NHL deal could be done today!

[naturalselection]

Tentative deal could be accomplished.

http://www.tsn.ca/
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2106776

If the speculation in the ESPN article turns out to be correct, this could be an interesting couple of months as teams try to work out salaries due to a cap in the upper 30's.

[trotsky]

1. A collective yawn arises from the fans.

I know a lot of hockey fans that shifted their interest to college and high school hockey. After a couple of comments from parties involved in the NHL lockout, I hope they don't expect the fans to come running back.

[naturalselection]

2. I concur.

Part-time fans most likely gave up. Hard core fans had other outlets.

[getmeouttahere]

5. Sometimes I missed it, sometimes not....

but I'll be very glad when they are back. I've tried to watch baseball but it's not anywhere near the same game as the one I grew up with. Same with basketball, the players from the 80's would wipe the floor with these guys playing in the NBA today.

[hippiechick]

6. I've always preferred college hockey ...

... playin' for the gusto and the love of the game.


:hi:

[naturalselection]

8. I would love to watch more college hockey!

But here in Missouri, I am pretty much SOL.
Our college here has a "hockey" team - roller hockey that is.:eyes:

[hasbro]

20. You may be in luck

The frozen Four will be in St.Louis soon (get tickets early) and Lindenwood university is trying to add a program, (the complication is getting joint membership in the NAIA and NCAA)

[getmeouttahere]

10. I find that many NHL players play for the love of the game...

especially if they grew up in Canada, where most young boys and even young girls wanted to win the Stanley Cup some day.

[getmeouttahere]

3. About damn time!

did you see that Manny Legace said the union should have accepted the salary cap last September? I guess he said that and Goodenow screamed at him!

[Beaver Tail]

4. I've done the same to Hockey what I did to Baseball

Stopped watching it.

They are not curing cancer or AIDS. Thee don't deserve millions of $$$

[quaway]

7. then I guess you don't watch movies or any form of video

entertainment.

[Oreo]

9. Upper 30's??

Man the players got jobbed. They should have taken the offer given before the season was cancelled.

I think it's fantastic though... I have no idea what the Ranjerks will do with themselves now that they can't have a $60 million salary for their players.



I'm looking forward to finally seeing Brian Rolston play for the Wild.

[getmeouttahere]

11. Good point, Oreo....

First of all, Jagr will take a major pay cut, because his current salary would constitute about 1/3 of the cap figure LOL

Are you happy with Lemaire in Minnesota? I thought he was great when he coached my Habs back in the 80's.

[Oreo]

14. Woohoo! The deal got signed

People can talk all they want about the mess that is the NHL but I'm happy it's going to be back.


As for the Rangers... and all teams for that matter... we're going to see A LOT of big name player moves. The Wild are in great shape with a lower 20's salary right now and some great players. They'll need to add salary so are in a good place to get some big guys.

Lemaire has assembled what is probably the best staff in the league. Doug Risebrough, Patrick Ramsey, Mario Tremblay, Guy Lapointe... they're amazing. Risebrough has made some very smart moves slowly building a fast, talented team without an over-inflated budget.

While they may be more defensive than most, their trip to the Western Conference finals solidified the already HUGE following they had in the Twin Cities.

This is a good day.

[Telly Savalas]

12. The Rangers will keep failing to make the playoffs.

That's what they'll do. They'll just spend less money on it.

[Oreo]

15. Mrs. Pepper

the rangers missing the playoffs always makes my season.

Do we have enough hockey fans to do a DU Yahoo Fantasy League??

http://hockey.fantasysports.yahoo.com/hockey

[Telly Savalas]

17. 'Tis Mr. Salt

It won't be as much fun watching the Rangers miss the playoffs now that they won't be spending outrageous sums of money to do so.

As a fan of a big money club (Leafs), I'm a bit concerned. We've got 9 guys signed to $28 million in contracts, and many of them spent the lockout recovering in geriatric centers. Our GM is gonna have to be pretty creative.

I'd venture to guess there are enough hockey fans at DU to support a fantasy league.

[naturalselection]

13. Update!

TSN is reporting the deal is done pending approval by NHLPA and the Board of Governors.

Check out link below to see some of the specifics.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=130274

[Oreo]

16. Chelios blasts Buttman...I mean Bettman

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?ID=130194

"For a guy who has done such a horrible job running a league, it's a miracle he still has a job," Chelios told the National Post.

"And if he's patting himself on the back for getting a cap, every sport's got a cap. I mean, big deal, he's the last one to get it and he's run our league into the ground."

"It's not so much the deal," he continued. "It's all about the lies and separating the players from the league and making us look bad because we have to defend ourselves. And that alone should be just cause for him to get the gas after this is all done."

[jakefrep]

18. He should be pointing his outrage in the direction of the union boss

I'm not a big fan of Gary Bettman, but Bob Goodenow really screwed the players with his own stubbornness. He turned down much better deals than what he got when the season could have been salvaged.

[snowbear]

19. Awesome!

I love hockey!!

I hope they find a network to cover the games.. Didn't ESPN pull out a while back?

We only have an ECHL team here in Anchorage (aside from a WCHA college team) but there's definitely plenty of fans here of all levels of hockey.

The Alaska Aces (ECHL) benefited big time this past season by the lock-out since homegrown NHL'er Scotty Gomez (NJ Devils) stayed home and played on our team ~~ :hug:

This year our local team will be the ECHL affiliate of the St. Louis Blues.. although.. I'm not sure how that will work out yet? :shrug:

DROP THE PUCK!!! ~~~ :toast: