I think it's the only way to do it really. If I recall correctly, I think it turns out, under the proposed system, that the Rangers and one other team (the Wild? Blue Jackets?) have the best shot at getting #1 overall. If the Rangers get it, there will conspiracy theories (see: Ewing, Patrick) abound!

I can't wait for the whirl-wind. The draft. Free agency. Almost entire teams taking shape. It will be wild.

It will be interesting to see how many Euros bail out on the NHL. Without the big pay days to maintain the incentive, I could see a number of them deciding to return to the mother land and play hockey there, especially the Swedes, who all seem to love Sweden (can't blame 'em) and the Russians, tax free salaries.

As the Chinese proverb goes, may we live in interesting times.

http://tsn.ca/columnists/bob_mckenzie.asp?id=128640

This is such a horrible system, too. Teams that just missed out on the playoffs get the same number as those teams that have outright stunk.

SI

Jeremy Roenick can kiss my ass.

Trivia time:

Who was the last player-coach in NHL history?
What team was he on?
What year did he do this?

Doug Harvey, Rangers, early 60's.

nosir

does Steve Smith count?

He should, but not by my sources! :D

Boucher with the Rangers in ??? 45, 46? maybe.

nope

Who is Chucky Burns?

Minnessota North Stars?

1970-1971?

Close enought!


Charlie Burns, 1969-70, Minnesota.

I would like to see the return of the player coach, myself.

So would I..Current day players who would fit the bill?

I could see Mike Keane maybe Scott Mellanby. With the sallary cap
coming this may be a way to differ some dollars. Pay Mike Keane $700k
to coach and $1.5 m to play...I dont know just thought of this.

Yes, guys like that.

Definately Steve Yzerman, too.

Ladies and gentleman, starting at center (and also assistant goaltending coach at $8M a year), Mats Sundin!

all fine and good, except you ALL know who the next player-coach in the NHL would be, and then ESPN would NEVER shut up about him...

Good one. Your right I could see those silly Leafs appointing Sundin
as goaltending coach. That would be right up there with all the other
top notch moves...That was your joke right?

Roenick?

Or all you talking about Gretzky becoming the coach of the Coyotes.

Super Mario

http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/3743720

Interesting.

I didn't check the links, but the LA Times is reporting there's an agreement.

Please be true :)

And on this day, of all days. So, I wake up in the morning with two alarm clocks. One is a radio set to sports talk and another is the traditional buzzer. I tend to drift in and out while hitting snooze on the buzzer and I'll have dreams related to what I'm hearing on the radio. Apparently they were talking about the Olympics this morning and I had a dream that I was at the Winter Olympics, buying tickets and I said something to the effect of "I don't care about anything else, I just want to see some hockey" and just felt this elation that there was actually hockey to be watched.

SI

players = pwned

Scott Walker says there's a decent chance that the players would vote the agreement down.

I think Scott Walker needs a good stiff drink of the Wake Up juice. This may not be a good deal, and it's clearly worse than they could have had in March, but there's no way it gets better any time in the future.

Walker also said if it is accepted, a lot of players will leave for Europe. Someone's a little bitter, I think.

Do they HONESTLY think they'll earn MORE money in Europe? The Sedins have signed a new contract with MoDo where they have an option to leave for the NHL if things get rolling. They will be paid in accordance with the highest paid players in the league... in round figures.. around $200,000 a year.. that's what? $50,000 more than the previous minimum salary in the NHL.. whopee..

I think in the last couple of seasons in the Russian league some NHLers (and ex-NHLers) were getting paid more, or at least roughly equivalent to, what they would have been making in the NHL the last couple years.

You know there will be a period of time where players who feel the new deal isn't fair will take off and look to play elsewhere. In time, they will realize that the NHL is still their best option, and they will be back.

Bah! Who cares.

/jaded

So they're going to stand up to the owners NOW? Jeebsus!

Sounds like Mike Babcock is going to be the new head coach for the Wings. I like the switch. Dave Lewis really never did anything for me. He was kept around after Bowman left to keep some continuity going. To maintain the status quo. If/When the new CBA is signed the Wings will be so far from the status quo that a change will be fine.

Agreed. Long-term, the cap situation could end up being the best things for the Wings. I think they were going nowhere trying to put bandages over a leaking, creaking ship for the last couple seasons. Its time to get rid of the deadwood (Hatcher, Whitney, Chelios, maybe even Shanahan) and let the kids play.

That really backfired on the idiot Ducks. Babcock is a good coach.

Gotta' be heartbreaking to lose that porn-stache though.

It will be missed. It's been behind the Wings bench since '87.

Know this is broken record, but just as we enter the next work week it looks like this is as close as we've been to a deal since February.

tsn.ca posted an update at 9:30pm Sunday night saying they were still going, trying to get a deal done tonight, which was encouraging (even if they don't finish, the fact that tsn.ca is optimistic about this week has me feeling the same way). Bettman is meeting with the exec. committee tomorrow regardless of tonight's meetings, but boy would it be nice if they got the voting process underway sooner rather than later.

Still, though, I'll believe it when I see it.

~rpi-fan

I believe a deal will be finalized in the next few days and announced on Wednesday.

And then it has to be ratified. I'm not getting excited until I hear a time and place for the press conference.

Some details filtering out about the deal:



http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=130180

TSN is reporting that the deal will be finalized today. It will then have to be ratified by the owners and the players.

The end is nigh.

Once this thing is wrapped up it will be a fascinating few months until the begining of the season. I can't wait. The 2005 draft, free agency, fitting payrolls under the cap. It will be great. I should be bitter. I should be angry. But I've been bitter and angry about this whole thing too long. That time has passed.

Game on!

The rumor I heard on the radio is that the NHL has purchased a full page ad for tomorrow's USA Today....

This is looking good! I agree with you HB...I should feel jaded and angry, but I am just looking forward to life in the new NHL...

Screw it, just bring the game back. No reason to be pissed. Sports is business. If they've hurt themselves, they'll just have to adjust.

I think the NHL, long-term, will be better off. Adjustments that needed to be made were put off. I think now, one way or another, the league and the players will realize what needs to be done to bring the game back.

ugggggggh, until I see an announcement I won't believe it.

but once I do I'll be in line buying Sabres tickets :)

I just hope the Thrashers do the same thing the Hawks have done (same ownership group).... $200 for season tickets. And they are not the worst seats either....

AGREEMENT IN PRINCIPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


http://www.nhl.com

Woo! Finally!

SI