Life Without Hockey

Gary Bettman announced to the media Thursday, that he fully intends to lock the players out if there is no deal reached by September 15th. Looks like a long offseason may become much longer.

"Time is running short and the owners are not prepared to operate under this collective bargaining agreement for another season, so we need to get to making a deal and doing it soon," ~ Gary Bettman


Bettman's comments come after his counterpart NHLPA leader Donald Fehr had said the players were willing to go into training camps without a deal by September 15th. Clearly Bettman has a different idea.

Bettman's comments will do one of two things. One way to look at the comments is as Bettman trying to light a fire under the NHLPA. The league and owners submitted their idea for the CBA to the NHLPA weeks ago, but the NHLPA has yet to submit their counterproposal to the league. The September 15th deadline leaves just 5 weeks for the two sides to hammer out a deal and with the NHLPA expected to submit their offer on Tuesday hopefully the two sides will be eager to make a deal. Bettman was obviously not happy with how long Fehr was taking visiting players in Russia and around the world, so he decided enough is enough. Either submit your counter offer or be ready for a lockout.

The other thing that could happen is obvious, five weeks isn't enough time for the two sides to fix out all the "kinks" in a new deal. Therefore if one side is unwilling to back down we WILL see a lockout. With the September 15th deadline talks must happen quickly and swiftly in order for a deal to get done, the slightest hiccup or resistance from one side will result in missing the deadline.

Hopefully for hockey fans it's the first option that happens. Fehr and the players feel the fire lit under them and are eager to get a deal done.

It is odd however that Bettman would come out and firmly state they meet the deadline or no hockey as another lockout would only further tarnish his reputation. If the 2012-2013 season does begin with a lockout, it will be the third lockout under the leadership of Bettman. 3 lockouts in 17 years, not exactly a great legacy.

But what worries me most (and should worry you too) is not who's right, because frankly their both rich and greedy men who don't want to back down. But the worst part of the impending lockout is the NHL's reputation. Sure there are some die hard hockey fans that will be sitting on the edge of their seats waiting for the league to come back, but what about all the fringe fans or the fans we lost in the last lockout? The majority of people are just going to move on and find other things to watch and do while the NHL is on strike, but who says they'll come back?
The NHL still has not recovered from the last lockout. Lot's of fans stopped watching and caring about hockey. What turns a lot of people off is the fact that the league owners and the players are already millionaires yet they still want more money. Heck that even turns me off! Why do millionaires need to fight over more money, just play the game you're payed millions to play!
If Bettman sticks to his "deadline" and there is a lockout, the NHL will lose millions of fans who may never come back.

Let's use the Toronto Maple Leafs as a prime example. It's been 8 years since the Leafs were last in the playoffs. There is now a whole generation of Leafs fans that haven't seen or don't remember them being in the playoffs. Pretty soon young kids will not want to support the Leafs. With another lockout it will become 9 years (7 seasons) which means kids that are 12-15 won't remember the Leafs in the playoffs. Who want's to cheer for a team that to their memory hasn't made the playoffs?

Hockey in America is already struggling. The majority of Americans would rather watch football or basketball before hockey on any given day. Take away the third option they're still left with football and basketball which they prefer anyways. If you take away hockey all together people are going to lose interest in the sport. What kind of professional league has 3 lockouts in 17 years?!?

The sad thing, there is really no need for a lockout. It shouldn't be this difficult for two sides to come together and workout a new agreement. The players got tired of being pushed around by Bettman, as a result they hired one of the toughest negotiators in sports. Now we have two power hungry men who don't want to backdown and as a result innocent fans are going to get hurt.

While I'd like to remain optimistic about a deal getting down, it's not looking good. Week by week the chances of the 2012-2013 season starting on time are slipping away, hopefully if they don't start on time they will at least start.
Fans take advantage of the lack of professional hockey and head down to watch your local AHL, OHL, CHL or junior team so you can see players who actually play for the love of the game!

NHL CBA Setting the Battle Grounds

How many of you are holding out hope or are optimistic that the 2012-2013 NHL season will start on time? Unfortunately those hopes took a major blow on the weekend after the NHL offered their new CBA proposal to the NHLPA. By the terms of the first offer it's clear this is going to be a battle fought to the bitter end.

Let's get right to the bottom of the CBA "negotiations". NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA head Donald Fehr don't like each other. Both are power hungry guys who wont backdown and don't like to lose. Bettman may not be interested in playing nice with Mr. Fehr to save the season, and in the end it may come down to who blinks first.

What Gary Bettman has proposed

• Reduce player revenue shares from 57% to 46
• Limit the lengths of contracts to 5 years
• Players have to wait 10 years to become Unrestricted Free Agents
• Get rid of signing bonuses
• NHL Entry level contracts extended to 5 years (instead of 3)
• End future salary arbitrations
• To get rid of front loaded contracts, the money must be the same or less in each of the 5 years.

Can you spell trouble? Out of the points the NHL has offered, I can see only 1 being approved by the NHLPA and that's the length of contracts can only be 5 years maximum. Players and owners have mentioned in the past they aren't fans of the long term 12 year deals that seem to be all the rage right now. Yes it's nice for a team to lock up a franchise player, but if you have multiple players tied up for 8 years how are younger players supposed to break into the league?

But the real hinging point around the CBA is the revenue between the league, players and owners. The players want more revenue while the league wants to give them less. A recipe for disaster. While I am in the boat that says the players are already making for too much money to play hockey, the reduced revenue proposal is ludicrous. Look at it this way; The league revenue right now is at $3.3 billion which has sky rocketed since the last lockout where revenue was $2.2 billion. During the last CBA/lockout the players had a revenue percentage of 75, and that was a much smaller cut as opposed to them making that amount with todays revenue. But here's the kicker since the lockout out each NHL team is making $47.3 million as opposed to $18.3 million before the lockout. Some teams are crying poor and instead of sorting the revenue out amongst the other owners they have decided to take it out against the players. But the players have a different idea, they want a bigger piece of the pie. Considering the players are the major reason the NHL has revenue they should be getting a little more of the revenue they are making the NHL. 

While this was just the first proposition and the revenue for players will end up being different in the end. The NHL needs to be careful about losing players to the dreaded KHL. As of right now the KHL doesn't have any issues throwing large sums of money to lure players away from the NHL, and it may work. Especially with young rookies who if this CBA gets passed will have to wait 5 years before getting a half decent contract. So if the Mr. Bettman isn't careful the KHL will end up with a lot of young talented hockey players that had their sights on the NHL. 

But the good news for hockey fans is this is just step one in a very long process. What the two sides are doing right now are offering their versions of what they want in a perfect NHL. There is still a lot of debating ahead before October and one side has to cave. 

10 Games to Watch

As you can see thanks to the handy countdown clock to the right, they're roughly 93 days until the puck is dropped on the 2012-2013 NHL season. Hockey fans need to plan their hockey watching schedules ahead of time, there are just too many distractions during the season. So here are 10 must see NHL games for the upcoming season.

*Please note these games are not in order of when they occur*

10. October 11, 12 and 13
Guess what happens on October 11th? Hockey is back and the regular season gets kicked off, hopefully with a bang. Unfortunately the NHL likes to draw out the process and teams like the Sabres and Leafs have to wait till the 13th to play their first games. But make sure you check the schedule to see when your team kicks off their season. You don't want to miss the first game of the season, it's your first chance to see your team play in a meaningful game.

9. November 15th Kings vs. Blue Jackets
Everyone is still talking about the Jeff carter trade and how it effected the Kings and how he ultimately won a Stanley Cup with long time friend and teammate Mike Richards. But what people forget is the player that lost out on the deal being sent from the Cup winning Kings to the lottery picking Blue Jackets, Jack Johnson. It will be the first time Johnson faces his former teammates who are now Stanley Cup Champions.

8. New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers October 16th
A rematch of the Eastern Conference final. A rematch between two of the best goalies in the league Brodeur vs. Lundqvist. The Devils were able to prevail in the series long playoff match, but who will be able to win the one game battle?

7. New York Rangers vs. Los Angeles Kings October 12th
The second night of opening games will see the match up everyone was hoping for in the Stanley Cup Finals. Rangers vs. Kings Lundqvist once again will have a tough challenge 200 feet from him in Jonathan Quick. Which goalie will come out victorious? The Kings will also see their Stanley Cup banner raised to the rafters before the game.

6. Boston Bruins vs. Montreal Canadiens October 16th
The Bruins vs. Habs rivalry will be kicked off with a home and home set between the two teams. It begins in Montreal and ends in Boston two days later. But that will be just the start to the rivalry for the season. What would make this game/rivalry perfect? If the Bruins would be willing to play Malcolm Subban in one of the games against the Canadiens. P.K Subban taking slapshots from the point at his little brother, could anything be more entertaining?


5. Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers October 18th
Perhaps one of the most exciting games to kick off the season. Everyone remembers the drama following these two teams in the playoffs. Heck the Flyers won their "Stanley Cup" after they beat the Penguins in round one. In a 6 game series the two teams combined for 56 goals over 300 PIMS and some coach yelling. The Flyers and Penguins will meet an additional 6 times this season, grab your popcorn and make sure you catch at least one of the hard fought battles. Plus we get to hear Sidney Crosby talk about how "He doesn't like them, not one guy on their roster".


4. Hockey Day in Canada February 9th
This isn't just one game it's a big event and for Canadians it's important. Hockey is our game, we need a day to remember it and honour it. There are festivities all around Canada to honour the great game. All 7 Canadian teams will be in action and playing fellow Canadian teams. Including the Leafs against the Canadiens and the Canucks against the Jets. It's a celebration of hockey, make sure you join in the party if you're Canadian. If you're American just wait a week, February 17th is your hockey celebration.

3. Winter Classic January 1st Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

Who doesn't love a good Winter Classic battle where the teams take the game outdoors where it all started. Every year I tune into the Winter Classic and watch the excitement. While it isn't always the best quality of hockey (Due to the weather) it's a fun game and a fun experience for players. Who better to have play in the Winter Classic than the Toronto Maple Leafs the centre of the hockey universe, the biggest hockey market in the league. The fact they're playing the classy Red Wings and they may have the opportunity to face Jonas the Monster Gustavsson just makes the game that more exciting. Not to mention two original 6 teams will be battling it out and it's the only game being played that day. I'm already excited, can you tell?

2. Los Angeles Kings vs New Jersey Devils February 9th
This game may overshadow Hockey Day in Canada, however it is the first and only meeting between the two Stanley Cup finalists. Who will win the rematch? How different will both teams look by then? How badly will the loss of Parise affect the Devils? All key questions that will be answered when these two teams square off.

1. Last Chance Saturday April 13th
As hockey fans we love to watch hockey games. We can sit down on the couch all day and watch hockey, and the best games to watch are ones that have playoff implications. So what better day to spend lounging around your house than the last day of the regular season while teams are battling for playoff spots and series' are decided? While it would be near impossible for the NHL to fit all 30 teams in one day, they did their best and have scheduled 14 games which adds up to 28 teams. Talk about excitement!

Right now hockey fans are holding their breaths and hoping the season starts on time and these 10 exciting game are able to happen. Let's stay positive, here's to the 2012-2013 NHL regular season starting on time! Be sure to mark these games on your calenders, call in sick, break your phone whatever you have to do, to be able to watch these games.