Long Line Change: Visors and Turris and Relocation, Oh My

Long Ling Change is the gimmick done to talk about the stories that have been tackled in the past, which makes me not add anything more that what's already been added from the others on the 'net or not enough to actually make a separate post for.

The Eternal Visor Debate

After Chris Pronger got stabbed in the eye and Andrew Ladd hit between eyes; the visor debate got woken up again. And honestly, it's not that much a debate. Across the board, it seems people want the players to have visors mandatory with a grandfather clause to help out those guys who already don't wear them and don't feel right to wear them for one reason or another.

The NHL has been trying to do this for year, the NHLPA doesn't seem that ready to move forward with this plan, though. In the end, with all the players moving up from junior or college already having mandatory visors or cages-- why wouldn't they want to keep it on, if nothing else but to be able to keep your vision for well beyond their playing career.

Kyle Turris and His Plight

Kyle Turris is still holding out from the Phoenix Coyotes and now it's getting really real. It seems that Turris' agent is saying that because the Coyotes are owner by the NHL, they aren't willing to move him along because of one reason or another, while 29 teams are pissed off because of the unwillingness to move them.

Of course, Turris at one point demanded a boatload of money (upwards of $4 or $5 Million) while not really doing anything while with the Coyotes. He's not a regular on the team, he didn't contribute much to the team, and while a fresh-start could do him good-- you can't blame the Coyotes/NHL for not giving him what he wants money wise.

The Turris Camp can say it was never about the money, but if they thought that-- why ask for that kind of money at all, just keep demanding to be traded until you got it. Don't even talk facts and figures-- just say you want out, which would tell them that no amount of money will want him to stay.

Minor League Realignment

It seems that the western NHL teams were very vocal about having their affiliates half-way across the country, especially when it comes to an surprise injury, making a player fly across the country in short time.

Most of the AHL teams are in the Central and Eastern Time Zone, with Abbotsford being the only team in the Pacific Time Zone, which is good for the Flames since it's not TOO far from home-base, but at the same time-- having Los Angeles have to pull guys from Manchester, New Hampshire; not the most ideal situation, of course.

While the idea of ECHL teams being the primary affiliate for these Western teams, which is something that has been used in the past, is one that's a good decision-- this is how it happens when you make the AHL the monopoly for a "AAA" situation in hockey. When the AHL and IHL had the split of the affiliated teams-- it was a little better for some teams, but then it seems the IHL collapsed on itself because of the distances between the teams.

It's definitely a cause for concern for Western Conference teams, but at the same time-- the Kings and the Sharks OWN THEIR AHL FRANCHISES, so they could actually move them as they want them and all of that-- but that cost of travel would be killer as well. If you do some kind of Western AHL situation-- it could work out, but whether the AHL or NHL teams want to risk it, that's the real question.

Long Line Change: Dropping Teams, Raising Age, Blowing Up

Long Ling Change is the gimmick done to talk about the stories that have been tackled in the past, which makes me not add anything more that what's already been added from the others on the 'net or not enough to actually make a separate post for.

Columbus and Ottawa Make Case for Relegation

Yes, we are young into the season, but it looks like the Columbus Blue Jackets and Ottawa Senators aren't going to get any better this season. If anything, they are really making a case to have a relegation factor put into the NHL. Sure, we won't see it because of how the affiliations work these days, but at the same time-- it's a nice idea to have if you split the divisions and make a "loser's bracket" playing for a promotion to play for the Stanley Cup.

While the idea of having a 14-team relegation league for the Ziegler Cup would be interesting-- no one will go for it. That said, with about how awful these teams have come out of the gate, you have to wonder how much longer before not only the team is blown up through trades, but the management who got them into this mess is blown up. The Senators have had issues since Bryan Murray took over as GM and the Blue Jackets have off-ice mess that seems to holds them back, as well.

It'll be a long season for the fans of these teams, but at the same time-- maybe it's going to take a horrific season to fix things for the better....or to keep extending the misery.

Bob Nicholson Wants Older Draft

The head of Hockey Canada said that the Draft age in the NHL should be upped one year to 19, rather than 18-- but would maybe thinking about an "exception" clause for 18-year-olds who dominate the CHL.

While this does come on the heels of some pretty stellar junior players coming into the NHL and making their teams at 18, I can see where Nicholson is trying to protect his leagues so that they aren't completely cropped of talent by guys making the jump a bit too early. Yet, at the same time-- it's not like the CHL would be hurting with talent as it seems to pop up constantly through they years of development.

One year may or may not make a difference, but I can understand why Nicholson wants the age limit raised-- and it could have some reason to deal with the World Juniors, as some of the better players have been taken from Hockey Canada because they stuck with their NHL squads and it could have made the different in that tournament. Sure, it's far-fetched, but it's not out of the realm of possibility to have him think about that side of things.

While it may or may not happen-- this is a debate that many people have been taking up here-and-there for a couple years now. It's just something that's going to have to be worked out in the new CBA. Personally, I think if a guy is ready at 18, then they're ready-- but it's not for everyone.

Blowing Up Teams

Stop panicking, people. This is worse than the preseason-- I mean there's some teams that deserved to be blown up (like mentioned above), but for teams in an early slump; just seems to be throwing the baby out with the bath water-- like the Canucks and Bruins. These teams will find their way, but may need to work on the chemistry and shake off the rust for the first month. While points may be lost, it's not like a season can be lost just in the first two weeks.

Things will right themselves in time. However, if it gets to US Thanksgiving and your team is still struggling-- that's when the panic should set in and meltdowns abound.

Long Line Change: Stammer, Coaches, and Retirements

There hasn't be a lot of news......or enough for me to do crazy posts on it and make a lot out of a little. So I've concocted this "Long Line Change" to maybe get the same information out in one fancy place......huzzah?? In any case.....

Steven Stamkos Re-Signs

It took what seemed forever, Steven Stamkos finally re-signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning to the tune of five-years and $37.5M ($7.5M cap hit). It was something that you knew was going to get done sooner or later and Steve Yzerman did it right; pacing things and letting it all play out how it needed to. It's a solid price for a kid who is already a star and should be solid for the Bolts in the long-run as well. Plus, the move leaves about $7M in buffer room for the Bolts against the salary cap.

That said, still no word on the other highly touted RFA, Drew Doughty of the LA Kings. Though you can bet that will be under the microscope moreso now with Stamoks signed.

The Devil You Now Know

In what could be considered a decent coaching swerve, the New Jersey Devils didn't go with Guy Carbonneau or Ken Hitchcock-- heck, even Michel Therrien wasn't good enough for them. No, Lou Lamoriello went with former Florida Panthers coach Peter DeBoer to be the new bench-boss in the Swamp. DeBoer didn't have much success while in Florida, but he also didn't have the guns to really make a huge splash. With the Devils, he'll have a solid line-up and should be able to show his meddle in the big leagues.

Retirement Always Means Hall of Fame Debates

Chris Osgood called it a career, finishing his career with 401 wins and three Stanley Cups. While he did have a solid career, are his numbers good enough to get him into the Hockey Hall of Fame?? Personally, on merit alone-- the Cups and wins gets him in; but not as a first-ballot guy. While he could slip in there on the first one, I still think there's a lot of guys who are more worthy than Osgood. He'll get in one day, but I don't think it'll be right off the hop.

Long Line Change: Chara and the Coyotes

When it comes to this blog, I usually try to switch it up from the norm and try not do fall into the same discussion everyone else is doing, mostly because every angle has been eaten up. With this new Long Line Change gimmick-- I'll try to find another angle and if not; just another opinion.

Alright-- so the big thing today is Zdeno Chara and what he'll be punished with. As new starts to come out concerning Max Pacioretty's injuries, you can bet that could weigh in on the decision that Mike Murphy will have to make in terms of discipline for Chara. For those who don't know, Pacioretty has fractured vertebrae, which is in layman's terms is a broken neck; not to mention a severe concussion

Of course, the debate amongst fans is whether or not Chara had the intent of doing what he did, which was to ride off Pacioretty enough to put him into the turnbuckle between the benches. You have all the theories of him not knowing where he was on the ice, Chara kinda blaming the victim saying he jumped into the glass area, and whatever. Fact is, you know where that break is at between the benches and you have seen a lot of other times of this happening, but not everyone who gets hit like that gets carried off. Those guys got lucky, because it's a dangerous play to get caught up in and even though there's padding-- it doesn't cushion the impact as many think it would.

In the end, Chara should get at least a couple games, mostly based on the outcome of what happened. There's many times where other, worse hits go unpunished while the victim is out for a prolonged period of time-- so Chara's hit should at least get noticed due to the severity of the outcome. One can't say the 5-10-Game he got was enough, nor can one say that the hit should be over five games because it's a fine-line you have to walk. Happenstance is something that happens through and through in the game of hockey and this is one where it had a devastating outcome, whereas other hits have had guys get up right after it and be fine.

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Moving in a drastically different situation, the Phoenix Coyotes. In a deal that was supposed to be done years ago, in a deal that Bill Daly was saying at the Heritage Classic he was happy was over.....it still goes on. With the City of Glendale threatening to sue the Goldwater Institute for holding up the deal that could happen to sell the team to Matthew Hulsizer to the Goldwater group threatening legal action should the City sell bonds and violate the Arizona constitution.

With Gary Bettman speaking out yesterday in Glendale, you can sense he doesn't want to give up on the area because the onus will be there that even if you build a new arena; it doesn't mean the team will stay (take note Long Island). There doesn't seem to be a different vision for the NHL other than staying in Arizona, NOR SHOULD THERE BE. Let's not kid each other, the moment that the NHL starts to focus on relocation or even give the HINT the Coyotes will move; the team is gone. The only objective should be trying to keep the team in Phoenix and talk up the team and city as much as you can-- not only to convince the people, but convince themselves this is a battle that is for the greater good.

Much to the chagrin of Winnipeg or Quebec City, the odds are the NHL won't be thinking about relocation until they get tired of the Phoenix mess and pulls the team unilaterally. It's not like Bettman wants to have this debacle at the forefront, but at the same time-- he's doing what he can for damage control and try to rally the troops and actually show the level of interest for this team.

This has been a the third year of a five year plan, it seems-- the same story over and over again. The NHL is doing their best to not give up on a city cold-hearted, but also not shutting out the other cities that could be vying for their services and actually acknowledging they're out there without giving too much hope.

With all that's going on and off the ice-- I don't envy Bettman and the NHL brass in these situations.