METRO TRADE: Flyers send Hartnell to CBJ for Umberger, pick

Hartnell

The Flyers today sent Scotty Hartnell to the Columbus Blue Jackets for R.J. Umberger and a fourth-round 2015 pick, ProHockeyTalk.com reports.

Seems like a fairly even trade on the surface -- but the Flyers do lose a little physicality. They do, however, free up some open cap space.

So what do you think? A good move for the Flyers? Better for the Jackets? Discuss away.

NHL Attendance Watch for Sunday, March 31, 2013

There were five games in the NHL on Sunday, March 31, 2013, and of them, two didn't sell out. They were:

• Los Angeles at Dallas — 15,719 — 84 percent full.

• Anaheim at Columbus — 13,185 — 72 percent full.

Meanwhile, the Devils are home tonight to host the Islanders. As of 1:30 p.m. today, it looks as if the game will be the Devils' 16th sellout in 18 home games. Only a handful of lower-tier seats remain, with some single-seats in the upper bowl.

Only a handful of seats remain for tonight's Devils-Islanders game. Tonight should be the Devils' 16th sellout of the last 18 home games, and 28th of the last 30 over the last two seasons.

NHL Attendance Watch for Tuesday, March 19, 2013

There were nine games in the NHL on Tuesday, March 19, 2013 and of them, three were non-sellouts. Those games were:

• Ottawa at the Islanders — 10,668 — 65 percent full.

• Florida at Carolina — 16,349 — 87 percent full.

• Nashville at Columbus — 16,364 — 73 percent full.

Despite their continued poor play, the Devils sold out the Prudential Center for the 14th time in 16 home games and the 25th time in 27 overall, dating back the final game of the last regular season. Average attendance, at 98.1 percent capacity, is 17,299.

In the 1997-98 season, the Devils averaged 17,298 fans for games at the 19,040 seat Continental Airlines Arena. That was good for seventh in the NHL, and the team's best overall year attendance wise — but the percent capacity was much lower then than it is now.

NHL Attendance Watch for Saturday, March 16, 2013

There were 13 games in the NHL on Saturday, March 16, 2013, and of them, three didn't sell out.

They were:

• Minnesota at Colorado — 17,708 — 98 percent full.

• Phoenix at Columbus — 14,231 — 78 percent full.

• Islanders at Florida — 17,627 — 91 percent full.

Meanwhile, despite yet another loss, the Devils sold out the Rock last night for the 13th time in 15 games. and for the 25th time in 27 games overall.

NHL Attendance Watch for Thursday, March 14, 2013

There were 11 games in the NHL on Thursday, March 14, 2013, and of them, four didn't sell out. The sellouts were:

• Washington at Carolina — 16,810 — 89 percent full.

• Chicago at Columbus — 15,009 — 82 percent full. NB: Not even the best team in hockey could help Columbus draw a decent crowd. It's brutal.

• Phoenix at St. Louis — 17,852 — 93 percent full.

• Anaheim at Dallas — 15,775 — 85 percent full.

NHL Attendance Watch for Tuesday, March 13, 2013: More than half of games played aren't full

There were 11 games in the NHL on Tuesday, March 12, and of them, more than half were not sellouts.

The non-sellouts include:

• Vancouver at Columbus — 14,852 — 81 percent full.

• Tampa at Florida — 15,174 — 78 percent full.

• San Jose at St. Louis — 16,583 — 86 percent full.

• Nashville at Dallas — 15,661 — 84 percent full.

• Edmonton at Colorado — 14,360 — 79 percent full.

• Los Angeles at Phoenix — 15,075 — 85 percent full.

This marks the most non-sellouts on one day for the entire 2012-13 season (six).

Meanwhile, the Devils will have yet another sellout — their 12th in 14 games — tonight when Philly comes to town. What will be interesting is to see the number of Flyers fans in the building. Previously this season, there were minimal visiting fans in the building.

NHL Attendance Watch for Thursday, March 7, 2013

There were 11 games in the NHL on Thursday, March 7, 2013, and of them, three weren't sellouts. The non-sellouts were:

• St. Louis at Phoenix — 11,482 — 67 percent full.

• Vancouver at Columbus — 13,632 — 75 percent full.

• Montreal at Carolina — 16,774 — 89 percent full.

Meanwhile, our Devils sold out for the 10th time in 12 games.

The Islanders had a full house, too, (their third of the year), for a game against the Rangers, and it may have well just been a road game for them. Some have estimated there were more than 70 percent Rangers fans in the Coliseum, and it was certainly evident in the lower tier when the Rangers scored in overtime to win (see at 2:22 of video).

NHL Attendance Watch for Sunday, March 3, 2013

There were nine games in the NHL on Sunday, March 3, 2013. The four non-sellouts included:

• Ottawa at the Islanders — 13,512 — 82 percent full.

• Colorado at Columbus — 13,778 — 76 percent full.

• St. Louis at Dallas — 16,663 — 89 percent full.

• Carolina at Florida — 15,978 — 83 percent full.

UPDATE: Our favorite Flames fan, the great Kyle Mayer, @kymayer on Twitter, wrote in today to let us know the Flames' sellout last night came despite a massive blizzard that has hit the Calgary area. Great job by the Flames' fans. They know how to handle blizzards (unlike in 1987, when they played in a blizzard game before 334 fans). Thanks for the info, Kyle.

Attendance Watch for Monday, Feb. 11, 2013

Here are your non-sellouts in the NHL for Monday, Feb. 11, 2013:

• Carolina at the Islanders — 9,622 (59 percent full — third-smallest crowd in the NHL this season).

• San Jose at Columbus — 10,837 (59 percent full).

• Los Angeles at St. Louis — 14,498 (75 percent full).

• Phoenix and Colorado — 14,063 (78 percent full).

The Islanders had the smallest crowd in the NHL on Monday, Feb. 11, 2013 —announced at 9,622. 

Attendance Watch for Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013 — 5 of 6 games sell out

There were six games in the NHL on Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. The one non-sellouts was:

• Edmonton at Columbus — 14,364 (79 percent full).

Nationwide Arena in Columbus was 79 percent full for Jackets-Oilers on Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. The Jackets have sold out once (Opening Night) and is at the bottom of the league (77.6-percent capacity) in overall attendance. 

Attendance Watch for Thursday, Feb. 7 — 4 non-sellouts out of 12 games played

There were 12 games played in the NHL on Thursday, Feb. 7 and of them, four didn't sell out.

Among them were:

• Tampa at the Devils — 14,802 (84 percent full)

• Carolina at Ottawa — 17,337 (93 percent full)

• Calgary at Columbus — 10,484 (57 percent full)

• Chicago at Phoenix — 15,096 (88 percent full — not bad for Phoenix).

As we mentioned earlier, the Devs' non-sellout was the first since the next-to-last game of last year's regular season. The Prudential Center will be sold out the next time the Devils play — Saturday v. the Pens. Still, the Devils are more than 3,000 over last year's average after five home games (17,060).

The Prudential Center was one of four NHL arenas that weren't sold out last night.

Attendance Watch for Tuesday, Feb. 5 — 4 of 10 games aren't full

There were 10 games in the NHL on Tuesday, Feb. 5, and nearly half did not sell out.

Our Devils hit their 16th-consecutive sellout, a streak dating back to the final game of last season. It also marks the very first time in franchise history the team has sold out its first four home games in any one season.

Among the non-sellouts were:

• Pittsburgh at the Islanders: 11,318 — 69 percent full.

• Los Angeles at Columbus: 11,019 — 60 percent full.

• Buffalo at Ottawa:  18,345 — 99 percent full.

• Nashville at St. Louis: 15,206 — 79 percent full.

The smallest crowd in the NHL Tuesday was at Columbus, where 11,019 showed for Blue Jackets/Kings. Not even the Stanley Cup Champions could help Columbus, which has had the second-smallest crowds in the entire league all season long.

Attendance Watch for Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013: 3 of 11 don't sell out

With even more uncertainty over ownership of the Phoenix
Coyotes, small crowds like this should be the norm until
or if the Coyotes make the Stanley Cup playoffs in April.

There were 11 games on the NHL schedule Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013, and of them, three weren't sellouts.

• Edmonton at Colorado — 16,119 — 89 percent full.

• Detroit at Columbus — 17,612 — 97 percent full.

• Dallas at Phoenix — 12,151 — 71 percent full.

Attendance Watch for Jan. 31, 2013: Devils reach 15-straight sellouts, Blue Jackets don't

Most games — including our Devils — sold out on Thursday, Jan. 31. For the Devils, it was their 15th-straight sellout. That streak will reach at least 16, as the team hosts the Rangers Tuesday night at 7 ET. For the Devils, this season marks the first time in franchise history the first three games of any one season were sold out.

Non-sellouts include:

• St. Louis at Columbus — 11,155 (61 percent full).

• Jets at Panthers — 15,731 (81 percent full).

The Columbus Blue Jackets continue to draw small crowds to the Nationwide Arena.

Attendance Watch: Monday, Jan. 28, 2013

The NHL saw its smallest crowd of the year Monday at Glendale, as 8,581 showed to see the Coyotes and Predators. Half the building was full. This is getting embarrassing now. Half-empty buildings and crowds under 10,000 are unsustainable in this league. And something has to give here — fast.

Meanwhile, in Columbus only 10,475 (57 percent capacity) showed for a game against the Dallas Stars.

The game between the Bruins and Hurricanes in North Carolina also didn't sell out — the crowd was 17,190 — 91 percent capacity).

There were two late games — in Los Angeles and Edmonton. We'll recap those shortly.

Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, where only 10,475 attended Monday's Jackets' game.