be better to have just preseason games there, and not regular season. That way fans in Europe get to see their favorite players play, but the meaningful games should be played on an NHL team's home ice. Now the Ducks and Kings fans who attend each home game get jipped a game.
Both games are Kings and Ducks, with each getting deemed the home team for one game.
Another thing is that they should have more NHL teams play against European league teams during preseason. I remember them doing that a while ago, but haven't seen it lately since a lot of NHLers went back to Europe and stayed after the lockout.
2007-07-29 20:47:04 · answer #4 · answered by David D 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Being a Kings fan, I am against the idea of playing REGULAR SEASON games in Europe. I'm sure there will be at least a little fatigue as consequence of the crazy time changes and such. Could put the teams at a disadvantage in the few games after they get back. I am not against exhibition games played there, I just don't believe regular season games in Europe are a good idea.
2007-07-29 16:54:16 · answer #5 · answered by Giovanni R 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it's a decent idea. They're laying the ducks both nights, one as home and one as away, but I wish the teams were different. That game is going to be difficult to watch for their fans with the time zones, and the kings versus the ducks- I mean come on. that's not a great matchup for an entertaining match.
Phillie vs Pittsburgh would have been much better in so many ways...
2007-07-29 15:34:47 · answer #6 · answered by The Big Box 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the game is already played in the uk, remember theo fleury? he played for an english hockey league for awhile i think it is more publicity than anything else but man the time zone difference would suck! anyone know what time eastern those games will be played? there were a few years back too some nhl games played in hjapan i think the penguins were one of the teams that were there
2007-07-29 13:23:12 · answer #7 · answered by sshueman 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm from Switzerland and I've a ticket for London, I think it's a possibility that we have here in Europe..so not bad.
I can see a nhl game without come to north america.
I must say that in the UK hockey isn't exactly a national sport...not at all.
It would be nice to see a nhl game in Bern maybe, our biggest arena.16000 people.
2007-07-29 13:29:07 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I believe it will be a double header in England between Anaheim and LA Kings. I think it's great for the game. It expands it's fan base all over the World and let me tell you people will enjoy it.
2007-07-31 22:03:36 · answer #9 · answered by Jeffery K 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The idea would be much better if the NHL had a leader who could exploit the European market the way David Stern exploits the Chinese market with the NBA.
2007-07-30 20:33:47 · answer #10 · answered by Snoop 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋