A full house can gross an NHL team something like a million and a half bucks per game in gate receipts alone. (And even in the backwaters, most of those tickets are presold, so even if no one shows, those tickets are paid for.) And then there's all the concession workers and arena staff who need to be paid, and the surrounding places that rely on extra business being thrown their way, not to mention the media outlets who need the news and discussion topics, the players who might have incentives in their contracts (or who are auditioning for next year), and the Jean-Claude Van Damme movies that need to be shot. Aside from the final point (I was stretching, I know), I wouldn't call that meaningless, no matter what the records of the teams involved may be.
well i don't think the players should be slacking off..whether playoff bound or not..however,i think its ok that the playoff teams should rest their star players,or injured ones..but not to have playing 70% hard,because the others players will see this an follow suit..as for non-playoff teams,the incentive is there,to start tanking games to get better odds on winning the draft lottery...funny part is..bettman introduced it to prevent it,but instead of a couple of teams trying it, you got 5 or more doing it....ass-backwards if you ask me...
WHO CARES IT'S ONLY HOCKEY.
WHO CARES IT'S ONLY HOCKEY. 
winger, You the man!
lol !!wingnut got my vote...!!!
Here's an at-a boy for wingnut.......
Wingnut is stealing TBH's pictures... Nice picture anyway wingnut.
Stealing is such a harsh word, think of it more along the line of an "aggressive acquisition." Yeah, that's the ticket... Thanks for the kudos. I can't stand it when people chime in just to bash the thread or the sport. If you don't care, don't post!
No kudos from me. I would have hoped we would just continue talking about hockey.
Wingnut is stealing TBH's pictures... A Google Image Search for "STFU" hardly constitutes copyright on TBH's part.
Another variable could be that the teams are actually playing how they normally do, but it is noticed more often (win/loss) because it is so close to playoff time? Then there is always the variable of the team that is out of the playoff picture gets the satisfaction of being the 'spoiler.' To not play any more because you are mathematically eliminated is ludicrous. Yes these guys get paid for what they do, but they play for the love of the game.
A Google Image Search for "STFU" hardly constitutes copyright on TBH's part. Well, Mr. Smartypants, aren't you going to be surprised when I show you the receipt I got when I purchased the internets? Hmmmmm?
Well, Mr. Smartypants, aren't you going to be surprised when I show you the receipt I got when I purchased invented the internets? Ladies and gentlemen, I have figured out the true identity of TBH. It is none other than *DRUM ROLL, PLEASE* Mr. Al Gore!!!!!
I guess I can understand why the remaining games have to be played, but I don't watch them unless they'll have a bearing on seeding for the playoffs, other wise what's the point? What I really hate is that every once in awhile some player gets hurt, sometimes career ending, in a game that won't have any effect at all on the outcome of the season. The players know this and I still think they just phone those games in.
Ha, TBH put the pic in his profile. A Google Image Search for "STFU" hardly constitutes copyright on TBH's part. Anyway I was just saying that because that is usually the image he posts. I understand that he doesn't have the copyright (I think...).
