***Official*** NHL Lockout news thread ***Confirmed***

[Aquaman]

McKenzie: Who goes after Crosby?

TSN.ca Staff
6/29/2005

The top prospect in the belated 2005 NHL entry draft is indisputable, so the big questions are who's going to get the No. 1 choice overall and take Sidney Crosby, and who'll be drafted No. 2 behind Sid the Kid.

The draft lottery will answer the first question and maybe the second as well, because individual team preference is likely going to be the determining factor in who goes No. 2.

If the team picking second wants a rough and tumble, ultra-competitive defenceman who can make things happen offensively, then it will be Jack Johnson of the U.S. national under-18 program.

If the team choosing second wants a big, skilled forward with slick moves and great wheels, then it will be late bloomer Benoit Pouliot of the Sudbury Wolves.

If the team with the second pick is willing to overlook his awkward skating style and wants a big, power forward who drives the net and finishes with authority, well, then, American Bobby Ryan of the Owen Sound Attack is the man.

Those three players were the only prospects who received consideration as the next best thing to Crosby in TSN's annual draft ranking, which is based on a survey of scouting representatives from 10 NHL clubs.

TSN's consensus No. 2 pick is Johnson, the bruising blueliner who played prep school hockey with Crosby at Shattuck-St. Mary's.

But there is also considerable support for Pouliot as No. 2. A late 1986 birthdate, Pouliot, TSN's No. 3, is a year older than the others but scouts are excited over his skill set.

Ryan was the only other player to get No. 2 consideration, but not to the same extent as the other two, so he checks in at No. 4 on our list.

The only other players with an outside shot at No. 2 would appear to be No. 5 ranked Slovenian big man Anze Kopitar, a forward who played junior hockey in Sweden this season, or ultra-aggressive offensive presence Gilbert Brule of the Vancouver Giants, who battles like a big man despite his 5-foot-10, 175-pound frame.

Kopitar was ranked as high as No. 3 by one team and Brule's best was a No. 4 ranking.

The draft lottery to determine this year's order of selection is expected to have a huge impact on how things play out for the prospects in this year's draft class. That is to suggest this is a year in which there are wildly divergent views on the prospects, that once you get past the top six or seven prospects, different teams have significantly different takes on the players available.

Take Chicoutimi forward Marek Zagrapan, for instance. Two NHL clubs surveyed by TSN have him in the top 10. Two other clubs rate him as a borderline first rounder; or Swedish prospect Nicklas Bergfors, who some teams have no higher than a second-round pick while others see him as a solid shot to go in the top 20; or Guelph defenceman Ryan Parent, who one team has a top 10 pick while another has him as second rounder; which pretty much sums up Andrew Cogliano of the Jr. A St. Mike's Buzzers.

The first round will be filled with those types of divergent opinions, so the order of selection, at this point unknown, will have a huge bearing on whether the players who are touted as first rounders actually go in the first round.

There's always an element of that in any draft, but rest assured the personal preference factor is higher this year than it has been at any time in the last 10 years, so we shouldn't be surprised if, after the first five or six selections, teams go "off the board" for their respective picks.

But at the end of the day, whenever that day may be, this will be Sidney Crosby's draft.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

McKenzie: The end is in sight

TSN.ca Staff
6/30/2005 7:19:31 PM

For the first time in this tortured process, we can now measure what's left of the lockout in days as opposed to weeks or months.

Canadians can celebrate Canada Day on Friday and Americans, the small minority that actually like hockey that is, can have their Fourth of July celebration on Monday, reasonably secure in the knowledge that the long-awaited agreement is within sight.

The sense is it should be finished sometime next week, with an outside chance it could carry over into the week of July 11th, but in any case, we're talking a small number of days.

Either way, the countdown is now on, it's almost over.

But what are we counting down to?

If the agreement is reached, say, Wednesday of next week, what's going to happen? Will there be a big news conference to mark the occasion?

Probably not. Until this deal gets ratified by both sides, probably within a week or so of the agreement, there is not going to be a big dog and pony show, with Gary Bettman and Bob Goodenow putting on the goofy "Game On" hats like in 1995. Truth be told, it would be a huge surprise if you even see Bettman and Goodenow together on a dais.

The details of the new CBA will no doubt become public before the deal is ratified. They have to. General managers, agents, everyone in hockey has to figure out this new system because once it's ratified, the NHL will be open for business again and everyone will have to hit the ground running.

When the NHL commissioner, with a new CBA in hand, signed, sealed and delivered, steps up to the microphone to say the lockout is officially over, it will be more about re-launching and re-branding the NHL game than actually ending the lockout.

We shouldn't be surprised if the new NHL logo is unveiled. And 1995's slogan, Game On, will be replaced by its 2005 marketing equivalent -- "It's a whole new game."

And it will be. The myriad of new rule changes are likely to be unveiled. They could even throw in the draft lottery to make things really exciting.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

NHL looks to be springing back to life

Canadian Press
6/30/2005 10:39:09 PM

A sign that the National Hockey League is about to spring back to life is all the signings of coaches and general managers in the past two weeks.

And a mad rush of player moves is expected when the league and the NHL Players' Association finally end the lockout that wiped out the entire 2004-05 season.

Some believe a new collective bargaining agreement will be ready as early as next week.

"You can feel it," agent Pat Brisson said Thursday. "Teams are signing their coaches and general managers. It's very different from last summer.

"From what I hear, it seems they'll announce something in a week or a week and a half."

The Anaheim Mighty Ducks offered a one-year deal to head coach Mike Babcock on Thursday and he will take a week to think about it.

On Wednesday, the Ottawa Senators gave GM John Muckler a three-year contract extension, which followed extensions given to coaches Pat Quinn of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Dave Tippett of the Dallas Stars.

Earlier, the Nashville Predators extended deals to coach Barry Trotz and his assistants, while the Chicago Blackhawks named Dale Tallon as GM. He promptly announced that coach Brian Sutter would not return.

All that movement could be small potatoes compared to the flurry expected when a new CBA in place, even if no one is sure exactly what the deal will include.

A salary cap somewhere in the $35 million to $40 million range is expected along with the 24 per cent salary rollback the players offered in December. The age of unrestricted free agency may come down from the current 31.

Hundreds of players contracts will have expired and GMs will have to fit new contracts into payroll limits.

"It will be the busiest time ever for us (agents), players and GMs," predicted Brisson. "It seems it will be a completely new system and we'll have to learn it quick.

"There will be more players on the market, lots of buyouts and with teams operating under a cap, they'll need room to sign players and they may have to let some go. It will be pretty wild."

Bob Gainey of the Montreal Canadiens said GMs are used to busy summers of signing free agents and going to arbitration with players and doesn't expect it to be that much different this year.

"It's always pretty busy," he said. "We really don't know what we're in for and when, but the bottom line is that we're all in the same position."

Gainey, who has only seven or eight players under contract for 2005-06, refuses to speculate on what may or may not be in the new CBA and says he'll deal with whatever new rules are agreed upon.

Brisson is bracing for major change.

He said the large payroll teams like Toronto, Detroit, the New York Rangers or Detroit may no longer be able to deal draft picks or prospects in exchange for expensive veterans.

"The draft will be extremely important and it will be important to sign your core players and do a better job off-ice to keep them happy," he said, adding that money may no longer be the deciding issue in where many players choose to ply their trade.

An area of concern to Brisson is the draft. His star client is Sidney Crosby of the Rimouski Oceanic, who is expected to be taken first overall.

But it is unclear yet how much entry-level salaries will be lowered and if restrictions will be placed on rookie bonuses. In the past, top picks have earned three or four times the rookie salary cap through bonuses.

"There has to be a way to make individual bonuses if an entry-level player makes a difference to his team," said Brisson. "If not, I wouldn't be surprised if entry-level players from Russia or other countries stay overseas because they can make more money."

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

Woooooooooo........... all caught up on the updates 😀

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[SSP]

Originally posted by: Aquaman
McKenzie: Latest cap story is confusing

TSN.ca Staff
6/8/2005

Wednesday's story on the Globe and Mail's website is both interesting and
confusing.

Interesting because it re-affirms the rumours that the NHL and NHL Players'
Association have basically agreed on a macro-economic linked salary cap
payroll system and also interesting because it's chock full of specific
numbers, though these numbers are not too much different than what were
reported in the New York Post 10 days ago.

But it's an extremely confusing story for the following reason:

The story says each team will have its own individual salary floor and
ceiling and that this team-by-team payroll range will be determined as a
percentage of each club's individual revenue, not as a percentage of
league-wide revenue.

If this were indeed the case, it would be a huge victory for the NHL
Players' Association, which would love nothing more than to allow larger
revenue teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Rangers to spend
much more than small revenue teams like the Nashville Predators and Phoenix
Coyotes.

Think about it. Say for argument's sake, one NHL team has revenues of $100
million and another team has revenues of $50 million. If, as an example, the
teams are permitted to spend 54 per cent of revenues on salaries, one team
would have a cap of $54 million, while the other team would have a cap of
$27 million. That is a $27 million spread between the two teams' caps and
you can rest assured it will be a frosty Friday in hell before NHL teams
sign off on that type of discrepancy.

And, in fact, the Globe and Mail alludes to the incongruity of that type of
formula, but passes it off as saying it will be a "complicated" system.

Oh, it will be complicated alright, but using the Globe and Mail's own
numbers, a $22 to $24 million floor and a $34 to $36 million ceiling, those
numbers aren't so very different from what the two sides have been batting
back and forth for the last month or two on a deal that is linked at 54 per
cent of league-wide revenues.

To put it bluntly, if the NHL teams with the highest revenues can't spend
any more than $36 million on player costs, you can be sure the new economic
system is not based on individual club revenues, which is the premise of the
Globe and Mail story.

Now, if all the Globe is actually saying is that big revenue teams will get
to spend at the top of end of the $36 million range and small revenue teams
will have to spend near the bottom end, well, that's a different story
because one suspects those salary range numbers were determined by a
percentage of league-wide revenues, such as the 54 per cent figure the
league has wanted for a long time.

And, make no mistake, there's a big difference between the two premises. A
very big difference.

Cheers,
Aquaman

That?s the most retarded thing I've ever heard! Who the fsck come up with these ideas?

Yeah... let?s reward the rich teams by giving them a higher cap while putting the other teams at a competitive disadvantage!

I thought the cap was supposed to eliminate these stupid spending sprees!

edit - bah... thats an old article. Damn you Aquaman! Thats what I get for not going to tsn daily.

 

[czech09]

Me want hockey. 🙁. At least the Czechs won the World Championships this year...but that was a long time ago it seems 🙁.

 

[Aquaman]

NHL looks to be springing back to life

Canadian Press
6/30/2005 10:39:09 PM


A sign that the National Hockey League is about to spring back to life is all the signings of coaches and general managers in the past two weeks.

And a mad rush of player moves is expected when the league and the NHL Players' Association finally end the lockout that wiped out the entire 2004-05 season.

Some believe a new collective bargaining agreement will be ready as early as next week.

"You can feel it," agent Pat Brisson said Thursday. "Teams are signing their coaches and general managers. It's very different from last summer.

The Anaheim Mighty Ducks offered a one-year deal to head coach Mike Babcock on Thursday and he will take a week to think about it.

On Wednesday, the Ottawa Senators gave GM John Muckler a three-year contract extension, which followed extensions given to coaches Pat Quinn of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Dave Tippett of the Dallas Stars.

Earlier, the Nashville Predators extended deals to coach Barry Trotz and his assistants, while the Chicago Blackhawks named Dale Tallon as GM. He promptly announced that coach Brian Sutter would not return.

All that movement could be small potatoes compared to the flurry expected when a new CBA in place, even if no one is sure exactly what the deal will include.

A salary cap somewhere in the $35 million to $40 million range is expected along with the 24 per cent salary rollback the players offered in December. The age of unrestricted free agency may come down from the current 31.

Hundreds of players contracts will have expired and GMs will have to fit new contracts into payroll limits.

"It will be the busiest time ever for us (agents), players and GMs," predicted Brisson. "It seems it will be a completely new system and we'll have to learn it quick.

"There will be more players on the market, lots of buyouts and with teams operating under a cap, they'll need room to sign players and they may have to let some go. It will be pretty wild."

Bob Gainey of the Montreal Canadiens said GMs are used to busy summers of signing free agents and going to arbitration with players and doesn't expect it to be that much different this year.

"It's always pretty busy," he said. "We really don't know what we're in for and when, but the bottom line is that we're all in the same position."

Gainey, who has only seven or eight players under contract for 2005-06, refuses to speculate on what may or may not be in the new CBA and says he'll deal with whatever new rules are agreed upon.

Brisson is bracing for major change.

He said the large payroll teams like Toronto, Detroit, the New York Rangers or Detroit may no longer be able to deal draft picks or prospects in exchange for expensive veterans.

"The draft will be extremely important and it will be important to sign your core players and do a better job off-ice to keep them happy," he said, adding that money may no longer be the deciding issue in where many players choose to ply their trade.

An area of concern to Brisson is the draft. His star client is Sidney Crosby of the Rimouski Oceanic, who is expected to be taken first overall.

But it is unclear yet how much entry-level salaries will be lowered and if restrictions will be placed on rookie bonuses. In the past, top picks have earned three or four times the rookie salary cap through bonuses.

"There has to be a way to make individual bonuses if an entry-level player makes a difference to his team," said Brisson. "If not, I wouldn't be surprised if entry-level players from Russia or other countries stay overseas because they can make more money."

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

McKenzie: The end is in sight

TSN.ca Staff
6/30/2005 7:19:31 PM

For the first time in this tortured process, we can now measure what's left of the lockout in days as opposed to weeks or months.

Canadians can celebrate Canada Day on Friday and Americans, the small minority that actually like hockey that is, can have their Fourth of July celebration on Monday, reasonably secure in the knowledge that the long-awaited agreement is within sight.

The sense is it should be finished sometime next week, with an outside chance it could carry over into the week of July 11th, but in any case, we're talking a small number of days.

Either way, the countdown is now on, it's almost over.

But what are we counting down to?

If the agreement is reached, say, Wednesday of next week, what's going to happen? Will there be a big news conference to mark the occasion?

Probably not. Until this deal gets ratified by both sides, probably within a week or so of the agreement, there is not going to be a big dog and pony show, with Gary Bettman and Bob Goodenow putting on the goofy "Game On" hats like in 1995. Truth be told, it would be a huge surprise if you even see Bettman and Goodenow together on a dais.

The details of the new CBA will no doubt become public before the deal is ratified. They have to. General managers, agents, everyone in hockey has to figure out this new system because once it's ratified, the NHL will be open for business again and everyone will have to hit the ground running.

When the NHL commissioner, with a new CBA in hand, signed, sealed and delivered, steps up to the microphone to say the lockout is officially over, it will be more about re-launching and re-branding the NHL game than actually ending the lockout.

We shouldn't be surprised if the new NHL logo is unveiled. And 1995's slogan, Game On, will be replaced by its 2005 marketing equivalent -- "It's a whole new game."

And it will be. The myriad of new rule changes are likely to be unveiled. They could even throw in the draft lottery to make things really exciting.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

McKenzie: Extreme Makeover - NHL Edition

TSN.ca Staff
7/1/2005 11:39:51 AM

When the NHL resumes play in the fall, and that now looks as though it will happen, the marketing slogan will be, "A Whole New Game."

No kidding. Let's call it the NHL equivalent of extreme makeover.

Changes are coming, big changes, so let's start with what we know for sure.

Goalies will be sporting a new streamlined look. Eleven-inch goal pads. Smaller blockers and catching gloves. Less bulky uppers, pants and new form fitting sweaters.

The tag up offside will be re-instituted.

The goal line will be moved two feet closer to the end boards, creating more room to operate in front of the net instead of behind it.

More penalties will be called. And not just in the neutral zone. The goal is to open things up down low, eliminate stick and pins on non puck carriers, end the defensive zone rodeo. While skepticism is duly noted, that's the plan.

Those are the 'for sures,' next come the 'highly probable.'

These changes appear virtually certain to be coming in one form or another, and it's just a matter of nailing down the specifics.

Shootouts. No more tie games. It's a bone being thrown to the fans, but what remains to be seen is perhaps more noteworthy than the shootout itself.

There's also talk of four minutes of four-on-four overtime, followed by three minutes of three-on-three overtime before getting to the shootout.

There's talk of three points for a regulation time victory and maybe no point for losing in overtime or the shootout.

Aside from trying to make shootouts something special - not a routine occurrence - the goal is to encourage teams to try to win games, win them early, not avoid losing them.

Then there are the lines. The blue lines will be made fatter, another effort to increase the size of the offensive zone.

The red line? It's going, going, more than likely gone. Either two line passes will be allowed all the time or the red line will disappear once the puck crosses the 'Bowman' or ringette line across the top of the circle.

There will be some form of restrictions on goaltenders handling the puck in their own end.

Icing will be different. It could be no touch icing. It could be linesmen using discretion on missed passes. It could be no icing allowed on the penalty kill, or no line change for the team that iced the puck. It could be all of the above. Whatever it is, icing will be modified.

Finally, there are more radical ideas whose time has not yet come, such as bigger nets, and penalties for illegal defence - read the trap.

The big nets, in particular, had more support at the recent research and development camp than expected. If the planned initiatives don't have the desired effect next season, big nets could well be on the horizon.

But then that's a decision to be made - one day - by the newly-born competition committee, where players are to have greater say on how the game is played as the general managers, who have traditionally overseen rule changes.

There will be nine men on this new competition committee, including four players. TSN has learned that Trevor Linden, Brendan Shanahan, Rob Blake and Jarome Iginla are the players.

There will be four general managers - Edmonton's Kevin Lowe, Atlanta's Don Waddell, Nashville's David Poile and Montreal's Bob Gainey. There will also be one representative of NHL ownership and that will be Philadelphia's Ed Snider.

NHL executive vice president and director of hockey operations Colin Campbell will not sit on the committee per se, but will oversee it.

Add it all up and you'll see the NHL's goal is to emerge from the darkness of the past year and venture into a brave new hockey world. How successful that proves to be we won't know until we get a good look at the new, and hopefully, improved on-ice product.

Cheeers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

NHL competition committee set to go

TSN.ca Staff
7/1/2005 11:06:01 AM

As the NHL and NHL Players' Association inch closer to an agreement on a new CBA, the newly-formed NHL competition committee is ready to go.

TSN has learned the nine-man committee, which effectively takes over from the NHL general managers as the primary body to discuss and recommend all rule changes, will be comprised of four active players, four NHL general managers and one NHL owner.

Sources told TSN the players are Vancouver's Trevor Linden, Detroit's Brendan Shanahan, Calgary's Jarome Iginla and Colorado's Rob Blake.

The NHL GMs are Nashville's David Poile, Montreal's Bob Gainey, Edmonton's Kevin Lowe and Atlanta's Don Waddell. The ownership representative is Philadelphia Flyers' owner Ed Snider.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

NHL, NHLPA to meet Monday in New York

Canadian Press
7/1/2005 12:02:36 PM

NEW YORK (CP) - The NHL and NHL Players' Association took Canada Day off but will resume labour talks Monday in New York with the end finally in sight.

The two sides have met for more than 15 hours a day over the last few weeks and wrapped up late Thursday night after meeting every day this week.

While they didn't meet on Friday, both sides were to hold internal discussions throughout the weekend.

With lawyers on both sides drafting the agreement as talks progress, it's a matter of days before a tentative deal will be announced. Once that is done, the deal has to be ratified by a full players' vote, and agreed upon by the board of governors.

Teams will then likely have a transitional phase to make decisions on buyouts and qualifying offers before free agency can commence.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[rh71]

they should make it up to us by playing hockey year round. Maybe a 1 month off-season every 5 months... yeah that's it.

 

[Aquaman]

Some GMs unhappy with NHL committee

TSN.ca Staff
7/2/2005 12:38:07 PM

It hasn't taken long for reaction to the NHL's newly-formed competition committee. And that reaction, from some NHL general managers, has been of the adverse variety.

A number of GMs told TSN said they're "frustrated" and even "angry" at effectively being replaced as the body that recommends rule changes to the NHL board of governors.

"A lot of guys (GMs) aren't happy at all," one GM told TSN. "In fact, they're furious. This competition committee could have been integrated with the GMs, but it looks like it's a replacement type of thing. It's going to be very interesting to see how this dynamic is going to work."

Others, however, are taking a wait and see approach.

Some of the angry GMs have apparently let their feelings be known to the league, which as part of the new collective bargaining committee has established this competition committee, where there are as many players (four) as GMs on the nine member panel.

The four players on the committee are Trevor Linden, Brendan Shanahan, Rob Blake and Jarome Iginla. The GMs are Montreal's Bob Gainey, Edmonton's Kevin Lowe, Atlanta's Don Waddell and Nashville's David Poile, The ninth member of the committee is an owner, Ed Snider of the Philadelphia Flyers.

In the past, the 30 GMs were primarily responsible as the body for initiating and recommending all rules changes.

The GMs were informed of the composition of the competition committee by a league memo earlier this week. The memo also included a request for feedback on a wide-ranging series of rule change recommendations for improving the on-ice product once the NHL resumes play in the fall.

Most of those recommendations are as TSN reported earlier this week, but the league memo provides a little more detail. Keeping in mind the recommendations could yet be altered, what was presented to the GMs for feedback is as follows:

Smaller goalie equipment, including 11 inch pads.

The reinstitution of the tag-up offside rule.

Moving the goal lines back two feet towards the end board to create more room in front of the net instead of behind it.

The calling of more penalties more consistently, specifically for obstruction on players with and without the puck and not just in the netural zone.

The institution of a shootout to eliminate tie games in the NHL. Before going to the shootout, though, overtime would be modified to include one five-minute period of four-on-four overtime and, if still tied, a three-minute period of three-on-three. If, after eight minutes of overtime, the game is still tied, then it would go to a shootout.

The winner of the game - in regulation time, overtime or the shootout - would receive two points for the victory. The loser, regardless of when the loss occurred, would receive no points.

The blue lines would be made fatter, as per the American Hockey League experiment this season, to slightly increase the size of the offensive zones.

The centre red line will be removed for the purposes of allowing two-line passes.

Goaltenders will only be permitted to handle the puck in a designated area directly behind the goal net, as per the AHL experiment this season.

A modified form of no-touch icing, where the first player to cross the goal line - not to touch the puck - will dictate whether icing is called. In other words, if the defensive player gets to the goal line first, icing will be called. If the offensive player gets to the goal line first, no icing will be called. Also, when icing is called, the team that iced the puck will not be permitted to change lines.

Any player in the defensive zone that shoots the puck directly out of play will receive a two-minute minor for delay of game. In the past, only the goalie was penalized for shooting the puck out of play.

Automatic fines to the coach and suspensions to the player for any fight with an instigator in the last five minutes of the game.

Once a new CBA is complete, it's expected the league will to look make final these recommendations, or something along those lines, in time for the resumption of play in the fall.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

292 days ......... I hope they announcec something tomorrow 🙂

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[MrCodeDude]

Originally posted by: Aquaman
292 days ......... I hope they announcec something tomorrow 🙂

Cheers,
Aquaman

I doubt they would announce something on America's Independence Day.

 

[Aquaman]

Originally posted by: MrCodeDude

Originally posted by: Aquaman
292 days ......... I hope they announcec something tomorrow 🙂

Cheers,
Aquaman

I doubt they would announce something on America's Independence Day.

Sure they will........... they will prbably meet in Canada 😉

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

Originally posted by: MrCodeDude

Originally posted by: Aquaman
292 days ......... I hope they announcec something tomorrow 🙂

Cheers,
Aquaman

I doubt they would announce something on America's Independence Day.

Sure they will........... they will prbably meet in Canada 😉

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Sentrosi2121]

I have lamented at the 2-line pass since I saw how wonderful it would be without it during the 2002 Winter Olympics. The game just felt right to me. The new icing rule is a head scratcher though.

Lets strap the pads on and get to playing Hockey!

 

[MrCodeDude]

Originally posted by: Sentrosi2121
I have lamented at the 2-line pass since I saw how wonderful it would be without it during the 2002 Winter Olympics. The game just felt right to me. The new icing rule is a head scratcher though.

Lets strap the pads on and get to playing Hockey!

Didn't they want to move the goal lines so there is more room in front of the net and less behind the net?

If so, I think that's stupid. A good majority of plays begin behind the net.

 

[Aquaman]

Originally posted by: MrCodeDude

Originally posted by: Sentrosi2121
I have lamented at the 2-line pass since I saw how wonderful it would be without it during the 2002 Winter Olympics. The game just felt right to me. The new icing rule is a head scratcher though.

Lets strap the pads on and get to playing Hockey!

Didn't they want to move the goal lines so there is more room in front of the net and less behind the net?

If so, I think that's stupid. A good majority of plays begin behind the net.

But what you forget is........ the goale line is going back to where it was originally 😀 Back in the hay days of Greztky & the Oilers 😀

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

NHL clubs preparing for tickets sales

Canadian Press
7/5/2005 5:53:35 PM

The NHL lockout is finally close to ending and clubs will need to lure back fans. Here's a look at what all 30 teams plan to do in terms of ticket prices:

Anaheim: Season ticket prices have been rolled back an average of 5.28 per cent.

The biggest cuts are on about 1,500 seats that drop to $9.50 US from $25 a game. Prices have been frozen through 2006-2007.

Subscribers will get free parking, food and non-alcoholic beverages for the first three home games.

A new 2-for-1 scheme allows a family of four to buy four seats (buy two, get two) for a total of $47 a game.

"We believe our new pricing structure combined with our price rollback will keep NHL hockey affordable in southern California," said Bob Wagner, senior vice-president and chief marketing officer.

Atlanta: No change.

The Thrashers did not raise ticket prices at any time during their first four years, and many price categories were lowered. Price increases were introduced prior to what would have been the start of the 2004-2005 season and "our plan is to carry those same prices over to the new season once the CBA gets resolved," said a club spokesman.

Boston: "Boston has committed to at least maintaining the 2003-2004 price levels, but a decision on decreasing any prices for next season has not yet been made." - club spokesman.

Buffalo: The Sabres have yet to release details of 2005-2006 prices but they're already the lowest in the league. In April 2003, the team cut season ticket prices six to eight per cent to combat falling attendance. Seats were $29 US a game at the 100 level, and $10 a game at the 300 level.

Also, the Sabres will introduce packages pegging seat prices to lure of opponent.

Calgary: Flames president Ken King says the club isn't expecting to reduce prices.

"We have indicated we will certainly not be increasing prices on seats," King told the Calgary Sun. "The likely scenario, because our ticket prices are among the lowest in the league, is that they'll remain the same."

Carolina: Season-ticket holders, who got a reduction of 20 per cent if they paid in full by last April, are getting another 10 per cent reduction. A further decrease of 15 per cent will be applied for 2006-2007 renewals, and another 20 per cent will be lopped off for 2007-2008 renewals.

"Returning season-ticket holders will see significant reductions in price as a result of their loyalty to the team," said a club statement.

General game-day prices in specific seating areas will be lowered but "with some of the lowest gate prices in the NHL already, there probably will not be across-the-board reductions in general gate prices," said a club spokesman.

Chicago: The Blackhawks were 28th out of 30 teams in average ticket price in 2003-04, their average ticket price 22.8 per cent lower than the average NHL ticket price.

"I know we will give our season ticket holders a 10 per cent discount and we are talking about doing some other things as well but have not yet decided. We will still be offering a student discount which will allow students showing their ID's to be able to purchase a ticket for as little as $8. There are not too many professional sporting events where you can get a ticket for $8," said a club spokesman.

Colorado: "We're waiting to see what the exact terms of the CBA are before we make a decision on that. But we will definitely do what's fair for our fans." - club spokesman.

Columbus: The Blue Jackets confirm that they will be reducing prices. Details will be announced once a new CBA is in place.

Dallas: Price reductions confirmed. No details as yet.

Detroit: To be determined once new CBA in place.

Edmonton: The Oilers decline comment "until we have been presented with a new CBA which will then allow us to determine the business environment (costs versus revenues) in which we will operate." - club spokesman.

Florida: The Panthers lowered season seat prices in six of 10 pricing categories prior to what would have been a 2004-2005 season. In addition, a limited number of upper level seats previously priced at $430 will be reduced to $365 ($8.50 US a game).

"We have not raised ticket prices in several years. We have also increased the value of privileges such as exclusive meet and greets with the team, autograph sessions, concert purchasing priority, etc. The Panthers season ticket prices are in the bottom half of the league." - club spokesman.

Los Angeles: "We've decided what we're going to do but we're not going to announce it until after (the lockout ends)." - club spokesman.

Minnesota: "We will not be announcing ticket prices until a new CBA is reached." - team spokesman.

Montreal: To be determined.

Nashville: "The Predators are not going to make a final decision on 2005-2006 ticket prices until after the new CBA is introduced." - team spokesman.

New Jersey: To be determined.

New York Islanders: Maintaining their season prices. ''Our season subscribers already receive the deepest discounts off box office prices in the NHL. Our season subscribers receive discounts ranging from 32-49 per cent off over-the-counter prices.'' - club spokesman.

New York Rangers: Across-the-board reduction of 10 per cent from 2003-2004 prices.

Ottawa: The Senators froze ticket prices for two years in a row before the lockout and are providing a rebate of five per cent for the 2005-2006 season. Ticket holders who left the whole amount of their 2004-05 monies on account will receive 7.5 per cent interest on their money.

"As well, the Senators will also be announcing additional initiatives for fans, but that information will only be released at a news conference post-NHL/NHLPA CBA announcement." - team spokesman.

Philadelphia: "Our ticket prices depend on the CBA resolution so they are still to be determined." - club spokesman.

Phoenix: No across-the-board reductions are planned but season-ticket holders who renew can get free tickets: renew two tickets and get an additional two tickets free for the entire season.

"It's a very aggressive and generous offer," said a club spokesman.

Pittsburgh: The Penguins announced late in the 2003-2004 season that they would be cutting prices of every seat and every season-ticket plan. Details will be released prior to the start of a new season.

St. Louis: As announced June 11, Club season tickets drop to $79 US a game from $83, and Plaza seats fall to $72 from $77. Less expensive seats, such as Plaza End and Mezzanine High End, are unchanged.

This will be the fourth consecutive year the Blues have frozen or lowered ticket prices.

San Jose: An average reduction of 10 per cent throughout the arena will be applied.

Last increase was 2002. Interest rate of seven per cent being paid subscribers who have paid-up accounts.

Tampa Bay: "Our situation is still undecided and we likely will not announce anything until after a (CBA) is reached." - club spokesman.

Toronto: "The Leafs do not know what the price structure is going to be yet." - club spokesman.

Vancouver: "Until the agreement is finalized and we have the opportunity to completely understand how the CBA impacts our team as a whole, we will not be making a final decision on ticket prices. In addition, our season-ticket holders will receive a two-year prices freeze, and the overall feedback from our clients has been that our current pricing is fair. But we will review this again in the near future." - club spokesman.

Washington: Capitals reduced prices by an average of 11 per cent in April 2004 and will continue with that discount for 2005-06. Individual game prices for 2005-2006 yet to be set.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

Time off has been good for some NHLers

Canadian Press
7/5/2005 3:39:11 PM

The extended layoff between NHL seasons might be a blessing in disguise for some players.

If a new season begins in October, Mark Messier will be 44, Chris Chelios 43, Ron Francis 42, Dave Andreychuk and Brett Hull 41, and Steve Yzerman, Ed Belfour and Dominik Hasek each would be 40.

They haven't been away from the sport this long since Foster Hewitt was calling the play by play. If they all want to resume their careers, their ligaments will be thanking them for the rest they've been getting from the pounding they'd taken year in and year out for more than 20 years.

While Adam Foote is a few years away from the 40-and-over club, there has rarely been a time in recent years when he wasn't dealing with some type of injury.

The Colorado Avalanche defenceman now feels fitter and healthier than he has in years.





"My mindset before this year, there was a little doubt. Can I go three or four more years?" Foote said. "Now I'm like, well geez I'd like to push six.

"The way I look at it is, I want to play longer."

Foote, who turns 34 this month, injured his elbow in the semifinal of last summer's World Cup and instead of trying to play through it, he had surgery and then had time to gradually build a training program though the winter.

Had there been a season, Foote would likely have dealt with the elbow at the conclusion of this season, which would have cut into time spent in the gym preparing for next season.

He now feels he's about two months ahead of where he might normally be in terms of health and conditioning.

"It's common sense that the older players will benefit from a long layoff, especially players who had issues that carried over from season to season," says Peter Demers, athletic trainer for the Los Angeles Kings and past president of the Professional Hockey Athletic Trainers Society.

It'll take a while for them to get back into shape because "there's nothing like practising with a team for optimal conditioning," says Demers.

Some players have participated in rigorous training programs during the lockout to be in shape whenever training camps open but, for others, injuries might be inevitable, says Jason Harnden, who has been working with some of the Stars at Larry North Fitness in the Dallas region.

"It's sad to say, but some guys aren't going to be in the shape they were before the lockout started," Harnden says. "It's going to take its toll.

"If they haven't put training in the forefront to compensate for not going through the physical stress of playing, it could be an injury-riddled season."

Demers disagrees.

"I really don't see an increase in injuries happening when the schedule begins," he says. "NHL players are highly motivated.

"They've had years of training. They know what it takes to become an elite athlete."

When they get back, their main focus will be on flexibility, strength and cardio-vascular endurance, says Demers.

"These three factors are key in minimizing injuries," he says.

The regimen Stars forward Jason Arnott is following with Harnden will stand him in good stead on all three counts.

"It's been a very strenuous workout routine that includes skating, running and lifting programs to keep him in game shape," says Harnden. "He's going to be in better shape than he was the last time he played an NHL game."

Athletes who resume their careers without proper preparation are asking for trouble, he said.

"Look at guys who rolled the dice and went to Europe to play and got hurt," he said.

One place players are sure to benefit from getting back to work, besides their bank accounts, is between the ears.

"It's been a mental grind for guys being out," said Harnden. "They're going nuts.

"When you're a conditioned athlete, it's your job. They're ready to get to playing."

Rich Hesketh, strength and conditioning coach for the Calgary Flames, sees the same in the players he's working with this summer. He's able to work with the organization's NHL and AHL players because he set up an independent business that isn't linked to the team. As many as seven are diligently training under his supervision.

When they get back onto NHL ice, "Older players have an upper hand in that, technically, you're not going to have to show them as much. Their skill levels are already honed. They're biggest hurdle is going to be their general conditioning. With older athletes, once you've laid down patterns of workouts and you maintain a high level of fitness, their skill level will come back. There'll be a short period of adaptation _ about 10 days _ and they'll get right back into it. Younger guys are still developing their skills so it's going to be a lot tougher on them."

Foote says while the pure goal scorers might find it tougher in the early going to get their timing back, he doesn't feel it will take long for players to regain their skills.

"The way you come into training camp even without being out for a year, it doesn't take long in a two- or three-week training camp with your teams to get back on track," he said. "There might be a couple of funny exhibition games here and there."

At this stage, players should be upping the conditioning ante to increase strength endurance, Hayes says.

"They have to start getting into serious volume right now," he advises.

Dr. Grant Lum, a sports medicine physician who is medical director at Athlete's Care in Toronto, agrees with Harnden that, for those not in top shape, injuries could be a problem when the NHL restarts but adds that attitudes have changed significantly.

"If the time off hasn't been used productively, working out in the gym and skating, there might be a greater risk of injury," he said. "But most players nowadays have better off-season conditioning programs."

Absence of routine hurts, he adds. Most players familiar with the same training staff through an entire NHL season and with post-game sessions on exercise bikes haven't had a similar environment during the lockout.

"If you fall out of a good habit, it's always easy to replace it with a bad habit," he says.

Younger players might have a more difficult time mentally re-adjusting than veterans, he suggests.

"Some were reaching their peak before the lockout," he explains. "Some have been discouraged because they feel they've lost a year to prove themselves.

"That blunting of the mental edge might be more obvious among the younger guys. It might be tougher for them to get their game face on."

Corey Neilson, a former pro player who's now a certified trainer and head hockey instructor at Teen Ranch northwest of Toronto, says missing a full season will re-energize players.

"At that level, it's a hard, demanding job _ a high-pressure, high-stress occupation," he said. "I think a lot of them will come back refreshed and excited about playing again, appreciate their jobs more, and probably play harder."

Foote says he falls into that category.

"You've got over 700 hockey players and some will go `I've lost my drive for the game' and some will go `You know what? I feel great again' and some will be more hungry," he said. "For a guy like myself, I'm going to the gym again, I'm having fun and it feels good. I can't wait to play."

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[MrCodeDude]

10% off from SJ is a crap offer.

 

[Aquaman]

Kings' Avery: Players were brainwashed

TSN.ca Staff
7/6/2005 9:57:29 AM

Los Angeles Kings forward Sean Avery says NHL players were wrong and are sorry for the lockout which cost fans an entire NHL season.

"We were brainwashed," he tells the Los Angeles Times about the decision to follow the union's advice during contract talks with the owners.

"We burned a year for nothing. We didn't win anything. We didn't prove anything. We didn't get anything. We wasted an entire season."

Avery places the blame for hte situation squarely on the shoulders of union boss Bob Goodenow, who he says "embarassed" a lot of players.

"I am furious at Bob (Goodenow)," Avery tells the newspaper. "Bob thought he was bigger than he was. Bob brainwashed players like me."

The NHLPA declined to comment on the story.

Avery claims most of the players did not know what was going on during the talks, did not know the "real story".

"We underestimated how rich the owners were," he said. "Nobody thought they would be willing to burn a season."

"They won. They beat us."

Avery says he understands the fans negative reaction towards the players.

"The saddest thing that happened to me during the lockout was the two or three times that fans asked me what was going on," he said. "I wished I could have apologized to them then. I apologize to them now."

"We owe the fans everything, we need to get them back, we need to cross our fingers that they will come back," he said.

Avery is the latest player to come out and criticize the union's position during the lockout in the last week. Detroit Red Wings goaltender Manny Legace, a union representative, called the past year "a farce" and that they wasted a lot of money for nothing.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

Legace sounds off on union committee

TSN.ca Staff
6/30/2005 12:46:39 PM

With the NHL and the NHLPA slowly inching towards a new collective bargaining agreement, Detroit Red Wings goaltender Manny Legace had some choice words for his union leaders.

''The whole thing is a farce,'' the Red Wings' union representative told the Booth Newspapers group on Wednesday. ''We basically sat out for nothing, wasted a lot of money for nothing. It makes no sense to me.''

With a deal expected to be announced some time in the coming days or weeks, Legace wonders why the 'PA didn't accept a better deal that was offered last winter.

''They (ticked) off all the owners and (the owners) went out to screw the players,'' Legace said of union leaders.

''They had the right intention. They made everyone buy into what they told us. Now it seems like they're giving up everything just to start the season on time.

Legace said he would support the union if they continued to take a strong stance.

''If we're going to give up all this now, why wasn't the union smart enough to get a deal done sooner, instead of saying, 'Screw you,' (to the owners) the whole time?'' Legace told the paper. ''I lost $1.3 million. What was the purpose?

''We hurt businesses downtown, we hurt fans, we hurt everybody - for nothing. I feel bad for those people. I could understand if we were still sticking to a cause. What reason did we sit out for? It doesn't make sense.''

Asked if Goodenow is to blame, Legace said, ''It's not just him, it's the whole (executive) committee.''

Cheers,
Aquaman