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Maybe I'm the Lone Ranger on this but I'm beginning to believe that there may end up being a problem that can eat into the season... The NHLPA is not the toothless kitten that the one that was in place the last time, rather it is the longer in tooth tigers that last led the MLB players who were strong and were not pushed around.
I'm also beginning to believe that the Owners want to roll back some of what little-ish they gave up last time... We saw them flex their muscles when they called the NHLPA's bluff and pulled back the realignment rather than negotiate with them when they balked about flat out conceding the new Conference setup as it was. I could see the Owners trying to garb a bigger piece of the pie as the other Major Sport Leagues have... The NHL is gaining strength and may become shortsighted believing they can take back some of the few concessions they gave up and keep on growing... not fearing that a Lockout, if extended by a united NHLPA stand by the new leadership, could and would stem the growth curve.
If you asked this a little while back I would have said I was not afraid of a lost or shortened season... But right now?... I could start to taste a wee bit of fear come Mid-August.
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