Ducks and Sharks Play Vegas

The Ducks will “test the Las Vegas hockey waters” and play a Rookie Game versus the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The NHL marketing machine appears to be playing into the hand of the much rumored future expansion to the Las Vegas market.  If the league wants to be front and center among a variety of potential new fans, then Las Vegas is the next place to be.

Let’s see - Imagine the biggest Casinos on the strip shelling out complimentary tickets to a Celine Dion concert followed up the next evening by an NHL game.  I’m no high-roller, but that sounds about right to me (minus the Celine Dion ticket).

In my opinion, the league should not look at the Las Vegas market in terms of expansion but rather relocation.  It is quite apparent that some of the current markets cannot support a National Hockey League team and that there is demand and support (at least financially) in other markets such as Hamilton and Las Vegas.

A look at the Rookies

Featured players on Anaheim’s rookie roster include seven of 10 selections from the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, including centers Nicolas Deschamps (second round, 35th overall) and Eric O’Dell (second round, 39th overall), defenseman Justin Schultz (second round, 43rd overall), left wing Josh Brittain (third round, 71st overall), goaltender Marco Cousineau (third round, 83rd overall), center Brandon McMillan (third round, 85th overall), and defenseman Stefan Warg (fifth round, 143rd overall).

The Ducks roster also features 2007 first-round selection Logan MacMillan (19th overall) along with fellow 2007 draft class members Eric Tangradi (second round, 42nd overall) and Maxime Macenauer (third round, 63rd overall).