Marty St. Louis is not getting any younger, which is why the Lightning wing said he will play in Europe this season if the NHL locks out its players for an extended period.
"With my age, you want to keep playing," the 37-year-old said Monday. "I don't want to take a year off. If the NHL wants to shut us down, we'll go play somewhere else."
Teammate Steven Stamkos agreed with the sentiment.
"Definitely thought about it if there is an extended lockout," the center wrote in a text message.
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St. Louis stressed the union is "very strong, together, more than last time, no doubt about that. … I believe in deadlines, and I think a lot is going to happen in the next month. Hopefully, we get a deal done."
If not, St. Louis said he expects to be playing in Europe by mid October.
"If it gets to October, it usually means (a lockout) will go longer," said St. Louis, who played in Switzerland during the 2004-05 lockout that wiped out the season. "You have to be patient before you go to Europe, but it's definitely an option guys will look into."
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"It's still All In to me dammit." - Felonious Python
Some things to keep in mind as the NHL approaches a Sunday lockout:
>> Lightning forwards Adam Hall and Nate Thompson, goaltender Mathieu Garon and defensemen Marc-Andre Bergeron, Matt Carle and Brian Lee will be part of an expected 250 to 300 NHL players at union meetings today and Thursday in New York. "It's a big gesture from us," Bergeron said. "It shows we're standing behind our union."
>> Expect players such as forwards J.T. Brown, Cory Conacher and Alex Killorn, defensemen Mark Barberio and Radko Gudas and goalies Dustin Tokarski and Riku Helenius to be assigned to AHL Syracuse by 5 p.m. Saturday.
>> Players who must clear waivers to be sent to Syracuse — forwards Mike Angelidis, Pierre-Cedric Labrie and J.T. Wyman, and defensemen Keith Aulie, Evan Oberg and Matt Taormina — likely will be signed to minor-league contracts instead.
>> If there is a lockout, NHL players can't use team locker room or workout facilities or have access to coaches or trainers, though players can rent the rink at the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon to continue workouts.
>> A lockout will prohibit teams from promoting or using players at team-sponsored events, though there might be an exception for charity events. It is to be determined whether, as was done during the 2004-05 lockout, player pictures on and around the Tampa Bay Times Forum will be taken down. Either way, expect the coaches and GM Steve Yzerman to get a lot of face time.
>> The Lightning is not expected to issue a policy on ticket refunds until games are cancelled.
"We're getting prepared," Boucher said, "for a normal camp."
Tampa Bay players are supposed to report Sept. 21. But with the NHL threatening a lockout Sunday if a new collective bargaining agreement is not in place, the question is when, or if, camp will begin.
And that has Boucher planning for the abnormal.
"You've got Plan B, Plan C and all of a sudden we're down to D and E," he said. "If it's not normal, at least everything has been done." (...)
"Will we get any exhibition games? Will we not?" Boucher said. "How much practice time? How many guys will we bring in? It's a moving target. You have to keep reacting."
"I've made a call to my agent and that's something we've talked about, and we have some options,'' Stamkos said Tuesday following informal on-ice workouts at the Ice Sports Forum. "We'll see what happens, but I'm sure every player around the league has thought about it, talked to other players about it, talked to their agents and families.
"I know that we are thinking about it, it's on our minds but we'll wait to see what happens.''
Lecavalier:
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"I haven't really decided what I wanted to do, I was going to decide if maybe I want to stay in Montreal for a bit or maybe go play somewhere else. ... I'm not sure yet,'' Lecavalier said. Playing in Europe "is an option, but I'm still kind of deciding, it depends on what comes up.''
Will players go home? Captain Vinny Lecavalier on Friday returned to his native Montreal to pick up wife Caroline and their two kids but said he might stay in Canada.
Lindback; forwards Marty St. Louis, Steven Stamkos, Teddy Purcell and Ryan Malone, and defensemen Sami Salo and Victor Hedman said they are contemplating playing in Europe.
St. Louis, who played in Switzerland during the 2004-05 lockout, said his negotiations are ongoing. Stamkos said his have been preliminary.
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For now, though, Stamkos said, "Some guys have plans to stay here for a bit and see what happens. I'd like to work out with the guys. This is a good group we have here."
Said defenseman Brendan Mikkelson: "I'm not going to change anything. I'm going to get ready like the season is going to start on time until they tell us otherwise."
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Yzerman and the coaches also will be in Syracuse, N.Y., to watch training camp for Tampa Bay's AHL affiliate.
"I'm hopeful," Yzerman said, "both parties can come to an agreement and we can start the season on time."
You know who the lockout's got to be both good and sucky for? Roberto Luongo.
The trade talk won't die, and now that the league is locked out, the media and fans will have their attention diverted for a while. But as I see it, during lulls in negotiation (if we have them) the conversation will drift back to where Luongo will be traded once the new CBA is signed.
It's sort of amusing that everyone is talking about the KHL in regards to the lockout, but European players are going back to their home countries for the most part, and North Americans who have signed in Europe, tend to be going to Switzerland.
It's sort of amusing that everyone is talking about the KHL in regards to the lockout, but European players are going back to their home countries for the most part, and North Americans who have signed in Europe, tend to be going to Switzerland.
If I was a player I would go to Switzerland 10 times out of 10 if the other option was Russia, no matter the money
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Todd Harvey, Adam Oates and Darren Puppa, you are all missed in the game of hockey!
Ya think it may have a little something to do with the quality of the aircraft and pilots used in travel?
I think it has more to do with the rules that the KHL put in place regarding who can come over and play. Each team is allowed to take 3 NHL players, but two have to be Russian. That leaves one spot per team for a NA or Euro player.
And then there is an entire list of other rules regarding who can play. Have to have played a certain amount of NHL games. Have to have experience on a national team or have won a Stanley Cup, etc... IOW, no scrubs.
Steven Stamkos has not decided to play in Europe, agent Mark Guy said. But Guy confirmed that Switzerland's HC Lugano is one of "many teams" that have reached out to him.
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If a collective bargaining agreement isn't reached by early November, commissioner Gary Bettman plans to cancel the Jan. 1 Winter Classic between the Red Wings and Maple Leafs in Detroit to take away any bargaining advantage the players may have because of the outdoor game's popularity, the Toronto Star reported.
The agent for Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman said his client has signed a contract with Barys Astana of the Russian Kontinental Hockey League and will report Friday.
"He wants to play in the best league there is right now," agent Peter Wallen said of finding a place for Hedman to play during the NHL lockout.
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In other Lightning news, AHL Syracuse has signed defenseman Keith Aulie to a minor-league deal.
Odd, I always pegged him as a Sweden guy. His brother plays for Timra IK in Elitserien, and figured he would likely want to go there, or MODO, his old club.
I think a CBA may actually be closer than it appeared. Iginla said that they're around 50/50 right now, and the league and PA are going to meet on Friday to discuss other CBA related issues.
Last edited by Felonious Python: 09-26-2012 at 07:44 AM.
Odd, I always pegged him as a Sweden guy. His brother plays for Timra IK in Elitserien, and figured he would likely want to go there, or MODO, his old club.
I think a CBA may actually be closer than it appeared. Iginla said that they're around 50/50 right now, and the league and PA are going to meet on Friday to discuss other CBA related issues.
His agent explained it in the article Days has quoted above:
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"He wants to play in the best league there is right now," agent Peter Wallen said of finding a place for Hedman to play during the NHL lockout.
