Hump Day Links

Hockey season is right around the corner – we’re on the stretch run now. There are roughly 38 day’s until UND plays it’s first Exhibition game against the University of Manitoba Bison.

As of right now there isn’t any good news for UND Hockey fans that watch their UND hockey on Cable one in Fargo, ND. Midco and Cable have yet to reach a deal.

Kirsten Stromsodt (@FargoNewsroom)8/29/12 8:31 AM Cable One, Midco yet to reach deal for UND coverage | INFORUM | Fargo, ND

Here is more on that story from the Fargo Forum – it doesn’t look good right now for the viewer’s in the Fargo area.

Tom Miller, Forum Communications – University of North Dakota fans living in Fargo might be left in the dark when it comes to television coverage of their team’s games.

On Tuesday, the UND athletic department announced the television coverage for the football team’s season opener Thursday night against South Dakota School of Mines.

There was a noticeable absence from the list of cable providers that have opted to pick up Midco Sports Network’s coverage.

Cable One, the lone cable provider in Fargo, has yet to agree to a deal with Midco Sports Net for the upcoming season.

Here is a pretty good read on the CBA labor negotiations – while Bettman thought that the owners’ proposal was a major step forward it seems like the players and the NHLPA have taken a more cautious if not non-committal approach to the latest proposal. From what I have read last night and today – it does appear there is a reason for the non-committal.

Rob Rossi, Triblive Sports --- NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Tuesday that the league’s “counterproposal” represented a “significant step” toward avoiding a second work stoppage since 2004.

“I’m trying to get us onto a common language and hopefully this will do that,” he said of the NHL response to the NHLPA’s recent proposal, which called for players’ share of hockey-related revenue to drop from 57 to 54 percent.

The NHL has proposed a plan to gradually slide toward a 50-50 split of that revenue, though the specifics of what makes up that revenue are not completely defined, sources told the Tribune-Review.

The NHL and NHLPA each declined to divulge details of the latest proposal, and members of the union were hesitant to label it a “counter” to their plan.

Penguins union representative Craig Adams had not seen the latest NHL plan as of late Tuesday, but he planned to be among the players in attendance for the meeting today.

“You’re looking for baby steps, to move in the right direction,” Adams said. “I don’t want to say this is the right direction ... but anytime you can get to the table, discuss things and hopefully negotiate and find any type of common ground, that’s a positive.

It seems like that Bettman and the NHL owners are looking at the CBA’s of the NBA and the NFL and are trying to move their share to a 50/50 split with the NHL players, I don't think that is an unreasonable or unrealistic stance.

The 50/50 split seems very reasonable on paper – but is it doable? I don’t know how some NHL teams are going to be able to get the teams under the 70 million dollar salary cap – for example the Boston Bruins according to Joe Haggerty are 12 Million over the salary cap and there would be 16 teams over that threshold as well.

(Photo: AP/Julio Cortez)

I also wonder what kind of a proposal we will see from the players in the next couple of days. It's no mystery that both sides want to come to an agreement and find some common ground so they can get a CBA signed and the players can play hockey.

Bettman said he wouldn't ''feel better about this process until it is successfully completed.'' He defined successful completion as having ''a collective bargaining agreement.''

Here is what Former Fighting Sioux forward Zach Parise has to say about Gary Bettman, I think you'll find his comments interesting.

There's a growing feeling throughout the sport that it's an inevitability. Minnesota Wild forward Zach Parise, who signed a monster US$98-million, 13-year deal in free agency, became the latest to voice that opinion this week when he told the St. Paul Pioneer Press that "Gary's pretty adamant about his third lockout of his tenure."

While there are teams that have enjoyed great financial success the New York Islanders are in dire straits – things are so bad that the Islanders have a student radio station doing their games.

John Ismossi, The Hockey Writters --- Since the failure of the many arena proposals the Islanders have been fairly quiet on their financial situation, but the state of their finances is no secret. Shackled to a terrible lease in a rundown arena with little hope to attract players and little hope for their increasingly small fan base the team has been losing money for years and they certainly are now as well. Cost cutting measures have been evident in recent years as the Islanders have turned their radio broadcasts over to Hofstra University and reduced payroll to the salary floor. In fact only by using the buyout of Alexi Yashin and the dead salary of Rick DiPietro have the Islanders done that. And this year the Islanders have barely tried to even reach the proposed salary floor, still nearly five million below it.

Darren Dreger of TSN lays out the NHL's newest proposal

CBA update

This is what the Commissioner of the NHL Gary Bettman had to say about the NHL Owners second proposal.

"We need to get on the same page on the economics," Commissioner Bettman said, "and we're hoping that by virtue of the proposal we made today that there will be some traction and that there will be a framework for the negotiation."

"We believe we've made a significant, meaningful step," he added. Bettman also said, he said it was "a significant proposal with meaningful movement."

This what the head of the NHLPA Donald Fehr has to say about the proposal.

"It's a proposal that we intend to respond to," said Fehr. "I'll leave it at that."

While there won't be a response today, there should be a response by the players tomorrow according to Fehr. 

“There’s not a lot to say today,” Fehr said. “We want to work further on it overnight. We have an expectation, based on what we know now, that we’ll get back together tomorrow afternoon.

“It is different in some respects from before, but I don’t want to categorize it until we have an opportunity to really go through it and we understand it and come up with an appropriate response.”

Looks like the owners latest proposal is asking for a 52/48 split from the players - so there is some movement.

Darren Dreger from TSN tweeted this break down of what the Owners proposed today - you can see that the owners are going for the 50/50 split.

Tuesday Morning Links

Julie Robenhymer from Hockey Buzz has her Hobey hopefuls in August 26th, blog post and she has UND senior Danny Kristo as a Hobey Favorite.

Danny Kristo - Senior, F, North Dakota, MTL: Kristo has always been a notable player as a product of the USNTDP and gold medalist at the 2010 World Junior Championship, but it took a severe case of frostbite on his toes in his sophomore season that nearly resulted in amputation and the thought of life without hockey to push his game to another level. Decimated by injuries last year, the team formerly known as the Fighting Sioux, struggled throughout the season, but Kristo still managed to be a point per game player with 45 points in 42 games. North Dakota will have a very young, yet very talented team this season and Kristo will be a big part of their success. He brings leadership, versatility and an unquenchable desire to bring a national championship to Grand Forks.

It was announced yesterday, that Pittsburgh Penguins star Evgeni Malkin has an agreement to play for Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL when if there is a lockout in the NHL next month.

In the never ending Phoenix Coyotes saga, Glendale, NHL extend Phoenix Coyotes arena agreement for fourth time [AZcentral.com]

Former Vermont star and current Tampa Bay Lightning forward Marty St. Louis said, that he'll play in Europe in event of NHL lockout. [TampaBay.com]

Check out the offseason diet that Montreal Canadians diver defenseman P.K. Subban enjoys – sounds as if Subban eats a lot of protein and red meat.

Dan Rosen, NHL.com Senior Writer --- Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban reads off his breakfast menu without a single change in his facial expression. For him, barbecuing a steak at 7 a.m. and pairing it with freshly blended vegetable juice, fish oils, Vitamin C and various other multivitamins is absolutely normal.

No eggs. No toast. No potatoes.

"I eat a lot of protein -- steak in the morning, steak in the afternoon, fish, chicken," Subban told NHL.com during a recent trip to his training facility. "At the start of the summer I order a whole cow from a grain-fed farm. I have it at my parents' house and my mom will season [the butchered meat], and I'll pick them up to have steaks for the week."

Jokes aside, Subban actually does eat the whole cow he orders each summer.

Today, the NHL's collective bargaining talks are set to resume in New York City.

TSN.CA --- The biggest issue holding up talks is finding agreement on how the league's revenues should be split up. Players received 57 per cent under the expiring CBA and the league wants to see that number reduced considerably.

The NHL's initial offer involved cutting the amount to 43 per cent, although it has indicated a willingness to negotiate off that number.

Based on last season's revenues, every percentage point lost would cost the players $33 million. After capitulating in the last round of negotiations and hiring Fehr to lead them in this one, that group appears ready to fight against significant givebacks.

Former Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers and San Jose Sharks goalie Antero Niittymaki has signed a contract to go back and play hockey in his native Finland. [TSN.CA]

In an ugly story - three Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, were arrested and charged with sexual assault this past Saturday. The players involved in the sexual assault Nick Cousins, Andrew Fritsch and Mark Petaccio. [CBC.CA] and [Philly.com]

Greyhounds player Mark Petaccio gets released on bail following a bail hearing for an sexual assault charge. [Toronto Sun]

 The Toronto Sun compares the CBA’s of the Major Sports in North America; Breaking down the deals the four major sports leagues are working under.

The Hockey News has the Boston Bruins finishing second in the Eastern Division and facing off in the first round of the NHL playoffs against the Buffalo Sabres.

In the same article the Hockey News had the Minnesota Wild finishing fifth and facing off against the Chicago Blackhawks. I will take the Wild in six games.

Shattuck Saint Mary’s defenseman and current Fargo Force defenseman Charlie Pelnik is in the latest Hot List in the Hockey News. [Hockey News]

Charlie Pelnik, D – Shattuck St. Mary’s Sabres (Minn. HS) Easily the most talked-about prospect ever from North Carolina, Pelnik will suit up for the USHL’s Fargo Force this season after a great run with Shattucks. The 6-foot-4, 190-pound blueliner from the Jr. Hurricanes system is committed to the University of North Dakota, where he’ll bring a Pronger-esque nasty streak – though Plymouth owns his OHL rights. Draft eligible in 2013.

NHL lockout: raw power to the players

This is a good read that I found today’s Vancouver newspaper the Providence – this year’s CBA negotiations almost seems like a case of déjà vu – we have seen this act before – didn’t like it very much the first time. The Owners led by Gary Bettman are going to bully the players – the owners are hoping that the players will start squabbling among themselves – when this happens the owners begin the break the players down they will then get an agreement.

Tony Gallagher, The Province --- It is about naked power and leverage, nothing more. The players had to know that, because after they hoisted the white flag and agreed to give the owners everything they wanted after the last lockout, the owners retained the same leadership. To expect a different approach now would be unrealistic.

And the key word in that last paragraph is ‘agreed.’ The players eventually agreed to those conditions.

Not only is Gary Bettman still at the helm, it’s the same law firm calling the same shots, which were called the last time, from the same firm calling the shots employed by the NFL and the NBA owners. So there are no surprises here.

In an excellent piece a couple of weeks back, Larry Brooks of the New York Post asked what people would think of the players if they, like the owners are doing now, basically insisted upon a 24 per cent raise in all their negotiated salaries before they took the ice this season. And he pointed out that’s exactly what the owners are doing by insisting the players take rollbacks again this time on contracts that both parties have already freely entered into. Good point.

We are going to have a lockout this season. I believe that there is no way to avoid it; It’s my prediction that hockey fans are going to lose at least a ¼ to ½ of the 2012-13 season.

Why the whole season won’t be lost… During the 2004-05 season the owners waited the players out. This time we won’t lose the whole season. When the lessor paid players hockey players start feeling the pinch of the lockout – this is when the players will succumb to the owners demands. The lesser paid players will pressure the higher paid players to settle so they can go back to work and make a pay check.

Much like 2004-05, fans are going to fill the void of not having the NHL with NCAA Hockey, AHL and JR hockey. One will also have more time, to keep up with their favorite sitcoms. Lastly, there will be more time for family members because there will not be as much hockey on the television.

Bettman proves that he is a ________!

If you had any hope of the CBA getting hammered out by the September 15, 2012 - those hopes were squashed today. This is the zinger that Commissioner Gary Bettman uttered today at the end of 90 minute negotiating session between the NHL Owners and the NHLPA.

Gary Bettman:"we believe that we are paying the players more that we should be."
— Renaud P Lavoie (@RenLavoieRDS) August 23, 2012

Jesse Spector of the Sporting News has a really good story on Bettman's comments that he made today and lets just say that the NHL's Commissioner isn't going to make a lot of friends with the fans and with the players.

Based on the comments that Bettman made today - we can say that the good will is over and it's game on now.

As fans we just hope that we don't have another lost season. As it stands right now, Bettman is bound and determined to lock the players out because he can.

Jesse Spector Sporting News --- Another difference between Bettman of early August and Bettman of late August is that the younger Bettman expressed a “need” to lower costs, which was understandable. For teams that are struggling financially now, or that would be in several years under the current system as leaguewide revenues outpace local revenues, spending to the NHL’s salary floor is becoming an annual challenge. Seven teams finished 2011-12 under the projected $54.2 million floor for 2012-13 under the current CBA.

Contrast that with Thursday, and “we think we’re paying too much in salaries.” That’s a shift from a statement of plain-to-see fact to difficult-to-grasp opinion, and one that comes off as entirely hypocritical in the face of the $196 million the Minnesota Wild spent this summer on Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, or the Nashville Predators’ matching the Philadelphia Flyers’ $110 million offer to Shea Weber.

The counterargument to that is that teams are just playing by the rules of the current CBA, trying to compete as best they can. But the NHL’s owners did not become owners by making stupid business decisions, and it would be a lot easier for Bettman to make his case if star players were only getting offers from teams in the biggest markets. There’s a salary cap and a salary floor, and when the small-market Predators talk about wanting to be a cap team, it doesn’t do much for the case that the players are currently overpaid.

I agree with Spector – seriously – how can these NHL owners pay these outrageous salaries to the NHL players and then turn around and in the next breath say that they are paying too much in player costs? It makes no sense what-so-ever – or at least from a sane person’s point of view.

Let’s not forget that they want to also limit player salaries to five years also – so what do they do they turn around and sign players to 6,7,8.9, 10-13 year deals.

I don’t think I am missing the point – if you’re hurting financially you don’t go out and spend a bunch of money that you claim that you don’t have.

Is anyone taking these guys serious when they wheel their representative – who is pompous, condescending, mealy mouth jerk – this is also the same guy that has preceded over two other work stoppages and in his smug way say’s that the NHL owners are paying players too much and they need to wheel back the players salaries and oh yeah the Edmonton Oilers just paid Taylor Hall who has played in the NHL a grand total of two seasons 6 million a year over 7 season.

Bettman's taking NHL fans for granted.

It sounds like the NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is taking NHL fans for granted – his logic is – because the fans came back after the two previous lockouts - they will come back this time again.

I am sure there were a lot of fans that weren't happy today with Bettman's condescending, pompous and arrogant statement statement, I don't like reading that statement.

Tim Panaccio, Flyers Talk --- And that’s what NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is counting upon. That you, the fans, will come back again when he locks the doors on Sept. 15.

A week, a month, an entire season. He’s pretty confident you’ll come back.

How do we know that? The Commish all but said so today in Toronto at the CBA meetings.

After a brief, 90-minute negotiating session with the NHLPA in which nothing was really bargained and nothing was gained on either side, Bettman was asked about the damage another lockout could do.

“We recovered last time because we have the world's greatest fans,” Bettman said.

That, in a nutshell, is why the owners are willing to do it again. They know the sport will recover. They have past history to prove it.

Hockey fans are like addicts. They can’t resist the ice. They come back. Again and again.

First, I am not sure how Gary Bettman can start making ridiculous comments like he did today – does he have research to back up his claims? How does he know that the fans will be back after the lockout is over – there might be some fans that might just decide to not renew their season tickets or spend the money on something else – the country is in an economic down turn and some fans might decide that they won’t by the tickets and save the money for a rainy day.

This is one of the reason I believe that there is no reason to remain optimistic. The owners and Gary Bettman are taking NHL fans for granted – the owners and Bettman are making the assumption that the fans will forgive the owners for locking out the players after the labor dispute is over.

Today Gary Bettman said, "the only way to make progress in ongoing labour talks is to solve the "fundamental economic issues."

I got a bad feeling

After reading some of the stories and various news items and other things around the blogsphere I get a sense that the Bully Boy and NHL Commissioner  Gary Bettman is bound and determined to lock the NHL players out so they can get their 24% Roll back. Seems to be the owners/Bettman's way or the highway - seems counter productive. I do believe both sides are going to have to give some. I don't it's realistic to expect the players to give that much back especially after some of the contracts that were signed this offseason. 

I also saw that the NHL owners lock the players out and there is no hockey this season the NHL owners will still get a 200 million dollar payment from NBC.So the NHL owners will recoup some of their loses if they do lock the players out.

Former Boston Bruins Defenseman and TSN Hockey Analyst Aaron Ward says that we are no where - there is no substance to the negotiations and he all but guarantees that there will be a lockout. I also agree, I don't see how the players and the owners get anything done when they don't know where to start. 

The reoccuring theme that is starting to emerge the labor talks is that there appears to be a frustration surrounding the CBA negoations from both sides.

As a rabid fan of the NHL I can't see how a lockout does anyone any good - if there is a work stoppage there will be a fair number of fans that will feel alienated and might not come back when the CBA have been signed. Much like they did in 2004-05 fans will find something else to do. Thank God that college hockey doesn't lock the players out.

Hump day Links

The summer is really winding down… If my math is correct there are roughly 45 days until UND plays it’s first exhibition game on October 6th, 2012. There are also roughly 23 left for the NHL and the NHLPA to come to an agreement on the CBA without delaying the start of the NHL preseason. If there is no agreement between the NHL owners and the NHL, the league will go from being the National Hockey League to the No Hockey League.

From the Penn State front : Lawyers for Graham Spanier, former Penn State president ousted after Jerry Sandusky scandal, plan to rebut Freeh report

Former KFAN PA and Dubay host Jeff Dubay has resurfaced on the radio this past week. Jeff was on KTWINS for the last two days. [Pioneer Press]

Former Fighting Sioux and two-time all-Western Collegiate Hockey Association goaltender Brad Eidsness has decided to fore go the professional hockey route and go to law school in British Columbia. Here are two articles on this story ‘He’s not your typical kid’ and Eidsness Exercises His Option

The NHL is looking at obstruction – I think this is a bit over-due, especially, after watching all of the obstruction, hooking and holding that has been allowed during the past two NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. There seems to be two different standards – there seems to be stricter standard during the regular season and then a more relaxed standard for the playoffs.

THE CANADIAN PRESS --- There should be a healthy exchange of ideas with five general managers (Darcy Regier, Lou Lamoriello, Ray Shero, Steve Yzerman, Mike Gillis) and four head coaches (Joel Quenneville, Barry Trotz, Dave Tippett, Adam Oates) in a room with players, referees and members of the league's hockey operations department.

Campbell labelled it a "think-tank for hockey."

The idea came out of the GM meetings in March, when a number of managers expressed frustration with what they believed to be a slip in standard for the way penalties were called. Campbell invited them to submit video of specific incidents, which will be looked at this week.

"Personally, I don't think the hooking and holding has slipped," said Campbell. "I think we have to find out what we want with intereference on the forechecking and interference off the faceoff."

The league's former disciplinarian thinks the discussion might branch off to other rules like slashing.

"Anything that stops a player from scoring," he said.

This will be the first exercise of its kind since the NHL held a major crackdown on obstruction coming out of the 2004-05 lockout. However, Campbell doesn't expect it to have nearly the same impact on the sport in terms of the number of penalties called.

I know this about 12 days old, but according to Shooter from the Pioneer Press, former North Stars radio voice Doug McLeod is a strong candidate for the Gophers men's hockey play-by-play TV job on FSN. I personally, would like to see Kevin Gorg from FSN fill that role.

Former Wisconsin Badgers and current Minnesota Wild forward Dany Heatley has sued his former agent for $11 million dollars. [TSN.CA]

Here is some interesting news. Current ECAC Hockey Director of Officiating and former National Hockey League (NHL) referee Paul Stewart is going to join the Russian Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) as a consultant, where he will be an advisor to KHL president Alexander Medvedev on judicial matters. According to Ken Schott he will also continue working for the ECAC.

Chris Peters from the United States of Hockey, has a good story on Georges Laraque and “it appears” that he is going to be the new head of the CHLPA. [United States of Hockey]

Is Gary Bettman the lockout commissioner?

I think it's a good question - under the tutelage of Gary Bettman he has presided over two NHL work stoppages since he took over the NHL League Commissioner job in February 1, 1993.

There is a very good chance that the NHL is going to have their third lockout under the leadership of Gary Bettman. Another dubious honor Bettman holds is that the NHL is the only professional sport to lose an entire season due to a work stoppage.

Jack Todd, Montreal Gazette --- You get the feeling that Gary Bettman loves his lockouts. This is Bettman’s thing. Shut down the league. Grind the players to powder. Go back to the owners and get his own salary bumped up for having satisfied the owners’ greed.

Then come back five or 10 years later and say that the salary system he shut down the league to get is unworkable, so he has to shut it down again. Why? Because he wants to. Because he can.

Last time round, it seemed like the owners had a case. We were on the fence, until the latter stages of the lockout, when Bettman morphed into Richard M. Nixon.

This time, it is Bettman who has presented an entirely irrational plan, one the NHLPA would be mad to accept — and it is PA executive director Donald Fehr who responded with a response so rational, so well thought out, that we actually hoped Bettman might accept it, at least as a starting point for a new approach.

Again, I am sure that most of us would have more empathy for the owners if the NHL had not made 3.3 billion dollars last season. Also, I am sure the owners would get more sympathy from the fans if the owners weren’t signing players to ridiculous salaries like they have this off-season.

Friday at the Links

Sounds like the NHLPA led by Donald Fehr is less than impressed with Gary Bettman and the NHL Owners response to their proposal that they put forth in good faith.

One casualty of the impending lockout is that the Detroit Redwings have cancelled their prospects tourney that they hold every summer in Traverse City Michigan.

Helene St. James, Freepress.com --- General manager Ken Holland told the Free Press that, "we had a conference call with all the teams involved. Due to the uncertainty of CBA negotiations and teams having to make commitments for hotel rooms and travel plans -- the biggest thing is the hotel rooms. The people Up North needed to know if the rooms would be used or not. So we made the decision to cancel for 2012. We plan to be back next year."

Games among prospects for the Wings, Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers and St. Louis Blues were to have run Sept. 15-19 at Centre Ice Arena.

Mike Brohy of Sportsnet.CA says not so fast don’t shoot the messenger. [Sportsnet.CA]

Not Lockout related but former Fighting Sioux forward Brad Malone is ranked 5th on the Av’s prospects.

5. Brad Malone, C: After he was taken with the 105th pick in the 2007 draft, Malone spent the next four years at the University of North Dakota. There he developed into an NHL-ready power forward. The Miriamichi, New Brunswick native turned pro prior to last season and made an immediate impact. That's not surprising -- Malone's size (6-foot-2, 207 pounds) and fearless attitude make him a valuable lower-line presence for any organization. He's also got some offensive pop, with 11 goals and 25 assists in 67 games for Lake Erie. When the Avalanche forward lines were hampered by injuries in December, Malone performed well in a nine-game tryout, averaging 10 minutes a game and notching two assists. If his development stays on schedule, look for him to make a breakthrough with Colorado sometime next season. "He's just a big strong guy who plays the center and the wing," Billington said. "He's got good hockey sense, and he's not afraid."

The labor impasse and the prospects of an impending lockout is holding up the signing of free agent deals. Phoenix Coyotes unrestricted free agent forward Shane Doan seems to be a casualty of this as well.

Sarah McLellan, Arizona Republic --– The Coyotes have been among the more conservative operators this offseason, waiting for potential buyer Greg Jamison and long-term captain Shane Doan to decide their futures with the team before the front office could further retool the roster.

But in the weeks leading up to the scheduled open of training camps in mid-September, the pulse around the league has copied that of the Coyotes, slowing as uncertainty picks up with the approaching expiration date of the collective bargaining agreement.

"Everybody is in a holding pattern in regards to the deals they can potentially make," Coyotes general manager Don Maloney said. "The last number of years, August is a quiet month anyway, but this CBA makes it a little quieter than normal."

Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News expects a work stoppage to happen but doesn’t think the lockout will go on very long. I agree as well, because I have a really hard time believing that the NHL would take a chance at losing their money maker the Winter Classic.

The players are thinking globally for the good of the game, allowing the salary cap to stay and proposing ideas like luxury taxes, trading of salary cap space and broader revenue sharing. Bettman and many owners are seemingly thinking only about their pockets. In a rarity for sports labor disputes, most fans are on the players' side.

My sense is we're not going to have an 82-game season but this won't go on too long. I find it hard to believe the league would blow off all the exposure HBO will be again providing with its 24/7 series in advance of the Winter Classic. And let's not forget the expected world record crowd in the 115,000 range likely to pack the Big House at the University of Michigan for the Red Wings and Leafs on New Year's Day.

Still, I wouldn't be making downtown dinner reservations prior to a hockey game thinking you're going to be seeing the Sabres against the Penguins (Oct. 13), Red Wings (Oct. 16) or Rangers (Oct. 19). Under the current schedule, in fact, seven of the Sabres' first 10 games through Nov. 3 are at home. They all seem in jeopardy now.

Jeff Z Klein of the New York’s Slap Shot Blog has two really good blog post this week. How to Share the Revenue Could Be Stumbling Block in N.H.L. Negotiations. [Click to open]

In N.H.L. Negotiation, the Union’s Good Ideas May Not Matter. [Click to open]

NHLers planning a European odyssey in case of a lockout may be in tough. [Winnipeg Sun]

NHL is headed for a lockout but it won't last into 2013, according to a national hockey writer. [Mlive.com]

Thursday Links – NHL = No Hockey League?

As most of you know the NHL Commissioner threw cold water on the NHLPA’s proposal and now NHL hockey fans have to worry if there is going to be a work stoppage that could cost us a good share of the NHL season. To quote Gary Bettman, "There's still a wide gap between us with not much time to go."

A while back, my good buddy Redwing77 suggested that the NHL contract a few teams – over on Sportsnet.CA Michael Grange has suggested the same things as well.

Perhaps the biggest challenge facing NHL owners is that they are in business with some real dog-and-pony shows. On one hand you have Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which -- on-ice performance aside -- is perhaps the most sophisticated sports ownership group on the planet. According to Forbes, the Leafs' 2010–11 operating income of $81.8 million nearly matched the next two most lucrative operations -- the Rangers and Canadiens -- combined. (And if you're looking for a staggering figure, the other 27 teams combined for $44.4 million in operating losses.)

On the other hand you have the New York Islanders, who could hold a rat rodeo in the bowels of the decrepit Nassau Coliseum and have taken John Tavares hostage. Phoenix is Phoenix. Columbus is a joke, and Florida can barely draw Canadians during March Break. But what if we chopped two teams and moved two more? More revenue for the league and the players to share, and less bad news for the rest of us. No-brainer.

Lopping off two teams (and before you say that's crazy, I talked to one former NHL governor who wished it was six) makes the league six percent smaller, but as the former governor told me, “You know that revenues wouldn't drop by six percent.” Right away, each remaining team's share of revenues would increase as they would only have to divide by 28 instead of 30; it would also mean two fewer clubs on the receiving end of revenue-sharing cheques. Lopping off the Islanders and Panthers would cut league revenues by $144 million (based on 2010–11 figures compiled by Forbes) but would increase the average earned per team from $103 million to $105 million.

I found a post by a Devils fan on the NJ.COM site that I really agree with… I thought I would share it with you because it probably the same way a lot of NHL fans feel. I wonder sometimes if the NHL would be better off spending their 7.5 million dollars on someone else.

Gary Bettman is a buffoon threatening a lock out, Last year was a breakout year for the NHL with TV coverage of all the playoff games. Building from that, the popularity is finally going in the right direction and he wants to derail the whole thing. The cap system he scrapped an entire season to get was supposed to save the team owners from themselves. The owners find a way to get around this "savoir cap system" with enormous long term contracts, spending themselves into financial trouble once again. Now Bettman wants to scuttle the progress the league has made withe the fan base by sabotaging the CBA negotiations, he should keep his mouth shut and the the process work. The attitude of of closing up shop if I don't get my way is counter productive, nobody wins with a lockout financially everyone loses; teams, players, cities, vendors, parking, restaurants/bars all lose a revenue steam

It does appear that he owners want to move back to 2004-05 lockout era and I am not sure that is even possible? The more I read – the more I think there is not going to be any easy solution – that is going to happen any time soon.

Under the NHLPA's offer, the difference would be much less significant.

Donald Fehr, the union's executive director, bristled at the parallels Bettman drew to other pro leagues -- "every sport has its own economics," he said -- and indicated that the gap in talks was actually created by the NHL's initial proposal in July.

"There's a pretty substantial monetary gulf which is there and when you start with the proposal the owners made how could it be otherwise?" said Fehr. "I mean consider what the proposal was: It is 'Let's move salaries back to where they were before the (2004-05) lockout started, back to the last time.' That's basically what it was.

"'We had a 24 per cent reduction last time, let's have another one.' That was the proposal. That's what creates the gulf."

The sides broke off from talks with two completely different offers on the table and no meaningful negotiation sessions planned for a week. A sub-committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday, but Bettman and Fehr won't sit down together again until Aug. 22.

It's impossible to ignore the looming threat of a lockout.[TSN.CA]

I also don’t know how the owners can sign players to outrageous salaries and then say – we would like to have the players take a 24% roll back in salaries – especially after the Weber, Parise and Suter Salaries. I think this is why the players and fans are cynical if not downright dismissive of the owners.

Think about this, the NHL has a works stoppage every 5.25 years – I don’t know if any professional can make that claim.

Glean what you what you want from Fehr’s statement about the owners.

Also, there was a feelings of optimism after the NHLPA made its proposal on Tuesday – those feelings of optimism – expressed by many on Tuesday – were squashed on Wednesday when the Owners led by Gary Bettman rejected the NHLPA proposal saying, “there’s still a wide gap between us with not much time to go,”

Pat Leonard, New York Daily News --- A lockout this fall would be the fourth NHL work stoppage in the past 21 years, and once again it’s clear that Bettman and the owners believe it to be their best negotiating tactic – dig their feet into the sand until they get what they want.

The league filed the notice of termination of the current CBA in May. The NHL’s opening proposal in July then was intentionally, drastically far from what the owners knew the players would accept. Finally, Bettman confirmed last week that the owners would lock the players out on Sept. 15 – when the current deal expires – if a new agreement isn’t in place.

“There’s only one party here that’s talking about Sept. 15,” Fehr said. “You make of that what you will.”

The players made clear they’re not caving to all of the owners’ demands, but at least their proposal indicated a desire to compromise with the NHL. The NHLPA is still waiting to hear similar rhetoric from the league.

In summary, yesterday, we found out that the NHL owners are not impressed with the NHLPA’s proposal – on the other side of the equation we found out that basically the NHLPA is not impressed with the NHL owner’s stance either.

Donald Fehr said. “I mean, consider what the proposal was. It is ‘Let’s move salaries back to where they were before the lockout started, back the last time.’ That’s basically what it was.

“‘We had a 24 percent reduction last time, let’s have another one.’ That was the proposal. That’s what creates the gulf.”

Gary Bettman said, “So there’s still a wide gap between us with not much time to go. … The sides are still apart – far apart.

It’s time for the NHL and the NHLPA to sit down and work out their difference and to come an agreement on a new CBA. They should make them sit in a room and tell them not to come out until you have an agreement. The owners and the NHLPA shouldn’t take the NHL fans for granted – if there is a lockout – some of these fans will not come back after the work stoppage is over.

Tuesday at the Links.

I have been perusing the blogs and webpages today for hockey news and it’s really not a light day.

We are all waiting for the NHLPA to make its proposal to the NHL owners.

On a more important note - it’s with a heavy heart that I write this – former UND golfer Scott Eggers lost his battle with a month long illness at Altru Hospital – Eggers was someone that I hung around with back in the 1990’s and early 2000’s.

Scott was one of the funniest people that I have ever had the pleasure to be around he will be missed by many people. Scott was also one of the longest hitters of the golf ball that I have ever seen – he could knock the cover off of the ball. Scott was also the General Manager at the Valley Golf Course and I can imagine that today the place feels a little bit emptier than it did last week.

Here is some news from the lockout about the Winter Classic. Apparently the NHL can cancel the 2013 Winter Classic as late as January 1st, 2013. Let’s hope that is not the case.

Jeff Z. Klein, The Globe and Mail --- The NHL can cancel the 2013 Winter Classic at 115,000-seat Michigan Stadium as late as Jan. 1, the day of the game, because of a work stoppage “arising from the lack of a collective bargaining agreement,” the contract between the league and the University of Michigan shows.

The league would forfeit only $100,000 of its $3-million stadium rental fee, according to the contract. The rest of the fee would be refunded by the university.

The University of Alabama Huntsville has released its hockey schedule for the 2012-13 season and it’s not a pretty sight at all. The Chargers have a grand total of two home game against Division I teams. So after the first of the year, the Chargers have three more series; one series in January, on in February and one series in March.

Remember the offer sheet that the Flyers offered Shea Weber and then the Nashville Predators matched the Flyers offer sheet – both sides have yet to finalize that agreement. The Nashville Predators matched the Flyers gigantic offer sheet of 14 years for $110 million on July 24.

Apparently the NHL favorite mouth piece – NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is making 7.5 million dollars a year. That’s right – Bettman is making almost as much money as a first line in the NHL.

Buffalo Sabres TV announcer Rick Jeanneret has been was recently inducted into the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame but also the Hockey Hall of Fame. Jeaneret is one of the most entertaining TV annoucers in the NHL.

Former Minnesota Wild and current New Yorks Rangers forward Marian Gaborik is progressing in his rehabilitation after he had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder. Rangers forward was hurting during the first round of the NHL Playoffs.

The Montreal Canadiens have signed forward Max Pacioretty to a six-year contract extension. Pacioretty’s contract is worth US$4.5-million per season.

The hits keep falling for the Philadelphia Flyers as defenseman Andreas Lilja, is the latest from the Flyers to have left hip surgery last month. Lilja will not be back in Flyers line up until late October or early November.

Gone from the Flyers line up – Chris Pronger concussion (career threatening), Matt Carle signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Andrej Meszaros surgery for a torn Achilles out for six – eight months. It could be a tough season, if there is one, on the blue line for the Flyers.

UND goalie Aaron Dell agrees to pro contract with ECHL's Colorado Eagles. Aaron Dell leaves UND with some pretty impressive numbers – 3rd in GAA 2.15 – 5th in Save % .912 – 7th in winning % .696.

Here is the 2012-13 WCHA Men’s Composite Schedule [click to view]

Apparently, the New Jersey Devils are still facing money woes…

Something to think about

This article brings up a good point - how many of us can afford to take a year off from out jobs to prove a point? I don't know anyone that can and if we had to me might not ever recover financially. Most of us would have nothing left and would lose the houses we live in.

The Globe and Mail --- Neither side seems to feel a great imperative to reach a compromise. The league and the union appear to have been emboldened by the response to the last lockout; if fans returned in droves then, they surely would again.

Perhaps that assumption is correct. But the NHL risks eventually exhausting its fans’ seemingly limitless patience. To Canadians and Americans suffering through turbulent economic times, the sight of millionaire players and multimillionaire owners haggling over how to divide the hard-earned dollars of their considerably less affluent supporters is a decidedly unseemly one. And the fact that the league’s employees can afford to miss an entire year of work only serves as a reminder of their comfort. How many other unions, and how many other employers, would have such a luxury?

Friday link around… less than two months till hockey season

There seems to be an uptick of hockey news today after Redwing77’s favorite NHL commissioner laid his big steaming pile of dog excrement at the feet of NHL players and hockey fans. Luckily as a college hockey fan – we know that we don’t’ have to worry about labor disputes and works stoppages. Most of us are also very happy to know that our schools not be faced with the prospects of our favorite team(s) locked out in October.

It’s with a heavy heart that we find out that former Army Black Knight hockey player Major Tom Kennedy was killed in action in action in Afghanistan on Wednesday by a suicide bomber. RIP Major Kennedy - you will be missed. [USCHO.COM]

Greg Boyson of Blackhawk Up had this to say about Garry Bettman and the possibility of having a work stoppage in the NHL this season.

Greg Boysen, Blackhawk Up --- All the wounds from the last lockout that cost us the entire 2004-05 season have all but healed. If Bettman and the owners screw this up the damage will be catastrophic. If there is another work stoppage you can count on contraction not being far behind. There are too many small market teams that are struggling enough as it is and will not survive a lockout. I want to believe that the owners and the players know all of this and will reach an agreement without costing us any playing time, I really do. The problem is, I have no faith in anything that Gary Bettman is in charge of. So my message to Bettman and the owners and Donald Fehr, of the players union, is to do the right thing. No body makes money when there are no games being played. If the momentum of the NHL continues going in the right direction there will be plenty of money to go around for everybody.

Ryan Lambert of Puck Daddy has a blog post on who the fans are blaming for the latest dust up in the labor negotiations. Apparently, I am not the only one that thinks that Bettman is a polarizing and unlikable figure.

Ryan Lambert, Puck Daddy --- [Gary] Bettman, of course, would never ever ever ever ever bring up the word "lockout." Never once. History tells us the preferred NHL language is "work stoppage," and while it's a semantical argument, it's easy to see how much Bettman looms over these proceedings. And apparently, it's far harder to see past the bright spotlight he constantly pulls to himself and spot the strings being pulled by warhawk owners like Jeremy Jacobs and Ed Snider, who want to extract a pound of flesh from the players. The latter party's biggest misstep in all this seems to have been simply adhering to the rules and taking the lunatic $100 million contracts now routinely proffered them by, you know, owners, and they must be made to pay for it.

A quick survey conducted around 5:30 p.m. of tweets using the word "lockout" found that fans and media alike were firmly focusing their venom on Bettman himself. More than half the tweets that loaded immediately menioned dastardly, mustache-twirling Bettman by name. Adam Proteau's use of the word "bully" is especially provocative. As though Bettman kicked Donald Fehr's chair out from under him just as he was about to sit down.

Meanwhile, the number of tweets that used the word "owners" were mentioned in just three (here, here, and here, the latter of which still mentions Bettman).

According to the betting site BOVADA.COM, Here are the Odds to win the 2013 Stanley Cup (Current Odds as of 8/2/12) Pittsburgh Penguins 8/1 New York Rangers 9/1 Vancouver Canucks 11/1 Los Angeles Kings 12/1 Philadelphia Flyers 13/1 Chicago Blackhawks 14/1 Detroit Red Wings 15/1 Boston Bruins 16/1 St. Louis Blues 16/1 Minnesota Wild 18/1 San Jose Sharks 20/1 Buffalo... If a guy was smart and had some extra money laying around I would put some money on the Boston Bruins.

According to CBC there are a "limited number" of spots are available after some on the waitlist got season tickets for the 2012-13 season.

It would appear that Philadelphia Flyers forward and player representative Scott Hartnell is less than thrilled with the NHL owners – welcome to the club so am I and thousands of other NHL hockey fans.

James Wrabel, New York Rangers Blog --- “To use Gary [Bettman’s] own words, it’s a systemic issue,” Hartnell said this week. “He doesn’t want to look at the rich teams or the teams that are losing money. He wants to look at them all together which is a total 180 from what it was seven years ago.

“It’s up to us to see if it’s feasible or not. But you look at the rollback and percentage they want and it’s more concessions then we gave up last time around.”

How long is the lockout going to be?

The NHL owners are not doing themselves a favor if they lock themselves out – they are also taking the fans for granted if they think that their bottom line won’t suffer more from having a work stoppage. The fans remember that not too long ago there was a lost season. In case anyone is counting - this would be the third work stoppage under the tutelage of Gary Bettman – that there was a work stoppage – the fans don’t have short memories.

That being said there is some home – not all is lost – the fact that the NHL makes a boat load of money off of the Winter Classic gives the owners some incentive to get a deal done before the "whole" season is squandered away and the work stoppage start cutting into their precious bottom line and their 3.3 billion dollars profit that they experienced this past season.

David Shoalts, The Globe and Mail --- Now that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has ripped the scales of optimism from too many eyes, the only question is: How long will the lockout be?

Will it wipe out an entire season like the owners did in 2004-05 to get the salary-cap system they now say is impossible to work under? Or will the players and owners get a new collective agreement in time to save the Winter Classic on Jan. 1, the event that kicks off the NHL's U.S. television coverage and mega-millions payout from NBC?

Either unpalatable outcome is possible. The players and owners are oceans apart on the key, and perhaps only, issue - whether the money needed to close the gap between the league's rich and not-so-rich teams has to come out of the players' pockets or through revenue sharing.

Bettman, 'we will Lock out the players if there is no agreement.

I have said this before, the NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is a pompous, condescending and lastly, a smug jerk... So much for the nice and civil negotiations eh? Make no mistake about it the owners, in my opinion, are trying to weaken the NHLPA. Yeah, I blame the owners in this dispute because they're the ones that created this mess by signing players to these ridiculous contracts. Donald Fehr head of the NHLPA confirmed that the players union will send a counter-proposal to the National Hockey League on Tuesday. There are 37 days left until the current CBA expires that's a little over a month for the two sides to get an agreement done between the two sides.

TSN.CA --- National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman told reporters on Thursday that the NHL will lock out its players if there is no new collective bargaining agreement by the time the old agreement expires on Sept. 15.

"We reiterated to the union that the owners will not play another year under the current agreement," he told a scrum of reporters in New York after the latest talks.

"I re-confirmed something that the union has been told multiple times over the last nine to 12 months. Namely, that the time is getting short and the owners are not prepared to operate under this collective bargaining agreement for another season so we need to get to making a deal and doing it soon. And we believe there's ample time for the parties to get together and make a deal and that's what we're going to be working towards."

Reports indicate that NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr, who just returned from a player information session overseas, is expected to make a counter-proposal on Tuesday. He mentioned earlier this summer that the players were willing to keep working past Sept. 15 as long as solid progress was being made in the negotiations.

Not time to panic yet...

Every time I hear or see Gary Bettman speak – I see a pompous, smug and condescending jerk. While I believe that there is a lot of time left before we start having to worry about another lockout – I do believe that Bettman is taking us to another labor stoppage. I am with my buddy Redwing77 I think it's time for Bettman to go.

The first proposal from the NHL owners looked ridiculous at first but it appears that the owners aren’t going to move "very" far from their initial offer.

The owners have been talking for weeks now and not a lot has come out of it other than more talking. According to Kevin Paul Dupont, the Onwers need a new way to deal with themselves. In a way I agree, not everything is equal – some teams are hurting financially while other teams are rolling in bucket loads of money. See graph of NHL revenue sharing. [click to view]

The Associated Press (AP) --- Commissioner Gary Bettman's league faces the possibility of being the next sport to endure a labour dispute — what would be its third in less than two decades — and there is growing concern that talks over a new collective bargaining agreement are stagnating. The league and the players' union have been meeting for weeks and still — nothing.

"The last thing [we] need to do is have some kind of a work stoppage, because we've made great strides with the positive spin hockey's had," Buffalo goaltender Ryan Miller said. "I think the years coming out of the [2004-05] lockout, we got a lot of the fan base back, a lot of positive energy. Mix that with the Olympics here in North America, a couple of good playoffs, and we have a fan base that's loyal and, honestly, the best sports fans out of any sport.

"We can't alienate them. This is up to the NHL and the NHLPA to just get it right."

Easier said than done. On Wednesday, the two sides polished off another set of talks at the league offices and not much progress was made.

"The owners did flesh out their proposal a bit further," NHLPA executive director Don Fehr said. "Gave us some of the numbers which is very helpful. It will take us some time to review that information, digest it, bottle it and figure out what the appropriate response is."

Yet with talks about to enter their seventh week, and with only six weeks remaining before the current CBA is set to expire, concern is mounting about a shortened season.

I think the fans need to tell the players and the owners to get into a room and start talking – we should also demand that they stay there until they have found a solution. The fans are the ones that are going to lose in this dispute and the league can’t survive without a fan base that is enthusiastic about NHL hockey.

So we slug on during the dog days of summer – not much more has happened on the lockout front – there still is time to get a deal done and the fans hope that the Players and Owners can find a solution before they start cutting into hockey fans favorite past time – watching NHL hockey.

Friday Links --- Hockey dreaming.

More and more it's looking like there is going to be revenue sharing in the new CBA.

Every article you see has the words revenue sharing and haves and have nots included in it.

I can't imagine the haves of the NHL are going to be that crazy about the prospects of having to share the wealth with the lesser fortunate teams.

Tim Panaccio, CSNPHILLY.COM --- The two sides will meet again on Wednesday.

NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr would not take a stance on whether the union agreed entirely with the league on revenue sharing. Still, it’s widely known the players feel the expansion of such is not only necessary, but also the only way to resolve the vast revenue gaps between the “have” and “have nots,” while limiting the salary hit the players are expected to swallow in the next CBA.

What has not been discussed yet -- but figures to be -- is whether the owners will accept a luxury tax, similar to what Fehr negotiated with Major League Baseball.

There are no less than 10 teams in the NHL that annually spend to the salary cap limit or beyond. Those are the teams that support the underlings that can’t manage a profit.

There is some news from the UND Hockey front... Fighting Sioux senior forward Danny Kristo, is ranked 7th for the Montreal Canadiens.

7. Danny Kristo, RW: Kristo will be returning for his senior season with the Fighting Sioux of the University of North Dakota in 2012-13. The second-round pick in 2008 (No. 56) is coming off a junior season when he finished second on the team in scoring with 42 points in 45 games

Apparently Donald Fehr isn't all that worried about September 15th which is the day that the current CBA expires.

I also think the last thing the NHL owners want to do is have another lockout, especially if the there are teams that are suffering as bad as some claim. 

David Schoalts, The Globe and Mail ---- Bettman said he still thinks there is time to get a new agreement before the season starts in early October. Fehr once again pointed out the players are willing to work even after the current agreement expires.

"All I've said is Sept. 15 is not a magic date unless someone wants to make it so," Fehr said. "There's nothing that happens on Sept. 15 if we don't have an agreement, provided nobody says we're going to go on strike or says we're going to lock the doors."

I guess I am not expecting a counter proposal from the NHLPA anytime soon – the NHLPA just had 76,000 pages of financial information dumped in their laps from the NHL owners… No telling how long they will study the information to make their decision.

Jeff Z. Klein, Slap Shots --- Commissioner Gary Bettman emerged from a negotiating session with the N.H.L. Players’ Association on Tuesday and announced that the league had supplied 76,000 pages of audited financial documents that the union had requested.

 Its official former UNO Mavericks forward Jayson Megna has signed a professional contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the NHL. [Official Press Release] Just like others I am perplexed by the move as well.

In case anyone is still wondering Matt Slovin nor the newspaper has not pulled the Jacob Trouba story from the Michigan Daily web page.