Nothing about the players besides the ones sent to the AHL.
Either I remember it wrong, but backgrounds used to have pictures of the players on pretty much website, but they all seem to be gone, probably has something to do with the NHLPA basically owning the players image.
Acallabeth, you gotta stay on Russian sports sites scanning for Ovechkin news, he should be in Moscow according to Mike Vogel. There's obviously Dynamo which own his rights, but Fedorov said he would love to have Ovechkin in CSKA. We need minute by minute action reports on the status of Ovechkin.
These guys are all idiots. It was bad enough to flush down the momentum of the NHL after the Rangers won the cup in 1994, and bad enough earlier this century, but this is just plain stupid.
I am glad we have the Nats, Skins and college hockey and hoops to get through the fall and winter.
I expect a full season loss. Neither the league nor the PA are ready to bend. That said, my credo is to be ready for the worst.
League isn't acting like they expect it to be a long lockout, though, not yet at least. Two sides *seem* closer than they were last time. Between that and the probably desire not to screw up 24/7 and the Winter Classic, I'm cautiously optimistic it only lasts a couple months.
This will go longer then expected as neither side is willing to negotiate. They barely sat down to hammer this out even leading up to the lockout. Players will go their own ways and play in other leagues as they already have and the owners will mull over losing money in a slow demeanor. The lack of negotiations has pissed me off that as of Monday, my Cap tickets will have no value as I refuse to attend a game this year, rather I will support the AHL. GO BEARS
At the same time, he's started from the position of recognizing he won't win (i.e. started off admitting the players' share will decrease). He won't roll over, but I think he's pragmatic enough not to go for a Pyrrhic victory.
My guess (based on zero evidence) is that they will start the day after Thanksgiving and will kick the season off with a huge day of major match-ups that day, along with a preview for 24/7 starting the next week
Which sucks, because my job means November - February/March are essentially lost months of the year.
I'm gonna be optimistic and guess the players and owners are going to come to their senses and realize that they won't have Ovechkin and Crosby entering the league to bring back the fans.
They'll stop being idiots and realize the only cost certainty that comes from missing a season is the certainty that they'll take a massive and irreparable hit to revenues if they miss thier second full season in a decade.
I don't think I'll care until February but I suspect it will shave at least a couple months off the season based on the pace to this point. I wonder how long it will take the players to realize that coming to the table in the 11th hour wasn't much of an improvement over last time from a leadership standpoint. Slow playing it and offering to play on shows just how good they've had it.
The proposed Canada/Russia Anniversary Super Series sounds intriguing. And there are streams otherwise. Life goes on.
League isn't acting like they expect it to be a long lockout, though, not yet at least. Two sides *seem* closer than they were last time. Between that and the probably desire not to screw up 24/7 and the Winter Classic, I'm cautiously optimistic it only lasts a couple months.
I've been predicting a Winter Classic start to the season for a while, but I didn't think about 24/7... but don't think 24/7 is enough of a factor to drive negotiations. It seems like an extremely niche product to me.
the NHL desperately wants to be one of the big 4 leagues and they let this happen... again. Bush league. With Ovys sad decline, McPhees impotence and the emergence of hope with the Skins and Nats this is the first year since in 22 seasons I don't really give a ****.
I've been predicting a Winter Classic start to the season for a while, but I didn't think about 24/7... but don't think 24/7 is enough of a factor to drive negotiations. It seems like an extremely niche product to me.
It's a niche product, but it's exposure they don't normally get and it's pretty well praised. Don't know how much money is involved but it can't be small I'd think...
Also NBC coverage usually starts about the same time. The lockout provisions in the NBC deal are pretty sweet from the league's perspective but it's still something I'm sure they'd rather not trigger.
My first guess would be half of a season though I could easily see it being another whole season..thats sort of how I'm preparing. Players seem like they have salary rolls back as the line in the sand. Seems like this could be worked around and have the split get down to at least a 50/50 split after a few years. Big picture utterly not surprised we are here again when Fehr started coming in to the picture. Think the owners stuff of raising free agency age and extending entry level contracts are red herrings a bit
At the end of the day pro sports is simply entertainment. Sure my own personal belief is that hockey is the best sport on the planet but with the Nationals in contention, RGIII and the Skins, and hell the Les Bullez training camp is right around the corner.
I would've cared a lot in the late 1980's because those Caps could've won the Cup. Poile didn't ever get the right goalie or a 1C so it didn't happen. I also would've been pissed in 2009 and 2010. But these Caps are a middlin' team. Going nowhere. I don't care at all.
