With Lockout Looming, Players Have Every Right to Stand Their Ground

I'm not an economics major. I can't break down the effects of escrow, of inflation, of revenue sharing. I am, however, a hockey fan. And I can tell you the effects of things like escrow, inflation, and revenue sharing when the National Hockey League locks out it's players over them. As we sit a few hours away from the expiration of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, the NHL is again staring a work stoppage in the face. But this time, more so than in 2004-2005, the NHL has everything to lose. Not only are we staring down another long, cold winter, but the NHL may find itself staring down many more to come.

The fact is this: the owners won the last lockout. The players caved and took a salary cap, pay cuts, and in exchange for that, they got to play hockey. But this time the players, unified by former MLBPA head Donald Fehr, are a much more coherent and organized group and ready to stand their ground. And frankly, they have every right to.

The owners are trying to reconcile for their own mistakes. Front-loaded, cap circumventing, and bloated contracts dealt out year after year by owners with deep pockets have exposed the flaws in the last CBA. But now the owners, who are guilty of signing Mike Komisarek to a 5 year/$22.5 million contract, Ville Leino to a 6 year/$27 million contract, and Brian Campbell to an 8 year/$57 million contract (which doesn't look so bad in hindsight), are scrambling to cover for their own mistakes. And they're asking the players to cover for them.

This is like the teacher not knowing the material and asking the student to blame a learning disorder for their bad grades. It's awful. And we, as fans, should not stand for it. Why should we? We already lost one season as billionaire owners fought millionaire players and ultimately won. And now the owners are asking the players to take more pay cuts, shorter contracts, an restrict their unrestricted free agency because the owners have no clue how to spend when July 1st comes. The players have no reason to give into what the owners want--the players have proposed a 50/50 split of hockey-related revenue, which seems fair. But no, the owners want more. And will continue to want more.

I've heard a gripe in the Twittersphere about the players being greedy and not just playing the game they love because they make millions. True, hockey players make a lot of money. But players with 10 year/$100 million contracts are the exception, not the rule. What about the players who make $500,000, bounce back and forth between the AHL and NHL, and never get the chance to sign that multi-million dollar deal? Hockey players have a short window to make their money. While a 2 year/$1 million contract sounds great to most of us, what happens when that contact is up and a player is out of a job? Someone who makes $50,000 a year at their desk job will make that same amount in 20 years, and then continue to make that 20 years later because desk jobs can't be ended with a blown knee. The point is, the players have every right to fight for every dime because this is their one shot to make their money. Many, many pro athletes live normal lives after they retire because not all of them made $100 million in their careers. And so the players, the ones that make $1 million in a career, have every right to stand up to the owners who are already billionaires.

The players, behind Donald Fehr (above)
 are standing firm this time.

Owning an NHL team is not a wise business decision. Many teams operate at a loss and that's to be expected. But how can anyone say that the owners are in a bad place? The Minnesota Wild cried foul in April, saying the CBA must be changed because despite all their sellouts, Minnesota still lost money last season. Everyone nods their heads in agreement. Lord, it must change! These teams are selling out and not making money and woeisthelifeofanNHLownerand WAIT! The Wild spent $200 million on two players this past summer. Believe me when I say that NHL owners are just fine. The players are right and the players are still making concessions, yet the owners want more. And unfortunately the owners can't grasp that without said players, they have no product. They don't have 18,000 people filling the arena at $90 per ticket. The fans want to see the players play, and because of this, the owners get a paycheck.

I can't speak for everyone, but I can't do this. I've conceded the NHL will miss a month or two or three. I don't think that we'll lose an entire season again--the NHL has too much at stake with a 100,000 seat Winter Classic lined up in Michigan, with a $2 billion television deal with NBC (who starts airing games in November), and with the simple fact that the NHL has gone from a $2 billion business to a $3.3 billion business since the last lockout. The game has grown and to lose all of that to another lockout would be foolish.

Some have predicted the lockout will last up to 18 months. I, for one, will never give the NHL another dime if a season, or more, is lost. But the players, behind Donald Fehr, are in this for the long run. The players will fight for every last dime from the owners, even if it takes a year or more. Forgive me if I don't stick around to see how it ends.

5 NHL Coaches Who May Be Collecting Unemployment Come April

Coaching in the NHL is a difficult position. No matter how many injuries, bad breaks, and coach-killers in your locker room, your job is perpetually in peril, especially if you sign on to coach the Los Angeles Kings (who have had more coaches than playoff victories since GM Dean Lombardi took over). Which coaches are in jeopardy of becoming fry cooks this off-season? Let's examine:

Brent Sutter, Calgary Flames

The Flames are in desperate need of a rebuild. Their core is aging, the prospect pool has dwindled, and they have been ineffective under Sutter's reign. The Flames will need a big late-season push to make the post-season this season and GM Jay Feaster stood pat at the trade deadline earlier this week. Sutter will likely take the fall for the Flames shortcomings, as they haven't made the playoffs since Sutter took the job in 2009-2010. It's time for a shake-up in Calgary; a shake-up that could see long-time heroes Miikka Kiprusoff and Jarome Iginla on their way out the door. Likely to precede them, however, is Brent Sutter.

Lindy Ruff, Buffalo Sabres

Lindy Ruff waving good-bye to his job in Buffalo?

No coach has managed to hang on to his job despite such limited success as Lindy Ruff. Yes, Ruff is a good NHL coach. He has been the Sabres coach since 1997, and usually when coaches stay in one place for 15 years they win something. Ruff has as many Stanley Cups as I do and for those of you who don't me too well I actually haven't won a Stanley Cup. But with new owner Terry Pegula's huge off-season spending coupled with the lack of on-ice success, it may be time for a change in philosophy in Buffalo. Pegula has stood behind his coach, but one wonders if and when patience will run short in Sabreville.

Randy Cunneyworth, Montreal Canadiens


Unfortunately for Cunneyworth, this may be out of his control. Canadiens fans are begging for a bi-lingual coach. Cunneyworth might want to hop on that Rosetta Stone if he wants to maintain his job. Cunneyworth is a good coach who deserves a shot somewhere. But the Canadiens are bringing up the rear in the Eastern Conference as I type this, and in a city with such deep hockey tradition as Montreal, that is simply unacceptable. Cunneyworth may be next on the chopping block, if not for the lack of success but for his monolingual tongue.

Ron Wilson, Toronto Maple Leafs


The Maple Leafs are in a rebuild--a perennial rebuild to some--and are in danger of missing the playoffs again. They haven't made the post-season since before the lockout and someone will have to take the fall. Ron Wilson is a great coach, but it's time to shake things up in Toronto. The Leafs have slipped to five points out of the playoff race, partial due to an inept penalty kill (29th in the league at 76.5%) and horrid team defense (28th in the NHL at 3.08 GA/G) and goaltenders with save percentages that look like good batting averages in baseball. As the Leafs look to remodel their future, it appears as though Ron Wilson may not be a part of it, especially when Air Canada Centre has given up on "Go Leafs Go" chants and replaced them with cries of "Fire Wilson".

Todd McLellan, San Jose Sharks


The Sharks are always an enigma, registering great regular seasons to follow it up with playoff disappointment. The Sharks have a three point lead on a playoff spot, which could disintegrate at any moment in a tight Western Conference. The Sharks will likely be on the road to start the playoffs and if the season ended today they would be matched up with Detroit, a likely first round exit. If the Sharks miss the playoffs or even if they are eliminated in the first round, it's likely change is imminent in San Jose. The Sharks PK is 27th in the NHL despite being shorthanded fewer than any other team in the NHL. To make matters worse, the Sharks have the 6th-worst record in one-goal games. The only teams worse are Edmonton, Los Angeles, Montreal, Columbus, and Carolina. If you're trying to keep your job, that's not a group you want to be in. With so much talent and so little results, heads will likely roll come April in San Jose.

Jeff Carter Dealt, Trade Deadline Heating Up

The first huge domino has fallen in the 2012 trade hysteria. Jeff Carter was moved last night to the Los Angeles Kings, who fell out of the Rick Nash race presumably due to the high asking price. The Blue Jackets get a first round pick and defenseman Jack Johnson who fortifies the Columbus blue line while giving them another opportunity to pick in the first round. Knee-jerk reaction: the Jackets win this one. The Kings are not deep enough on the blue line to  be dealing Johnson, which may come back to bite them. Carter will definitely benefit from a change of scenery after playing his way out of Columbus, which really speaks to the character of the player. Essentially the Kings are getting a 30-goal scorer with character issues while the Jackets get a young, quality defenseman and a mid-to-late first rounder in exchange for a player who never really wanted to play for them anyway. Solid flip by Columbus. Now onto the Rick Nash hysteria...

-I hold firm in my belief that Rick Nash will not be moved before the deadline. Too much magnitude, too many moving parts. The Leafs and Rangers are still considered front runners, but I don't believe either team will want to part with what Columbus is asking--at least not at this time. Columbus needs top notch, young, NHL-ready talent in return and swinging a deal like that will most likely take place closer to the draft.

-The Hurricanes have re-signed Tuomo Ruutu for four years, with a no-trade clause for the first three. This takes him off the trade market for this year, presumably. Jaroslav Spacek and Bryan Allen could still be on the move out of Raleigh, but the Canes are sitting 8 points behind Florida for 8th with a home game against the Panthers tomorrow. The Canes, while not buyers by any stretch, aren't as likely to blow things up as they were a month or so ago. Keeping their core intact seems to the mission of GM Jim Rutherford, so outside of either Spacek or Allen, I don't see Carolina making a big splash come deadline day.

The Bruins have struggled to score in the abscence
of Nathan Horton.

-Boston's offense has been stagnant without Rich Peverley and Nathan Horton. This is no secret. But can it be alleviated through the trade market? Antoine Vermette and Ruutu are off the market, so where can they turn? Ray Whitney is rumored to be involved, but the odds are better he stays in Phoenix, especially with the Bruins not wanting to part with any top prospects. Ales Hemsky can score some goals, but the asking price will likely be out of the Bruins league. The knee-seeking missile that is Steve Ott would be a nice fit in Boston and it would certainly be fun to hear Jack Edwards sing his praises. GM Peter Charelli will have some finagling to do, but the Bruins need to pull the plug on any trade that will help jump-start them in their repeat quest.

-Dustin Brown appears to be off the market in Los Angeles. Brown, the Kings captain, has two years left on his contract in LA and it appears GM Dean Lombardi has opted not to move their leader after the Jeff Carter trade. That being said, the Kings aren't scoring goals and anything they can do to facilitate that will catch Lombardi's ear. Ultimately I think that Brown will stay, but it will be an interesting subplot to the deadline frenzy.

We'll have more to come as developments break over the weekend!

GOH

NHL Trade Deadline Wrap-Up

Things are swirling in all directions as the NHL Trade Deadline heats up, with a couple of big names being floated around. Let's dive right in, as we only have six (SIX!!) days until the NHL deadline next Monday.

-On the Rick Nash front, I really can't see him being moved mid-season. He has six years left on his deal and a $7.8 million cap hit with the Blue Jackets. This isn't just a rental player, this is essentially Rick Nash in his prime for the next six seasons. Columbus has stated a goalie isn't a necessity in return, but the reality is a goaltender will likely be required to land the big right winger. Los Angeles has the pieces; I could see Jonathan Bernier, 21-year-old Andrei Lotkionov, young defenseman Alec Martinez or Slava Voynov, and a first round pick bringing Nash to the west coast. But the reality is the asking price for Nash will be steep and deals of this magnitude are seldom completed mid-season, let alone at the trade deadline. VERDICT: Nash stays put--for now.


-Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford has stated that he has given Tuomo Ruutu a few days to mull over his contract offer before putting Ruutu on the market. Ruutu could fetch a strong return in either Boston or Ottawa, but Ruutu could also be an attractive piece for Columbus who are in the midst of a tumultuous rebuild. Ruutu is 29 and has an expiring contract, but the two-time 20-goal scorer would be an asset to several teams. If a deal doesn't get done with Carolina, a 2nd round pick and a B-grade prospect could be exchanged for Ruutu. VERDICT: Ruutu is a Senator come deadline day.

-Also on the Hurricanes front, defenseman Bryan Allen and Jaroslav Spacek both have expiring contracts after this season. With Joni Pitkanen ready to go by next week, the Canes will have an expendable defenseman. A contract with Allen can likely be worked out and I think the Canes are intent on keeping him. The 36-year-old Spacek, who was acquired for Tomas Kaberle earlier this season, has less of a connection with the franchise. Spacek would be a nice rental for a team in need of a defenseman and the price will probably be a little less steep for him than it would be for a stay-at-home, gritty guy in Allen. Spacek brings a little bit of offensive flair that Allen doesn't but isn't the defensive defenseman Allen is. VERDICT: Allen stays through deadline day, Spacek is moved. Possibly to Chicago.

Hemsky could be on the move after two
injury-plagued seasons in EDM.

-Speaking of Chicago, I'm not sure where the Patrick Kane rumors came from but they should probably be debunked. Kane, along with Jonathan Toews, are the face of the Blackhawks. Seeing Kane moved is extremely, extremely unlikely. The Hawks have had their struggles of late, but the Blackhawks with Patrick Kane are a far better team than the Blackhawks with anyone they would  get back in return. Unless, of course, it's that media-friendly Kane-for-Ryan Miller swap we've all been hearing about. VERDICT: Kane stays put.

-One name that has flown under the radar is Edmonton Oilers winger Ales Hemsky. Hemsky is in the final year of his contract and has had two injury-riddled seasons the last two years in Edmonton. Hemsky would be a nice piece for a contender looking to add a 20-goal scorer heading into the playoffs. If the Kings were wise they would invest less assets in adding Hemsky than adding that of Rick Nash. Los Angeles would still get their desired offensive pop without mortgaging the future the way they would to acquire someone of Rick Nash's stature. VERDICT: Hemsky to Los Angeles.

-The Toronto Maple Leafs are currently sitting in a tie for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, and if the Leafs want to return to the playoffs for the first time since the lockout, now is as good of a time as any. The always brash GM Brian Burke will be active in finding a piece that can help his team now and in the future. Mikhail Grabovski could be on the  block, but his value to Toronto this season may be greater than what they could get in return. Rumors have floated Luke Schenn's name on the block, but I can't foresee that happening either. The Leafs would like to add offensive punch--James Van Riemsdyk comes to mind, and perhaps Schenn could be the addition to the Flyers back end they so desperately long for in Chris Pronger's absence. As active as Burke may be, it's hard to imagine the Leafs pulling off anything of blockbuster magnitude over the next week. VERDICT: Leafs stay put, for the most part. Paul Gaustad could be a potential target, so don't expect the leafs to be completely silent.


That's all for now..I'll try and stay updated as frequently as possible. Let the trade deadline fun begin!

News & Notes Heading Into All-Star Weekend

I'll be away for most of the weekend, so let's touch on some headlines heading into All-Star Weekend.

-First off, Jeff Carter is on the trade block and like, what? Shortly after the Jackets trade away Jakub Voracek, a third round pick, and a first-rounder that ended up being Sean Couturier, the Jackets want to deal him? Columbus is an absolute mess and they won't get nearly what they gave up when they trade Carter considering teams know they're not dealing from a position of power. Tough times to be a Jackets fan, that's for sure.

-Logan Couture was picked last in the All-Star Fantasy Draft. Think Sharks GM Doug Wilson will whine to the media?

-The Maple Leafs signed JM Liles to an extension. If he blows out his knee tomorrow his new contract is still better money than Jeff Finger's deal.

Alyonka Larionov's spot in the Fantasy Draft
wasn't too interesting, but she's still eye candy
for hockey fans.

-I know it's old news, but I haven't touched on Tim Thomas skipping the White House trip with the Stanley Cup champion Bruins. My view? I don't even care, or even necessarily disagree with Thomas' political stance. This is bigger than politics, however, and unfortunately it detracted away from a special moment with this team. He absolutely should have attended.

-Hockey is as popular as the NBA. Could have fooled me...if I was the guy who only watched Sportscenter's Top 10 highlights this morning.

-The Fantasy Draft was interesting, but my plea for next year: more captains with pulses. Chara and Alfredsson are great players but more cookie cutter personalities. More Patty Kane, less Chara next year, please.

-My other plea: less Alyonka Larionov. Unless she's in a bikini.

-Gary Bettman is still trying to keep the Coyotes in Glendale. Obviously exciting news for Coyotes fans and hopefully they can get that hammered out to keep the 'Yotes where they stand. That being said, as most of you know, I'll be a little bitter if they stay.

-Dave Hodge getting bold and getting all 1950 on us. I don't agree with Thomas's decisions either, but eh...

More to come in the near future!

Blow It Up?

For the Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Anaheim Ducks, their positions in the standings are unfamiliar: the bottom. This is a Montreal team with 24 Cups, countless Hall of Famers, and an incredibly effective post-lockout team. For Tampa, it's a team that won a Stanley Cup just 8 years ago and was a win away from the Stanley Cup last year. Anaheim just won their first Stanley Cup in 2007 and boasted what was the best line in hockey of Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, and Bobby Ryan to accompany other studs such as Teemu Selanne and goaltender Jonas Hiller. But these three teams, in particular, are strangers to the cellar. What is the problem, and more importantly, what is the answer?

The Canadiens have hamstrung themselves badly over the years. First the Mike Cammalleri signing and his obnoxious $6 million cap hit. That goes along with Scott Gomez's remarkable $7.357 cap hit which has seen him tally 19 goals in 170 games with the Canadiens. Tomas Plekanec and Brian Gionta each have $5 million cap hits, pushing the Canadiens to the cap threshold and leaving them with little room for flexibility while their free agent prizes flounder. The Canadiens have gotten away from what made them successful post-lockout. In 2005-2006, the year after the lockout under Claude Julien, the Canadiens roster featured guys like Michael Ryder, Saku Koivu, Mike Ribiero and Andrei Markov as four of their five leading scorers. What did they all have in common? They were all Montreal draft picks. The Canadiens built a quick, exciting team with their own guys before opening their check books and wasting millions upon millions. The Canadiens would serve themselves well to attempt to move their high priced assets (as with Mike Cammalleri last week) and add as many picks and prospects as possible to restock the cupboards. The Canadiens are not in need of a full-blown rebuild, but they are a few pieces away from getting themselves back into contention. The lesson from this, as the New York Rangers learned pre-lockout: NHL free agency is ineffective in building a team. It can only help bolster a roster into a Stanley Cup contender, not build one.

The Dwayne Roloson experiment is failing miesrably this
season in Tampa.

The Lightning are in a slightly different situation. They have a solid core of young guns in Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman, Vincent Lecavalier is still lighting it up and Marty St. Louis doesn't seem to want to age. But the Lightning have struggled to find a netminder since Nikolai Khabibulin left, struggling through with starters like John Grahame, John Holmqvist, Marc Denis, Mike Smith, Antero Nittimaki, and now Dwayne Roloson. Roloson had a magical playoff run last season but his age (he's 42) is starting to show. He's posted a 3.68 GAA in 23 games this season and Mathieu Garon, who has taken over the bulk of starting, hasn't fared much better with a 3.02 GAA in 31 games played. The future doesn't look much brighter. Dustin Tokarski is Tampa's best goaltending prospect and has been toiling in the AHL for a couple of seasons since leaving the WHL. Even he has question marks about his small frame and isn't an immediate fix. So what is GM Steve Yzerman to do? Starting goalies don't grow on trees, but at this point it looks like Yzerman's best option is to plant that Dwayne Roloson tree in the back yard and hope he can rekindle some magic in the form of a starting goalie somewhere, somehow.

The Anaheim Ducks are a complete mess. Jonas Hiller has struggled, their top line has been ineffective. Ryan Getzlaf is on pace for 13 goals. Ryan, Getzlaf, and Perry are a combined -31. Trade rumors have circulated about Corey Perry, and perhaps the time is now to deal him. Perry could fetch a high return, likely a first rounder or two and a top prospect or two. The Ducks are not in need of a complete demolition of their roster, but Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu are inching closer to retirement every day and their contributions will need to be replaced. The Ducks have a decent prospect pool, but can Kyle Palmeiri and Emerson Etem be counted on to replace Teemu Selanne? Not yet, anyways. The Ducks need to add youth, and there's no easier way to do that than by moving one of their high-priced stars for pieces of the future.

All three teams have one thing in common: the need to add prospects. Youth is key in the NHL today. Free agency has it's place, but as many teams have learned, it's not the way to build a contender. Careful drafting and stockpiling of prospects is most effective. Perhaps the GMs in all three towns will get the memo before it's too late.

GOH

Year In Review: 2011

2011 was highlighted by triumph and underscored by tragedy. By any measure, 2011 was a newsworthy year for hockey all around. Let's get to the highlights:

-The year started with tragedy as Sidney Crosby suffered a concussion on the first day of 2011 in the Winter Classic. Crosby would miss eleven months, return for eight games, then find himself shelved again with concussion symptoms. Unfortunately for Crosby and the NHL, concussions highlighted hockey in 2011. To name a few, Chris Pronger, Jeff Skinner, Shea Weber, Mike Richards, Kris Letang, Claude Giroux, Milan Michalek, Marc Staal, Nino Niederreiter, Ryan Miller, and James Reimer all joined Crosby on the IR with concussions. Scary stuff that the NHL must take steps in addressing in 2011.

-2011 also got off to a flying start at the international level with the Russian junior team coming from a seemingly insurmountable deficit to upend the favored Canadian squad days after the calendar turned. Down 3-0 heading into the third, the Russians exploded for five goals in the final frame to stun the Canadians. Lead by Yevgeni Kuznetsov and Vladimir Tarasenko, who are both likely NHL bound in the near future, the happy-go-lucky Russians made their mark, winning their first gold at the WJHC since 2003.

-The Stanley Cup playoffs were a spectacle as usual. 465-year-old Dwayne Roloson carried the Lightning to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bruins rallied from 2-0 series deficits against Montreal and Vancouver en route to their first Stanley Cup in four decades. It took seven games, but the Canucks finally beat the Blackhawks in the playoffs. Oh, and the playoffs produced this Bobby Ryan goal:

-The Stanley Cup Finals produced the best and the worst in two different  cities. The Bruins employed a team concept and won their first Cup since 1972. The Vancouver Canucks failed to claim their first championship, and fans responded by burning down the city, causing millions of dollars of damage and tarnishing the reputation of a well-respected city (Dave Bolland may disagree). But hey, it did give birth to this wonderful photograph, courtesy of Rich Lam:

-The summer came and went and saw all sorts of news. Taking the forefront was the NHL's return to Winnipeg after the Atlanta Spirit sold, and sold out, the Atlanta Thrashers. Jets season tickets sold out in minutes and Thrashers fans were left to grieve. It was a hyperbolic moment for two NHL cities; Winnipeg got the Jets back after a 15 year hiatus and Atlanta was left wondering, again, if NHL hockey would ever return to the deep south.

-The summer was also riddled by tragedy and controversy. The NHL fell under scrutiny and fighting in hockey was called into question when enforcers Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien, and Wade Belak were all found dead, their deaths linked to problems stemming from living rough-and-tumble lives as NHL enforcers. As if the hockey world wasn't already in mourning, Lokomotiv of the KHL saw their team jet crash and burn, killing 43 people including former NHLers Pavol Demitra, Ruslan Salei, Josef Vasicek, and Brad McCrimmon to name a few. It was a difficult summer for hockey fans, capping a 2011 that was filled with hockey tragedy that went far beyond the rink.

-The beginning of the 2011-2012 season has been a magnificent one. The Minnesota Wild, St. Louis Blues, Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Winnipeg Jets are all relevant again. HBO's 24/7 is again a smash hit, chronicling the Flyers and Rangers en route to the Winter Classic. The NHL signed a $2 billion TV contract. Things are looking up for hockey without a doubt, and hopefully it can carry it's positive gains in 2011 over to 2012.

GOH