Bluejackets and NHL forum?

[Babrook]

Just a thought.

[swerb]

Just a thought.

I've had a couple people ping me about making a place for people to discuss NHL, the Blue Jackets, and The LE Monsters.

I just don't know if the forum would get any posts. If there's enough interest, I'll add it.

[Babrook]

Just a thought.

I've had a couple people ping me about making a place for people to discuss NHL, the Blue Jackets, and The LE Monsters.

I just don't know if the forum would get any posts. If there's enough interest, I'll add it.

I say give it a spin. You won't know if it'll be popular or not unless you actually make one . This would be the perfect time, too, seeing that the season just started a while back and interest is fresh.

[buckeyehoppy]

Swerb:

DO IT!!!

Hockey is LARGE in Cleveland and I'll direct a lot of traffic there on my own if I have to.

Aside from the Tribe and the Bucks, I am a huge hockey geek. Love the NHL in general and I keep an eye on about half a dozen teams throughout the year.

Also, LE Monsters will be a good discussion point here and college and HS hockey can hold there own here, too, even if college and HS sports have there own threads.

At the very least, put it in a "miscellaneous" thread and let's see where it can go. But thanks for giving it a thought!

[consigliere]

I see absolutely nothing wrong with having a hockey forum. There are fans in this town who are hardcore hockey fans....I believe it after listening to so many at the Monsters game on opening night. Plus, the big D-1 high schools around here have a strong hockey forum. You could make it one forum which covers everything from high school to the Monsters.

Heck, it wouldn't hurt to find someone willing to write on the Monsters from time to time. There is no coverage anywhere on them, so any additional people we can bring in by being THE Monsters place may make some sense.

[swerb]

Created

[furls]

What is this "Hockey" you guys are talking about? Is it that lacrosse game on ice?

When I lived in columbus, Ohio State hockey was one of the best values in sports. It was like 5-10 bucks to get in and you could sit RIGHT on the glass. I know it is not NHL or whatever, but it was still pretty high level hockey and a great vantage point.

[Babrook]

Love you Swerb.

[swerb]

I used to be a big hockey guy. Was a pretty ardent Capitals fan through the late eighties and nineties, and followed the Jackets when they entered the league.

Then, a combination of things happened. The Cavs got LeBron. The Bucks got Thad. I got married and had a kid. The Caps went into an abyss of suck and the Jackets never got off the ground. Then the NHL strike. Then I started this site, further sapping my free time I could dedicate to watching sports.

In short, I've morphed from a guy that could rattle off the top three lines of just about every NHL team, and followed the Caps daily ... to a guy that simply scans the standings and statistical leaders maybe 1-2x a week.

I did buy seats for six Monsters games this season. Looking forward to getting down there and checking em out.

[Babrook]

Same here. What got me out of it was the Blue Jackets coming to town. I grew up a huge Devils fan, back in the days of Arnott, Sykora, Gomez, Stevens, and Rafalski. Elias and Marty are still there, atleast. When the Blue Jackets came I actually had a split of intrest between the teams which lead to me not paying attention to either. The lockout was the final strike.

Though, I started watching Columbus games this year, and I think they have a shot at not being too bad with Federov and Nash.

[Spin]

Did the NHL come back?

I remember that league, they use to be on TV and they use to play neutral site games here. Then they locked out and I haven't heard a thing since. There was some major league thingy on some redneck elk shooting channel but i never watch that stuff.

I thought if there was a 'big league" team down the road in C-bus that we'dd hear more about it. I see more ads for the Wooster Warriors and Akron U hockey than the BJ's. Maybe they don't want me to come down there and spend money.

[skatingtripods]

Great name. I love it.

[buckeyehoppy]

Thank you Swerb for giving the Puckheads in the audience a place to vent. theclevelandfan.com will be much more comprehensive with this forum.

One nice thing about Cleveland is that there are several NHL teams in close proximity of Cleveland. I follow, in no particular order of importance: Buffalo, Toronto, Pittsburgh, San Jose, Colorado, and Columbus. Needless to say, I don't really have a favorite but I love the game and I love it when the teams I get behind do well.

I have subscribed to NHL Centre Ice for the past three seasons and it is awesome. The best part of the package is getting Hockey Night In Canada every Saturday and getting some pretty lucid commentary every week, particularly from former goalie Kelly Hrudey on After Hours. Admittedly, I also want to see what suit Don Cherry will be wearing next on the Coach's Corner.

I'm also looking forward to getting down to the Q for the Monsters. It might not be the big league, but, damn it Cleveland, if you love the game, support your team. The Monsters, I think, will have a rough go of it this year because the Avalanche now has an affiliate of its own. They have shared the last couple years and some of the players they have aren't quite ready yet for AHL competition. But I am glad Cleveland has a squad and I hope we can make this one work.

I am also big on CCHA hockey (Ohio State's league) and HS hockey (along with wrestling, this is another sport that is dominant in this region of the state).

This will be a great forum and, as time allows, I hope to contribute frequently.

[Funky Cold Luis Medina]

I was hoping the forum would be coming. Granted, I rarely watch the NHL anymore (I love hockey, but it's highest league has become unwatchable), but if anyone talks junior hockey, I'll be all over it as I work with a Junior A (NAHL) team as their radio guy.

[skatingtripods]

I was hoping the forum would be coming. Granted, I rarely watch the NHL anymore (I love hockey, but it's highest league has become unwatchable), but if anyone talks junior hockey, I'll be all over it as I work with a Junior A (NAHL) team as their radio guy.

I've often entertained the idea of checking out a Jr. A game. I was excited at the possibility of seeing Keserich with the Monsters, since he was a solid Cleveland product when he played in the NAHL, but they didn't keep him on the roster.

I've been to Barons Arena to see AHL Barons training camp and see a buddy of mine coach peewee, but never for a NAHL game.

Cory, I'm just curious as to why you find the NHL unwatchable now? Too ticky-tack with the penalties or what? I would actually find the lower-tier leagues, ECHL, USHL, and all that unwatchable begins I don't like the brawling style of semi-pro. Juniors is obviously different, but the Major Jr. leagues like the QMJHL are in a class all by themselves.

[Funky Cold Luis Medina]

That's part of it. Penalties are up, fighting is down, the new jerseys looks like crap, and I'm just not into it as much as I was when I played in high school.

By the way, there are some Cleveland-area products in the Junior A ranks right now. Eric Ringel (brother of a high school teammate of mine) from Hinckley, J.D. Howard from Canfield, Denny Kramarz from Brecksville, and Zack Barbis from Mentor play for the Mahoning Valley Phantoms. Carl Neilson of Lorain and Chris Perko of Mentor play for the Alpena Ice Diggers. Kyle Maggard of the Bismarck Bobcats is from Brecksville. The North Iowa Outlaws have Tyler Romasco from Perry. Unfortunately, the only way to see NAHL is if you drive to Youngstown.

Same with the USHL: gotta go to Columbus. Parma's Patrick Goebel plays for Ohio, as does Shaker Heights' Charles Brockett. Vince Mihalek from Willowick is with the Cedar Rapids Rough Riders, as is Painesville's Doug Leaverton.

[skatingtripods]

I've played with the older Kramarz at open hockey. His brother has played once or twice, he's pretty talented. Andrew, the brother, is a very solid player. He plays out at Metroplex in a men's league now. We're from the same high school too, though I played JV when he was there.

[Funky Cold Luis Medina]

What high school was it? I was a JV player for University School in 2001-02.

[skatingtripods]

What high school was it? I was a JV player for University School in 2001-02.

Trinity High School.

[Funky Cold Luis Medina]

Cool. We played the Trinity JV's twice in my lone year. If I remember correctly, the arena you guys were in had some really high boards, making line changes pretty tough. We all had to use the doors instead of hopping over.

[skatingtripods]

Cool. We played the Trinity JV's twice in my lone year. If I remember correctly, the arena you guys were in had some really high boards, making line changes pretty tough. We all had to use the doors instead of hopping over.

Yep, The Dan is a shitbox. It's still the same as it was, just with newer lighting.