Destination Sochi: End of the Line

With the powers that be in the NHL, NHLPA, IOC, and IIHF meeting when it comes to the NHL's partcipation in the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia meeting, the question turns to what's going to happen next for the NHL in the Olympics.

Since the 1998 Games, when the NHL first started in the Olympics-- the NHL has lucked out with the Games being in locations where hockey is a followed sport or is close to locations where hockey is a popular sport, sans Nagano. The good part of Nagano is that the NHL was starting to get into Asian markets, even opening up the 1998-99 season in Japan.

Yet, with all of this, the Sochi Games could be the end of the line for the NHL's involvement. One of the reasons is that the Russians would want to represent their country at home. Of course, we all remember how many Russians said they would play regardless of the NHL's participation; so to include the NHLers would be the best bet for the NHL rather than losing the fire-power of Evgeni Malkin, Ilya Kovalchuk, and Alex Ovechkin, as well as Anze Kopitar-- who would want to help represent his native Slovenia in their Olympic journey. But after this-- it could be an indefinite hiatus for the NHL when it comes to the Olympics.

Past Sochi, there's South Korea in 2018 and 2022 is yet to be decided, but here are some potential bid cities. While the NHL would want to diversify their game, they don't seem to have the bump in Asia that they once had, so suspending the participation would probably happen, despite the IIHF and IOC actually wanting to have those high-profile names in one of the pinnacle events.

There's plenty of discussion about whether or not the NHL should be involved at all when it comes to the Olympics, as the whole "amateur" idea of the Games being put into check because of it, even with the exposure it gives to those involved. There's probably also a worry about the time that the NHL will have to take off because of it, the practice after the NHL is back in business, and the worry for some teams down the stretch when it comes to wear-and-tear of their players.

In the end, the NHL will go to Sochi and it probably won't take long to hash all of that out. The bigger concern is the involvement past this Olympics, which I'm sure the IOC would be pushing hard for a commitment, especially for a lesser revered venue and trying to get all the star power they could muster.

"Expert" Pick

We're a day away from the NHL season and everyone seems to be ready to somehow play Nostradamus and predict a shortened-season. I know we at the Face Off Hockey Show did last week on the show, but we have to take it to the science of things.

Using Mascotopia Memory Blocks and my six-year-old kid, we've got our most scientific thing yet. Just like we should do with most things-- random selection will be the option for the day.

Without any further adieu, Kaity 'Beth (AKA Kegger) will make the picks for the Stanley Cup this June. Enjoy.

There you have it--if you can't trust a six-year-old with picks, who can you trust??

Broader Storylines For A Shortened Season

With the NHL season about to start, other people are doing previews or rehashing the ones that they did in September for the impending NHL season then. However, with a whole new element of a short season being brought into the mix, what can you as a fan look forward to?? For me, here's the underlying factors that could play a big role into the short season.

-Other Work Paying Off: The teams that had their players play either overseas or in the North American minor leagues will have a nice little jump start. They actually had game experience and have their legs about them. While the training camps will give them some rest and maybe slow them down for a short time, the fact they have had the game pace experience rather than informal practices-- those guys will have a jump; which will result in some interesting scoring leaders.

-Injuries Akimbo: Expect the injury reports to have a lot of "Groin" explanations next to it. We've seen it already from some players-- Jarome Iginla and Brooks Laich-- which will definitely make some guys stretch out more or even play with a little less reckless abandon. It could also let the players who had playing time expose those with less experience.

-More Urgency: Teams will not be able to have a down-swing in their game. Any kind of losing streak could mean the playoffs for these teams, which may expand the whole "parity" thing that the NHL has wanted from the 2004-05 lockout. You will probably a lot of more mix-up in lines or changes in game plans from the coaches if something needs to change, which could spark the team or throw them off their game completely.

-Less Urgency: If nothing else, we could see a lot more overtime/shootout games this season. As my buddy Dearen of Mr. Mikes in Airdrie said to me this past weekend, if there's a tie game in the third, you can see a lot of teams playing to preserve the point. That could happen in the front end of the season, but since it's all Conference play, later in the season-- you could probably see more risk from teams outside of the playoffs-- but expect some boring hockey in the third for teams not wanting to give up any points that are available.

That's four of probably many broad storylines out there I can see. I'm sure there's a lot more and people will expose the more intricate ones, but I'm not about being intricate. Plus, most importantly-- these will now not happen because I've put them out there.

NHL Lockout Over; Now What??

Alright, well, the NHL Lockout is over.

What does that mean?? Well, plenty.

In a 50 (or 48) game season, it'll be a big rush for them to get to the playoffs. If a team gets on an extended losing streak, it could be curtains for their playoff hopes. These games will benefit teams who had a lot of players playing in the AHL or Europe because they won't have to shake off the rust. On top of that, it'll show how good the condition is, which means we could have a lot of injuries because of the short season.

Even before that, when the CBA is ratified; it'll be a rush for trades and signing free agents, especially restricted ones. It'll be a chance to see who gets bought-out for the 2013-14 season and to see if there's going to be quick chemistry between the new free agents with their teams in a short season.

The biggest things is whether the fans will come back or not. You see a lot of people who have mixed emotions on social media, many saying they won't come back. While I think the hyperbole of some is a little extreme, there's going to be some who have their interest of the NHL drop off because of this and that's to be expected. However, you can take the fan out of hockey, but you can't take hockey out of the fan. Most people will come back in some way, shape, or form, thus ending their arbitrary stand-off with the NHL.

How the NHL gets fans back will be interesting to see. While the NHL itself doesn't have the ruling power to dictate ticket prices or concession prices, they will need to somehow make the game a little more accessible, maybe urge the member teams to do something in order to get people back in the seats. Rumors of free Center Ice could be a good start, but who knows how likely that is.

The NHL is back. That's really all that matters. The battles can happen on the ice rather than off.

Airing of Grievances

In the "Seinfeld" tradition of Festivus, it's time for the airing of grievances. AND I GOT A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH YOU PEOPLE.

NHL and NHLPA: Let's get it together. Enough about seeing who's junk is bigger and talking all this noise and actually maybe put that energy to better use. In a world that seems to be all about who "wins" and who "loses," sport is usually the getaway from that...but it's not. It's the same high school drama we've had to deal with for years and you're making an already niche sport less relevant.

NHL-Only Fans: I get that you miss the league, but please let's stop actually saying that all of hockey is over. Sure, the main league is a big loss, but the expansions of horizons about the game as a whole is not a bad thing. Sad that Nike only increases that stereotype that just because the NHL is gone, all of hockey is gone.

Minor League Fans: Let's not push the agenda that there's actual hockey out there because of course it is. It's not for everyone and it's not supposed to be for everyone. Why are you trying to blow up your little secret you have only to get interlopers in there and ruin the fun for everyone else when they say that it's not as good as the NHL. It only gets you down and make the minor leagues look that less credible.

Silly Twitter Accounts: It's great to laugh at these little nuances that happen during the Lockout, but the fact that the NHL podium (or lectern if you're a proper jerk) had a Twitter account and people got excited about it shows that NHL fans will flock back easy and almost makes the fans look silly to other sports out there.

Punditry: Enough with the bi-polarness of your reporting. The emotional rollercoaster you put everyone on is almost sickening and makes me believe that you're masochistic and enjoy getting everyone up to let them down-- enough of you.

Lip-Synching Songs: It was cute at once, but much like alternate jerseys-- the oversaturation of the marketplace has made it horrific to even watch the cringe-inducing nature these players put themselves though. I understand this world is all about going viral because everyone wants to be famous-- but come on. Christmas songs are depressing and there's so few that are any good. We all love Mariah Carey, but it doesn't mean you need to keep going on and on with her song. Enough.

I'm sure there's some more, but I've lost my train of thought. Now...the feats of strength.

Going Viral or Gaining Vitriol??

As we all know, tension is high when it comes to the lockout. Fans are getting stir-crazy, the information coming out is never good for too long or vague, and the people already presuming gloom and doom are licking their chops when it comes to their prediction being right.

More over, the players are becoming more and more vocal about this disdain for the owners and the lockout. Of course, the players have that freedom. The NHL has a bylaw restricting the owners or those in the front office from talking about the CBA or the lockout. Jim Devellano can attest to that.

But while the players have their freedom-- that freedom could be a little too much at times. Their accessibility has gotten them to say some things that make their staunchest of supporters do a double take. Amongst those are:

• Krys Barch's crazy Twitter ranting about players being born to play and the owners not knowing what it's like.
• Alex Ovechkin and Ilya Bryzgalov talking about how players could stay over in the KHL, especially if they have Russian passports or don't like the new CBA.
• Dan Boyle saying not all the owners are on the same page.
• Mike Commodore using his rage against Verizon to take jabs at Gary Bettman.
• Most anything Allan Walsh tweets.
• Karl Alzner pretty much spilling the beans that the players aren't going to win, but it being a matter of how little they'll lose. 

While it's good the the NHLPA to allow their members to freely speak their mind and frustration, they may want to reign in their contingency just a little bit-- maybe going full cliche mode for some of them. Especially with what Alzner said, it's almost like he's taking a knee early on.

The PA had the public opinion with them, and even with some people swinging hatred to both sides-- people still seemed to have an edge on the PA's side rather than right down the middle. Yet, with every comment that a PA member is making, the vitriol is being spewed their way in bigger spurts than there were at the beginning of this. 

(In full disclosure, I do believe both sides are idiotic for letting it get to this point, the ownership side is one I'm a little more on the side of. Sure, I get that the players have dedicated their lives in order to get to play professionally in the best league in the world (so they say); the owners sank money into a team and while some of their management styles are sometimes ill-advised and short-sighted, I think many people can relate on not losing money on potential investments over getting paid to live your dream. Both sides are kind of pipe dreams on the larger scale of the Average Joe, but for the sake of explanation-- that's what I use.)

For the NHLPA, they got the social media movement out there from the start. Creating hashtags for their cause (as seen above on the NHLPA practice jerseys), putting out a viral video showing their passion, and just making sure their presence was felt to the masses and the people who will see what they are standing for, especially since the NHL owners have no voice due to the gag order. 

With the PA allowing their guys speak their mind, it's a nice interactive instance from time to time. However, the more they speak, the less sympathy people are taking on them and the more annoyance it is becoming. It's one thing to be open and freely express your views, it's a whole other when those views start to sway people in the other direction. There are times when you can become too opinionated and people start to roll their eyes. 

Social media or just the easy accessibility to players is the biggest it has been before. The NHLPA probably didn't take that into account for....well, most anything-- lockout or otherwise. While their campaigns on it have been widely well received, the fact of the matter is the thing they viewed as the biggest upside for them may end up being a big free-fall in favor, as well. 

On the Topic Of the NHL Lockout

The lockout is coming.

That isn't news to anyone and shouldn't be news to anyone.

While the NHL says they were ready to meet at the All-Star break, the talks didn't start until July. They did meet frequently at least, giving hope to the hopeless-- then dashing those hopes when they had their press conferences when the meetings were over.

The bitterness and vitriol the fans will spew is going to be heightened as the social media movement is one that will ultimately show its worth in this work stoppage. They have began protesting outside the NHL Store in New York and maybe it could spread. And while they do have a right to do it-- it does bring out the worst in people; both attitude wise and in dealing with them when they're steadfast in their opinion and nothing will make them let up from it. Though, the overly pessimistic attitude is something that is a sign of the times in every aspect of life.

You can see the player's side of it-- they don't want to have their money taken away from them, especially since they feel they earned the contracts and shouldn't have it taken away from them. Sure, most of them will have plenty left over and will get a lot for their next contract for playing the game they love-- but it's the principle behind it that makes them fight and gets people on their side. My brother-in-arms Jonny P made a great point about how Fehr was going to be a tough negotiator and there would have been trouble when the NHLPA brought him onboard in the first place.

The owners are always in the wrong and there's few people who will defend them. I, for one, can see their side of it a lot more than I can see it from the player's side of it. The owners want to protect their investment. Sure, them giving insane contract because of "market value" isn't the smartest idea when trying to defend their point, but you have to give your team the best chance to win. Plus, to be in the position the owners are in, they had to take risks and that's how they made their billions and allowed them to actually have the money to own their teams.

Derek Zona wrote a piece about how much the owners are worth. One can assume it's to show that no one should support the owners because they aren't like the common man due to their riches. However, they had to work their way up the ladder in order to be in a position to make the money they did-- and they did a lot of things that maybe the common person would love to do: have financial freedom, be their own boss, own their own sports team. Let's be honest-- how many owners have actually made their fortunes from owning a sports team?? Plus, you can say that the investment in the NHL is a fool's bet-- if it wasn't, the Coyotes would have had an owner three years ago and we wouldn't have the amount of franchises changing owners as we have seen in the past two decades.

On top of that, when you hear many teams would lose less money without a season than with a season-- shows that the economic nature isn't the best in the world. Whether that means new owners are needed, less teams are needed, or whatever-- it seems that some people pass over that point. Not to mention, the owners have their hands in other things as well, which means they'll still make some money while the NHL is locked out.

No one will look good at the end of this. Owners are already hated, regardless of what they do. Players will get plenty of people on their side, but as things wear on-- they could lose some support depending on what they say and do while being locked out. The fans suffer, the arena staff suffers, writers suffer, the industry of the NHL suffers.

The game of hockey will only suffer due to its main league being out. Yet, it will continue to live on that the minor league, junior, and college teams would love for you to spend your entertainment dollar there. That's why I've done my "Better Know A League" series in order to enlighten people who may think the NHL is the only game in town. It'd be great for the health of the game if the lower leagues were supported and when the NHL comes back--maybe fans will be more inclined to go to a minor league game rather than NHL games-- which will really show the owners what you can do with your money and your choice.

And even with the lockout-- it could be a good thing for fans. Buddy Oakes at Preds on the Glass has a spectacular piece about how the lockout could be a good thing for some fans and how the last one was a good one for him personally. That's a kind of story you'll start to see if this lockout drags on for any amount of time. We all want the NHL to come back quickly, but a break from it all may not be the worst for some people out there.

In the end, the NHL will be back. People will go back to it, though it might be a little thinner than it once was. It's times like these where you can really tell that sports isn't about a game anymore-- it's a business.

Another Outlet For Misdirected Hostilities in CBA Talks

Blame the Owners. Blame the Players.

This is a chorus that many a fan are chanting, with the former being the one that the venom is most being spewed at. Rightfully so, as the owners control the lockout and don't seem to agree with what the players are proposing and can't figure out a revenue sharing plan amongst themselves to get their own top dollar.

Of course, the players are going to want their own share as they are the "product" and really don't care (and shouldn't care) about the economic stability of the teams because they're getting paid, so who really cares about the actual health of the team they're playing for as long as they get theirs. And the player's shouldn't worry about how the team's health is because they have their own health, their own well-being, their own on-ice performance to worry about; they shouldn't have to worry about the book of the team.

And while the owners did negotiate the crazy contracts we have been seeing and seems to really be giving out far too much money, thus making them hypocritical when they "cry poor" over losing money; there is one group that could actually be more to blame than the players and the owners combined.

The Agents.

It seems that this topic has been briefly touched on, but it is my own belief that the agents should the most vitriol from the fans.

Sure, the owners do give into the player's contracts demands at times, but at the same time; if not for the agents overrating and overvaluing their client (the player), the owners really have not much of a choice if they want to put a winning product on the ice. The agents know this and know that they can sell ice to an Eskimo if they wanted to, which is why they have driven third-liner's contracts into the $3M/year range when they probably should be half of that. They hype up their player, they use leverage of going to rival teams with their client, and then they smooth talk their way into making the GMs believe they're actually getting a deal.

Yes, the GMs (and, honestly, they play with the owner's money) can avoid this by not buying into their schemes and actually call the agents' bluff, but the agents know they can go to another guy and get the money they want. The fact the agents can manipulate the market the way that they do is almost criminal. They are the guys who skew the contracts and how the value of a player can be determined due to past results. The agents also realize that past results are not indicative of future results; so they have to get their client their maximum dollars-- of course, the fact they take a percentage plays into that, but they're looking at the best interesting in their player-- I'm sure.

Agents are hype-men for the players and in the end, they have to do the best for their client in order to not only retain them, but get them the most money they think they "deserve" and will go at all lengths in order to actually get those dollars-- not caring about who they get it from because loyalty is nothing to the agents, especially since they represent multiple players on different teams and in different standing on the depth chart.  As long as their players (and to a lesser extent-- them) get paid, they don't care where it comes from and they shouldn't either.

In other sports-- the disdain for agents are very much there. In baseball, it's Scott Boras and in football it's Drew Rosenhaus. Both are big mouthpieces for their clients and do get the maximum amount for their players and don't settle for less. It seems that Allan Walsh seems to the be most outspoken of the NHL agents and tries to do what he can to rattle the cages of people everywhere. Sometimes, it's for good (likes speaking out on fake insiders), but most times-- it's for bad (running down his client's [ex]teams). It's a shock that NHL owners/GMs would deal with Walsh when all is said and done, especially with how overaggressive he can be in the social aspect of things. It's one thing to get to the court of public appeal, but it's another thing when you are running down the people who have an effect on your client's career.

You can bitch and moan about who deserves what, but of course because of the entitlement that both sides have--owners because they own the team and make money in other ventures, believing they're above it all; players because they are the show on the ice and their agents overrate them in order to get the utmost, unattainable contract values (for the most part)-- are the main thing. It's more than Billionaire vs. Millionaire-- it's Ego vs. Ego.

Locking Out Hyperbole

While the "impending doom" of the end of the CBA comes to term, the ideal of Gary Bettman as the bad guy has reared it's ugly head. Sure, the figurehead for the owners will get the brunt of the heat-- something he has been able to take in stride; him mentioned the fact the owners won't go past the expiration date IS NOT NEWS, because he has said it in the past. There's some probable reasons why he wouldn't do that:

1. The owners don't like how the CBA is structured (of their own doing in-house, mind you) so why would they want to keep playing under it??
2. They would lose bargaining power with the NHLPA saying, "Hey, if this is okay enough for you to keep going-- why not keep it going??" 
3. It's hard to get any kind of roll-back once the players start to make money. 

Even with common sense being around, the hyperbole amongst many fans is running rampant-- especially with Donald Fehr playing the nice guy act saying the players would play past the expiration. Of course they would-- they'd still be making money. From people getting upset about Bettman about his comments, sports columnist painting the doom-and-gloom scenarios that riles up the troops, and then people saying that "the game as we know it will never be the same"-- it's hard to be a fan or actual reasonable human being during these times. 

First and foremost-- THERE IS OTHER HOCKEY OUTSIDE OF THE NHL!! I can't stress this enough people. Sure, the void will be vast with the NHL not around and that's a crying shame for the global scale of the game-- but there's plenty of other hockey out there that would enjoy your entertainment dollar at a small price. Sure, it's not the NHL hockey you're accustomed to, but at the same time-- it could be good for people to diversify themselves into the minor league or junior levels of play. When the NHL does comeback, the future stars would have already been seen by others. Hell, support your local minor hockey team even if there isn't an extended lockout or a lockout at all. 

Second, the rage against Bettman is silly, but understood. He's the NHL owner's speaker. While he has the commissioner title, the fact remains that his powers beyond what the owners give him is very limited. Bettman is at their beckon call and if he doesn't do what the owners want-- they will get someone who will-- which could be even worse than Bettman. 

Third, you have to love the likes of David Shoalts and the others who are already cancelling the season until the Winter Classic. Sure, that's a possibilty, but there's also a possibility that the season only gets delayed a day, a week, a month, whatever. The feeding of the already upset fan bases is something where they can feed off of for page views and recognition. While in some way, shape, or form we are all gloryhogs, but at the same time-- there's also a limit to it all. 

Fourth, just because the NHL is planning lockout, the fact that people are worried that games in September could be cancelled makes me snicker a bit. Sure, pre-season games are fun-- especially those in neutral locations like Baltimore, Brooklyn, Kansas City, and Vegas-- but the loss of them doesn't mean as much as many would like you to believe. As much as I would like to see some AHLers battle out for a spot on the roster or see star players just go through their motions-- cutting out the pre-season games all together probably isn't the worst thing for the players in terms that they won't have that added risk of injury during meaningless games. 

Donald Fehr said there's still significant time (though that's before the "meaningful gulf" comment) to get a deal done. Bill "Don't call me Steve Wilkos" Daly has said that in the past, as well. Some players aren't panicking at all of a lockout, while others are making contingency plans-- just in case. The fact the NHLPA hasn't put forth a counter-proposal yet is reason to believe that this process is going to be a tactical one and something that could bring about good things. Both sides have met more and had seemingly more meaningful conversations than that of the last labor meetings that started in the summer of 2004 should be a good sign.....but you can't put that forth through all the hyperbole being flung around by emotional fans. 

Should the NHLPA's proposal (rumored to be put forth Tuesday) be something that causes both sides to not talk for a couple weeks, then we should have a problem. However, with the extreme case the NHL put together and the NHLPA still meeting with the NHL for a couple days a week after that could mean that they are serious about getting something done in time. Outside of fans, the livelihood of both sides (read: money) is something that is of significant loss and that neither side wants. 

In the end, we're still 36 days away from a possible lockout and the true test will come with the NHLPA's counter-proposal and what that does to the owners. Even then, we'll be close to a month away from a lockout-- still a lot of time to go and bargain. While there hasn't been much going on this summer, the fact that every fan out there is turning into a pessimist all the sudden is somewhat expected and somewhat disappointing. Cooler heads will prevail in the end....but if it's before, slightly after, or really after the deadline remains to be seen. 

Front Numbers Of the Apocalypse

Sure, I'm a bit late to the party, but I wanted to see how they panned out first. The NHL is apparently going to try out having numbers on the front of the helmets for this upcoming season. The news first broke when the equipment manager of the Minnesota Wild put a picture up on Twitter of Dany Healthy's helmet with the front numbers on them.

During preseason games, you could see team like the Wild and Nashville Predators try out this new invention, which the NHL is claiming to use to help the people at home watching with who has the puck and broadcasters, as well. Not that that big number on back and "TV" numbers on the sleeves were enough for some people.

My point is that these look so far out of place, it's laughable. As much as I hate the front number to the jerseys because it's out of place; I'd much rather have those than the numbers on the front of the helmet. Hell-- I'd rather have unnecessary piping on the helmets than to have these front numbers.

There's a lot of other hypothesis about why these numbers are there-- that it's the start of helmet branding is one of the funnier ones, but someone suggested that it's to maybe get the players from focusing on the head, as if it were a guy with his back turned. If you see the numbers, don't hit them is the rule you learn in pee-wee hockey, but still we have those issues today. If that's the reason, the NHL should come out and say that rather than to actually have the audacity to say that it's due to making it easier to watch.

People have eyes and will probably be able to tell the numbers from the back rather than in the front. Plus, you'd be able to tell skating styles and all that other junk, but at the same time-- if this is for safety measures; it probably is going to get as ragged on as it has been. Odds are people would accept it more and maybe even applaud the decision to do something like that. Yet-- here we are....front numbers; hopefully the helmet companies will take my piping line as a joke.....god, I hope.

Shanahan, Suspensions, and Social Appeal

With the NHL taking the next new step into being a more personable brand, it also seems to shed some light into the latest idea they have in order to explain some of the suspensions they have doled out and why. This, of course, is due to Brendan Shanahan's new gimmick of taking to video in explaining and showing why the suspension of the player is given.

While he seems to take on the role of Jack Tunney in these videos, it's a smart idea for Shanahan and the NHL to do; because I don't know about you, but I hate reading. Plus, with this-- Shanahan can definitely spot out where it went wrong in the explanation and he gets to do the announcement from that fancy set in some secret mountain base the NHL produces stuff in.

It's very unlike any other sport where you can see the hit and have the disciplinarian explain it all-- like so much Clarissa Darling. Sure, you'll have debates on why the same hit carries a different penalty or how one player can get off the hook without penalty when a hit weeks earlier did get penalized-- but at least you won't have the NHL hiding from their reasoning on why someone got the penalty they did.

Even so, this seems to show that the NHL wants to be more relatable to the fans and actually takes them inside the process. This could be a good thing, this could be a bad thing. We already have too many armchair GMs and armchair Commissioners around the social media sites and blogging sites that this just adds another facet to the whole armchair expert ideal. That could make some people even more incorrigible, but it's just something that seems to go with the territory.

However, this whole thing makes me wonder if people will ever get mad at someone like Brendan Shanahan and lash out at him like they do with Gary Bettman or like they did with Colin Campbell?? Shanahan is a likeable guy from his playing days, very well respected for his decisions up to this point-- but will he get more slack cut from him for it?? Everyone is able to hate Bettman and Campbell because they're the figureheads who are supposed to be hated and they take it in stride. Yet, Shanahan could be a guy that will get the benefit of the doubt from fans and commentators because of what he has done, which will definitely take the heat off of Bettman for the decision making or maybe even creating rules to help protect players; which is a smart move to give someone likable the main stage so the heat won't be as bad.

Though, the tide could change with people. Sure, the honeymoon period should be give to Shahanan and with him going out-front with these videos will help his cause. At the same time-- there could be a breaking point for people if while he may be respect, some of his decisions will irk some fanbase, then have a snowball effect from there. It'll be interesting to see if Shanahan will get the same heat as people in his position from the past.

All in all, it's a great step for the NHL to take a different angle in order to reach out to the fans and be a little more insight to the reasons why a player was suspended; rather than typing up a press release and sending that out and thinking it's kosher. Whether it ultimately makes things more understandable for the fans remains to be seen, but at least they can say they tried and failed rather than not trying at all.

Friday Five: Off-Ice Clamoring

It's another week done and it's time for the F5, which is what we do every week-- but what a week.

1. Colin Campbell doesn't seem to get email-- should he have some clue??

You would have hoped that a high-level NHL executive would understand the concept of email and how it works, but it doesn't seem that way. The fact of the matter is that he could have had some idea that maybe he could be bit in the ass by something like this; but he took a chance and had to respect that. That said, you have to think that Campbell is the Teflon Don in the NHL offices, mostly because he can run his mouth like this and preside over the league discipline like he does and not get fired or knocked down. The latter part, which is his job, should be definitely focused on and the inconsistency he has shown is the reason why he should be knocked down a peg.

One last thing about the emails, he did claim it was locker room talk and he probably didn't think they would be exposed like they were due to the Dean Warren lawsuit, but it's probably a lot easier to pick up a phone to actually get it done. It's much harder to get caught, unless the other person has bugged the line. Emails are far too easy to access in this age of technology, so it's probably the most dangerous form of communication.

2. How much further can the Islanders sink in the court of public opinion??

The pulling of Chris Botta's credentials are a big blow to their already diminishing appeal, but they have that kind of call. That said, they shouldn't be shocked at the revolt they are currently experiencing from fans and onlookers a like. This is a team in turmoil and the tail-spin doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon. The fans have a right to revolt and I think they should be doing much worse when it comes to supporting this team. They need to do something huge to put them in the good graces of the Long Island sports fans, but with what has happened in the recent past; it's very doubtful it'll happen any time soon.

3. Is there any way of stopping Steven Stamkos right now??

Stamkos shows that Barry Melrose really doesn't know what he's doing. This kid is showing his natural scoring talent and is playing with a team that has a lot of experience and a lot different backgrounds to help the kid deal though all sorts of obstacles thrown at him. He's a great personality for the game, but he hampered in a market that is hot and cold to hockey and won't get the mainstream press like other teams. Stamkos will shine through one way or another and could bring the Lightning back to the Cup Finals sooner rather than later.

4. The Flames seem to be doing some moving and shaking, plus rumors about Jarome Iginla won't go away-- what can we expect next??

I think the next move has to be Jay Feaster taking over the GM role if things don't change. While the Sutters seem to run this town, but when Feaster got hired this past summer as the assistant GM; you knew that the heat was going to be on Darryl Sutter to improve this team or else he'd be usurped. As it stands right now, the Flames are 14th in the West, 27th in the league, and don't seem to be ready to rebound any time soon. If Feaster doesn't get the job by the end of the year, it'll be a shock to me.

5. Mark Messier got his first taste of coaching in Europe. How long before he's in a similar position or higher in the NHL??

Messier went 2-1-1 in his games over in Europe coaching Team Canada the exhibitions, but I think the true test for him will be when he's coaching the Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland at Christmas time. As far as the NHL goes, I don't know if coaching is the right line of work, but I could see him in a front-office position over anything else. There's something about great players and coaching that doesn't usually seem to blend; but front office positions are another story. We'll see what happens in terms of the international events, but Messier will have a spot in some organization sooner rather than later after these tournaments are done.

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So that's what's up. We're done another week and if you didn't like the topics, email me to get your voice heard at Scotty.Wazz@Gmail.com therefore you can make the next F5.

Make It Nine Outdoor Games

In what could be the biggest gimmick to not die since the Brooklyn Brawler....there's yet ANOTHER outdoor game going on. The Connecticut Whale (nee Hartford Wolf Pack) announced that they would be holding an outdoor game against the Providence Bruins as part as Whalers Hockey Fest 2011 on February 19th.

So, let's see what kind of count we have for outdoor games this year:

AJHL: November 26th, 2010: Drayton Valley Thunder at Fort McMurray Oil Barons
NCAA: December 4th, 2010: Concordia University at Adrian College Bulldogs
NCAA: December 11th, 2010: Michigan State Spartans at Michigan Wolverines
NHL: January 1st, 2011: Washington Capitals at Pittsburgh Penguins
WHL: January 15th, 2011: Kootenay Ice at Spokane Chiefs
Finnish Elite: February 5th, 2011: Jokerit at HIFK
AHL: February 19th, 2011: Providence Bruins at Connecticut Whale
NHL: February 20th, 2011: Montreal Canadiens at Calgary Flames
WHL: February 21st, 2011: Regina Pats at Calgary Hitmen

So, how Henry Winkler isn't going to every game to jump over the rinks-- because this idea has truly jumped the shark because it's a nice little cash grab. You know it's out of hand when the Central League and Southern Professional League get into the mix below the Mason-Dixon Line. Plus, you can bet there's going to be a Russian game, as they have done it in the past-- so it's getting to the breaking point. Sad, because it could have been something special-- now it's oversaturated.

The End of Confusion.....For Now

It's finally done. It only took two months, two contracts, and two drawn-out debates between the NHL and NHLPA for the biggest free agent to his the market to have a team...and it's still the same team that he ended the 2009-10 campaign with. However, even though Ilya Kovalchuk will remain a Devil; the biggest news could be the end of these kind of contracts that lead to questions about circumvention....we think.

If you're to listen to the likes of Darren Dreger, the deal Kovalchuk got and deals like Roberto Luongo, Marc Savard, and Marian Hossa has (where it's a long-term deal with declining salary in the latter years) will be the last of their kind. Whether or not you take that as a reassuring bit of news or not is up to your own discretion. People will always make a fuss about any kind of long-term deal, actually.

It all started with the Rick DiPietro contract right after the lockout. It had nothing to do with the money at first, it was the absurdity of a 15-year deal for a goalie who hadn't proven much in his few years in the league leading up to that point. It's compounded now that DiPietro's injury history has been the downfall of that contract. After that, you saw the same long-term deals given more often to players after their entry level contract was up. The likes of Mike Richards, Alex Ovechkin, Henrik Zetterberg, Duncan Keith, and Nicklas Backstrom got long-term, high money deals after their first deal-- though Backstrom and Ovechkin are the only two who has their contract money raised later into the deal, but still-- it seems the long-term contract is the way to go.

However, is it the best way?? With all of those deals over 10-years, who knows what the future actually holds. I mean, it's one thing to give the money out that freely for the term, but to actually predict what could happen in year seven or eight of the deal is insane. While it could turn out to be a great deal should the player keep up the pace they've set for themselves, it could also be disappointing should they not be able to produce in the years they are actually getting the big money, right Daniel Briere?? Then, you have the side of the player being disappointed in his latter years when he's actually doing well and only making a million bucks; but he could also slack off during those years since he already got the bulk of his money. It's a crapshoot, for sure-- but aren't all contracts.

The next debate about contracts will probably be the ability to restructure the contract of a player during their tenure. Especially with these long-term deals becoming more and more prominent, the idea is definitely one that should be taken a look at. Give it an option where during a contract term, the team can open it up once and the player can open it up once; but it can only happen after the second year of the term has been complete it. It is another way for owners to be saved from themselves, but maybe it's something where they can actually be smarter and maybe player agents will be smarter and putting out a smaller term with a same cap-hit, but giving their player options after that deal and giving them more bargaining power when the contract is up because their player can actually get a new deal later for a decent amount of money.

These are all some crazy ideas for the sake of crazy ideas. In the end, it may not as crazy as once though, but time will only tell how this will happen. As far as we know now, this will not happen again, hopefully. That's not to say we won't have someone a few years down the road try this same stunt with the new CBA being in effect; because odds are we will have someone test the boundaries off the hop to see how strong the NHL will stand. Even so, if the NHL is doing this with a high-profile player like Kovalchuk and an ally like Lou Lamoriello; odds are the message has been received loud and clear to teams about trying to make a deal like this again.

Or not.

Reviewing the Rules

Alright, since NHL's Concept Car of Rule Change Expo has ended; it's time to take it all in, see what worked, what didn't, and where common sense all lands for me personally. Sure, the craziness that ensued was something to get the internet a-typin' with rage and debate. We'll take it step-by-step (day-by-day) when it comes to some of the ideas that came out of camp and see what'll stick when thrown at the wall.

-Icing: For many, this will be the rule that will probably be the first in the line to change. Both a no-touch and hybrid, which is up to linesman digression, were tested out. With the issues that have happened recently, you can bet that no-touch icing will be the thing that gets called out to the floor and utilized. The idea of a hybrid seems alright in theory, but there's too much of a gray area and nothing uniformed for the linesmen to look at; thus making it a dicey move to go with. While Sean-O had an idea of moving the icing line up so that it's different from the goal-line, but in the end, it could get a little crazed to begin and may never catch on.

-Face-Off Techniques: One of the interesting spots was the "choose your opponent" option should someone get thrown out of the face-off circle. It would definitely allow for more options and make all the players self-aware when it comes to trying to jump the gun. Another thing would be the "lacrosse face-off" option, whereas the ref puts the puck in the circle and blows the whistle to start play. If someone jumps, possession goes to the other side. The lacrosse option does seem like it's a bit much, but something that would be too much shades of gray. Finally, a penalty line which is a foot back from the dot if a player jumps. Again, a gray area-- especially with linesmen often stalling and holding the puck much too long on the draw. All of these are very innovative, but the "choose your opponent" option may be the one who wins out in all of this, if any of these rules are implemented, as it would keep the game with the same flow; but as more intrigue in terms of match-ups.

-One Dot Per Zone: One change that created some of the most buzz was the one face-off dot per zone. It turned the attack zone into a Cyclops looking area rather than boobage. This is also probably one of the most extreme changes. If nothing else, the change could create the most own goals and goals off the face-off ever. While it won't happen in our lifetime, the fact they tried it out seemed to maybe foreshadow what could happen. Of course, this sparked my mind of the NHL using this as their "Concept Car" when it came to this camp.

-Net Gains: Some changes to the goal area, from a plexiglass top to the net for better sight on goal reviews to shrinking the shallowness of the net in order to create more wrap-around chances and area behind the net to a thinner mesh used around the net. While I only support the plexiglass, the isse of where a water bottle would be placed is one thing, as well as keeping it clean and even with all the bodies in the way would only be a band-aid for the problem. The thinner mesh seems silly due to the heaviness of the shots and could create a record in net repairs if used.

-Officiating From On-High: The option of the second referee off the ice surface, lording over the play is something I can get behind, though you can debate he was doing the same job on the ice. At least with this, the players would be more away seeing him tower over the ice surface. One of the ideas that were looked at, which could be the towering refs domain, is the "bench crease" to show the refs how far out players are from the bench when they change. While this does save the refs from themselves, as well as players knowing when they can go; it almost starts to look like a D-III basketball court with all the lines for volleyball and shorter basketball courts. Another "good in theory" idea, but you would hope the players wouldn't have to be babied like this, as they are professionals. Plus, it's not like those rules will be bantered over if someone jumps just a bit early while the guy he's coming off for is still out of the crease. Now, if they use it as a DMZ and any amount of players can be in that area without getting caught-- I could see getting behind that.

There were some others like the offside rules of not being able to change or the face-off going into the other attacking zone should it be that way-- but I'm neither here nor there about that. In the grand scheme those ideas I mentioned were the most extreme in my eyes and it's doubtful that many of them will be accepted, sans two or three. Obviously, there will be some other leagues playing the role of guinea pig to test these out if not fully accepted, which would cause those fans to get up-in-arms over things. In the end, to change for change sake is something the NHL doesn't want to do, and they've said that, which I believe. They get enough flack as it is for changing some aspects of the game, no matter how tiny. However, many GMs have said the no-touch icing is a no-brainer and if only one rule gets adopted, it should be that. They are onto something with that and fully back them in that.

On the Topic of the NHL Going Green

Have you heard about the NHL Green initiative?? If you haven't, you probably aren't alone because I just heard about it today when surfing around trying to find something to write about. I don't know if it's just me, but I find this whole thing a bit odd for the NHL; but I'll touch on that later.

The NHL promoted a lot of the Green thing during the Draft. In their press release, they touted that many of the teams were staying in hotels within walking distance to the hotel (which is usually the case in most drafts), that most of the signage was made of recycled materials, there were recycle bins on the Staples Center concourse, and unsold, prepared food was donated to a food bank. Granted, using those stats when it come to LA is a bit odd, mostly with all the smog created. If you were on the I-405 like me, you know that there were many people not going "green" at all. What can you do?? Yet, it's a good ideal for the NHL to promote and with all that signage the NHL Draft carries, it's solid to tout that.

That said, the NHL was been doing some features about how some of the players were doing their own thing with the Green initiative; like Martin Brodeur using energy efficient light-bulbs and Scott Niedermayer using a zero-emissions car. Yet, at the same time-- there's only so much you can promote before it gets stale. Like with the arena features they're doing-- it's the same story, but different city and a slight change here and there; but it's the same gimmick over and over again. Sure, a noble cause-- but something that will lose its shelf life sooner or later and people will get it very easily.

The interesting part that I see in all of this is the fact that the NHL probably uses the most energy in regards to the other sporting leagues, sans NASCAR, because of the engines and stuff there. Still, the ice surfaces uses a lot of chemical and a lot of energy to keep the rink cool and to keep the people in the stands warm-- a rough balance. Plus, the arenas have to use more energy the deeper a team gets into the playoffs thanks to the seasonal changes, which is probably something that's counterproductive to the whole cause. Plus, you have those Sunbelt teams who have to use a lot of energy because of the climate location where they are at, but that's something you could probably assume from the start. It seems that a lot of these things, coupled with the stuff on the concourse and people driving to the events, roadtrips or otherwise; you're not really doing too much for the cause. Plus, when it's really tucked away into the NHL interweb sphere; the message isn't really getting out there and putting that message of going Green to the masses.

While it's a good idea to have this cause put out there by the NHL, the fact they aren't pushing it too much and haven't really thought of the counterbalance that is produced in the arenas makes you wonder if this is just for show or if the league is actually looking at some things to really reduce their "carbon footprint." Maybe making the schedule shorter and having more outdoor games are the answer....the latter happen twice this coming season; the former probably never happening. Good on the NHL for putting forth the effort to make the league more eco-friendly, but unless they keep it up and do something more than just the PR push-- it's an empty gesture.

As least we know that Dion Phaneuf is this plan, right Sean Avery??

30 and 30

Today, two new AHL affiliations with NHL clubs were announced. The announcing of these affiliations give the NHL and AHL 30 teams in the leagues, with every team having a direct affiliate without having to split-off of another team.

First, the Columbus Blue Jackets announced they wouldn't be with the Syracuse Crunch any longer and move their affiliation to Springfield and the Falcons. The deal is for one year with a one-year option following it. The Falcons were abandoned by the Edmonton Oilers after the Oilers announced they would be moving their affiliate to Oklahoma City. The Jackets will be responsible for all hockey operations, which means coaching, front office, the whole shebang. Of course, the one-year deal could mean that the Springfield team could be relocated after one or two years-- but it remains to be seen.

So, with the Syracuse Crunch not having a NHL team and the Anaheim Ducks not having an AHL affiliate; it was a match made in heaven. The Ducks announced a multi-year deal in affiliation with the Crunch. The Ducks will just have to stock the Crunch with players, as the Crunch are an independently owned franchise, the longest in the AHL.

What was one thought as far-fetched is now reality with every NHL team having an AHL affiliate and don't have to worry about the whole split affiliation and players not getting the time they should or what-have-you. It also gives me a chance to update my list on distance of affiliation.

And that's what's up with that. This all starts in 2010-11.

Trade Deadline 2010: Will Cause Drowiness

Even with the record of 30 trades made in the day. Even with the record 53 players getting plane tickets elsewhere. Even with the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames actually trading with each other....the NHL Trade Deadline of 2010 will be one that has very little excitement to it and very little shocking moments to it.

To that end though, there weren't many blockbusters to be made, actually. With the salary cap being as it is, odds are that things weren't going to come as a huge shock and big names wouldn't be changing addresses. In fact, the biggest name dealt was moved about a month before the deadline came to be, Ilya Kovalchuk. That shows you what the deadline day brought to us.

Yet, one of the more talked about moves was the Phoenix Coyotes trading Peter Mueller and Kevin Porter to the Colorado Avalanche for Wojtek Wolski. The idea of a scenary change helping both Mueller and Wolski is in effect-- especially for Mueller, who had troubles in finding his niche with Dave Tippett behind the Phoenix bench. Wolski was the second leading scorer on the Avalanche and seemed to be coming on his own, but one reason or another-- the Avs thought he was disposable. A move to a young Coyotes squad could help Wolski continue to excel and stand-out. Porter had been pretty solid in the AHL with the San Antonio Rampage, but who knows if/when he'll crack the Avs roster.

Another shock was the lack of goalie movements, especially with the rumors surrounding the New York Islanders and their trio of goalies, but I guess with Rick DiPietro shutting it down again; not an option. Also, questions about the Flyers and Blackhawks goaltending was called into question, but neither team made a move. The only big goalie deal was Calgary sending Curtis McElhinney to Anaheim for Vesa Toskala; reuniting two former Sharks goalies Toskala and Miikka Kiprusoff. As well, Justin Pogge on the move again, this time heading to Carolina from Anaheim.

The Capitals were busy adding the grit upfront with Scott Walker and Eric Belanger and some help on the blue-line with Joe Corvo and re-welcoming Milan Jurcina. While many will say the Caps were the "winners" of the deadline, the fact remains they were the only real contender who did anything worth noting. Therefore, by default they seemed to come out on top. While these four do prove an upgrade, the Caps didn't address their suspect goaltending and lack of a shutdown defenseman. These moves were needed, but at the same time-- may not get them that silver chalice.

To be honest, that's really all there was to talk about. It shows that there was so much build-up for a day that usually exciting for all involved, but to be honest-- total letdown. The fans and watchers could all be considered "losers" in this deadline, but what can you do-- right?? Sometimes you'll have a big party, others you'll be the only one in the conference room waiting for others to show up. The sad thing is that it didn't really get Twitter buzzing completely; other than people complaining about how boring things are.

Maybe next year.

Going the Distance

With the announcements of the Carolina Hurricanes having their AHL affiliate move to Charlotte from Albany and the Edmonton Oilers moving their AHL affiliate to Oklahoma City from Springfield, MA; it made me think about the distance between the NHL clubs and their AHL affiliate clubs.

So, with the wonders of free-time on my hands, Wikipedia, and MapQuest (aka SeanQuest), I decided to make a little chart about how far it is from the NHL arena to the AHL arena. This is based on the 2010-11 season, hence Charlotte and OKC being in the mix and the Penguins using their new arena, as well. Also, as of now-- the Anaheim Ducks have no AHL affiliate, thus the "Parts Unknown" gimmick.

ENJOY!! And, click to enlarge....wocka, wocka.

The thing that really stands out is not only is Toronto absurdly close to Toronto, but that the likes of the Kings and Sharks have their affiliates so far away. Granted, there's not many AHL teams beyond east Texas, but you'd think they'd move their guys closer. I guess that's why you see some of their call-ups come from the ECHL teams based in California over the AHL, especially in a bind.

Just food for thought with the silly season of minor league hockey coming around.

Is A Hockey Reality Show Needed, Wanted??

While I was surfing the channels on my off-day, I came across a show on Rogers' Sportsnet and there was a show that peaked my interest. No, it wasn't another poker show, which is always fantastic, but it was a show from the MLB Network called "The Pen," which follows the bullpen of the Philadelphia Phillies and their daily lives on and off the field. While I'm not one for baseball, the human aspect of things was what brought about the intrigue.

It also sparked my mind on to whether or not the NHL Network could get onto this racket and make it work. Of course, the NHL Network has the "Day in the Life" show, but that just one day and while it's nice to see how a player preps for game day, a part of me wants to get more on the inside of the organizational happenings and player's lifestyle. Everyone likes to be on the inside of things, and with hockey fans-- you have to believe that this inside look at the happenings goings on will make fans of whatever team salivate for more.

For the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Comcast SportsNet in Washington were following around the Washington Capitals for the draft weekend and gave the inside wheelings and dealings that surround the Entry Draft weekend (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4). From trying to trade picks to prospects interviews, it was a great watch and make me want more inside like that. I also remember ESPN following around the Detroit Red Wings a few years back, but I can't for the life of me remember the name of it or if it was ESPN, but I know it was the Wings and TV because it was the first taste of Sean Avery to the world by him being on the show going back and forth from the NHL to the AHL. Plus, let's not forget CBC's then Global's "Making the Cut" where players would go and try out for contracts with some teams out there, or at least show their wears to those watching. That created drama and showed the process on how scouts deal with players on a case-by-case basis.

As much as I would like to believe something like this will happen in the near future, the fact of the matter is that some GMs may not be as willing to let cameras delve into their organization in that kind of matter. While, it could create great TV, a whole season, or even half a season could be too much for some teams to deal with and some players to deal with, in terms of cameras being on at all times and having to mind their P's and Q's in all of this, which could throw some guys off their game. Sure, that could be far-fetched, but it's always an option.

Yet, in a time where reality TV is the capavating norm and where people can get drawn into it; this could be the thing that the NHL needs in terms of possibly gathering a wider market than those who are already enthralled with the sport. Granted, what network to put it on and how to market it would be need to be tackled hard, but there needs to be an actual show to take place in order to go for it. Plus, if the NHL markets itself as a league for the fans and wanting to get the fans connected to the sport-- why not have something like this?? The drama of who's going to stay up with the big club, who's moving down to the minors, how a team will bounce back with a big injury or trade that happened-- it just writes itself for the fantasticness that could come from it all.

Of course, with my lack of research and dumb luck-- something like that is already happening and I just feel like the fool now for not knowing more. Ah well-- food for thought.