2013-13 NHL Season Thread.

[Armourboy]

I won't bother watching hockey whenever play resumes unless Bettman is fired and the Coyotes are eliminated from the league along with a few other teams. Contraction at this point is necessary due to the sheer problems with revenue sharing when it comes to overall league profits and how much money the profitable teams are sinking into keeping other franchises around that need to just die already. Get rid of a few bleeding arms in the league and take that money that was used for revenue sharing and invest it back into the players, teams, safety and setting up a proper pension program for the players for retirement so that they don't have to worry about financial security and having increased salaries.

Problem is its not that simple. You have things like contracts that are negotiated that will still need to be paid ( you honestly think cities are just going to let you off the hook after building you an arena you promised to use for 25 years?), the number of players goes down, which means less jobs and ticking off the NHLPA. Then you've got to deal with the egg on your face from advertisers, media, etc. because your league is shrinking, thus not grabbing as large of an audience, and so you are worth less to them.

Contraction sounds easy, but its not as simple as just boarding everything up, and moving the players to another team. Basically if you are the NHL it means you've given up on the idea of being a nation wide product in the US and are content with being a regional sport. I would like to be a fly on the wall for that owners debate.

[Strakha]

It's becoming pretty disappointing to read NHL news, hope they get their shit together. Either cancel the entire season or play now, the half-seasons are not worth it.

[Fuzzzie]

Winter Classic is being cancelled now. Announcement soon. Not that I'm a huge fan of that game but it is another blow to the season. At which point do you believe the whole season will just become a wash? That date has to be approaching.

[Irony]

If nothing is resolved by Christmas. At this point, there really is no hope for the season to happen.

[Skippy88]

The last 3 work stoppages the agreement date happened the following year:

92 - April 11th, 1993
94 - January 11th, 1995
04 -July 13th, 2005

I would imagine your looking at something similar. Both sides have probably been saving up for awhile so it really won't start to hurt until next year when their savings start running out.

[Rennadrel]

Bye bye Winter Classic, this season is pretty much a lost cause

[Fuzzzie]

Bye bye Winter Classic, this season is pretty much a lost cause

I mean... I wouldn't call losing the Winter Classic the last nail in the coffin for the season. I guess they're doing this now because of the cost associated with setting up the game + selling ad space. It's usually the highest rated NHL game of the season even after the Stanley Cup final. Chances are advertisers wanted to know if they would be spending the money this year.

[Selvari7]

It's pretty awesome to see the NHL lockout and other sports finally get some more coverage in Canada. I imagine in the U.S though this will just help the sport to die off even more.

[tetrisGOAT]

I'd rather the Hockey then, tbqh.

Also, time to rename the thread "possible" season?

[Fuzzzie]

It's pretty awesome to see the NHL lockout and other sports finally get some more coverage in Canada. I imagine in the U.S though this will just help the sport to die off even more.

Good. Send the teams back to Canada. Why Phoenix has a franchise and not Quebec is an embarrassment to both the NHL and the sport in general.

[Garbles]

http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/177160641.html

[Epuration]

Good. Send the teams back to Canada. Why Phoenix has a franchise and not Quebec is an embarrassment to both the NHL and the sport in general.

Quebec does, unless you mean Quebec City?

[Irony]

Quebec does, unless you mean Quebec City?

I have a feeling he knows Montreal has a team...

[conscript]

http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/177160641.html

Oh joy we may be able to salvage a 41 game season. Super meh. I'm gonna go ahead and pour all my attention into the NBA and ye this is hypocritical since they had a lockout last year lol.

[Fuzzzie]

Quebec does, unless you mean Quebec City?

yes, Quebec City of course I'm quite aware of the Habs!

[Garbles]

Meetings resume at 3. NHL has asked location to remain secret and no media invited. I like this.

[conscript]

Meetings resume at 3. NHL has asked location to remain secret and no media invited. I like this.

I don't. You'd think Bettman would want the media there to immediately put on his "I built this" face when they get the CBA done. Would they even start games until Christmas at this point?

Alternatively, Bettman might be keeping the location secret so people don't know where to look for the bodies. Whose bodies? I really don't know, but god I hope its the corpse of the Phoenix Coyotes.

[Garbles]

I don't. You'd think Bettman would want the media there to immediately put on his "I built this" face when they get the CBA done. Would they even start games until Christmas at this point?

Alternatively, Bettman might be keeping the location secret so people don't know where to look for the bodies. Whose bodies? I really don't know, but god I hope its the corpse of the Phoenix Coyotes.

I bet its at a strip club

[Rennadrel]

Well at least they are talking, and having extended discussions at that. I doubt they can salvage the season though.

[draynay]

we're months past "at least"