NHL locks out players- season threatened

[Dynasty]

I haven't followed this too closely. But, the NHL just officially announced it is locking out the players for the start of the 2004-05 seaon. I've heard there is a real chance that this could be a long battle between owners and players.

Can any big NHL fans give some insight on how they think this will play out?

[benfranklin]

I'm not a big fan, but it appears that neither side is prepared to budge. Take a look at the column by Dan Wetzel at Yahoo Sports for an analysis of the situation. It looks like the standard battle of greed vs. greed. Owners say they are broke, and players are making other arrangements for jobs.

As usual, the public gets the shaft. Fans have no games (although it appears that less than half the teams really have fans), worker bees loose their jobs, and bars and restaurants loose big money.

Some kind of major restructure seems necessary. Maybe they need league contraction to viable cities. Hockey in any city where kids can't play the game outside in winter seems nuts to begin with. But I grew up in Chicago when it was the sun coast of the NHL, so I'm probably too old school. The Anaheim Mighty Ducks [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] Give me a break.

[jagoff]

I have said it before and I will say it again...Is there anyone left that cares? I haven't watched a single game from start to finish since I quit playing NHL 97 or 98 on either the Genesis or N64. Since they have moved the game to a damn near stall, thanks to all the neutral zone trapping, it just isn't that much fun to watch or follow. YAY goal tenders GAA are the lowest they have been since they made the puck rubber! No thanks! Until they change it back to the way it used to be, with scorers actually scoring and get the teams the hell out of places like LA, Anaheim, Tampa Bay, I won't really care what happens to them. C'mon Tampa Bay??? What kid that lives in Tampa is seriously gonna ask their parents to take him to [censored] hockey practice? [censored] the NHL it is as good as dead to me!

[scrub]

Historically in hockey, the union caves before they lose a season.

I heard the commisioner's press conference today--it sounds like they really mean business and have hired some really good PR people.

The players have to cave in this one anyway--unlike in baseball, many of the teams really are losing a lot of money under the current system, and if something doesn't change, we won't see more hockey.

It's a shame--last year's playoffs had gotten me excited about the game for the first time in a while.

scrub

[IrishHand]

As far as I can tell, the owners won't cave in on their demand for a salary cap. The players claim they'll never accept on. My money's on the owners.