Dabura

Are you arguing just to argue?

Brunner.

And to that end they...lock the players out, kill league operations, kick off "negotiations" with one of the oldest underhanded negotiating tricks in the book, single-mindedly endeavor to destroy Donald Fehr, etc. And all of this is costing them how much $$$ every day? And it's driving away how many fans, how many potential patrons? And it's wrecking how many oh-so-lowly livelihoods (e.g. vendors)? And it's doing how much damage to the NHL (hot on the heels of last season's record revenue)? Just saying.

The purpose of this lockout is to establish that very dynamic. The owners are saying, Hey. We own you. You don't get to play ball with us, not this time, not ever again. You're going to give us what we want, and we're not going to give you anything. Don't like it? Walk. Unless the players win in court, The Trunk Era is already upon us.

He'd probably be a power-forward on our roster. OH YES I DID

I don't understand all the player-hating. It's painfully obvious what's wrong with the NHL, and it's not the NHLPA.

The players treat us like crap?

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nhl/story/_/id/8747518/nhlpa-makes-preliminary-move-break-union

Judge Judy.

On reading this, I realized the NHL is something straight out of a Joseph Heller novel.

Suppose the roster sucks?

http://www.mlive.com...ral_mediat.html Marian Hosanna.

Bang on, harold. These negotiations are a farce. And if that's at all on the players, then it's twice as much on "Bettman et al."

The likely explanation is that, yeah, the NHLPA is simply coming up short. And if this "The league refused the offer without blinking and the players are confused and angry" business were a one-time thing, I'd be fully on-board. Maybe it's just boredom, but my gut says there's more to this.

Anyone find it the least bit odd that the league keeps shooting down the NHLPA's proposals with lightning speed? http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2012/12/red_wings_danny_cleary_fears_s.html Methinks this lockout is not about what we think it's about, but rather, Something Else....

A couple of thoughts: 1. Five easten owners, one western. Maybe that's significant, maybe not. 2. If Bettman's forced out, does Daly get his job? Ugh.

Thoughts on the idea of a second (additional) Toronto club?

Malik FTW.

Our blue line is ultra-mediocre, and it shouldn't be. And, if we're going to seriously contend for the Cup, it can't be. But everyone seems A-OK with it. Certainly Holland does. All of which makes me feel like I've slipped into an alternate reality or something. The Kings steamrolled all comers en route to the Cup. That they were able to do this with a less-than-spectacular D corps indicates they had (and have) other things going for them. And they did (do). They have the best goalie in the league. They're young, tenacious. Their forecheck is nuts. They known how to crash and bang and put the puck in the net. And they know a thing or two about defense. We have skill. With the puck. When we have the puck. And that's not getting it done in the postseason. This has been an issue for some time now, but Holland refuses to full-on address it, never mind rectify it. (Meanwhile, Datsyuk and Zetterberg get older, and Franzen becomes increasingly ADD.) Our scoring lines simply cannot get it done in the clutch against a big, mean, mobile opposing D that knows how to shut them down and exists to do so (i.e. has their number). Our soft, smallish Euro playmakers can pass the puck like no one's business and swarm around the perimeter and shoot from the circle-tops. They do these things very well, especially when their season hangs in the balance. But the whole outscoring the opponent thing? Not so much. So it's on our defenders to lead us to Glory. Which is why I facepalm @: Kronwall - White Quincey - Ericsson Smith - Colaiacovo Kindl Not. gonna. cut it. Again, though, the thing that really gets me is, It should never have come to this! We shouldn't be pinning our hopes on a 2-3-years-away prospect influx (since when is it Holland's style to put any sort of pressure on our prospects, let alone expect them to restore a mediocritized blue line to Lidstrom-era-greatness?) We shouldn't be looking at other teams' blue lines and saying, "Well, they're not all that amazing. So we're fine." What happened to being the class of the West? Being ruthlessly over-prepared? Being altogether Awesome? Holland has been - and may very well still be - in cruise control re: our D. And it sucks. Either that or he has some impossibly long-con-ish plan that he's been working for the last several years which'll make everything better. (I'm not holding my breath.)

I'll be amazed if they decertify. I'll be even more amazed if it actually gets them anywhere.

Crysob

Report: Pittsburgh area loses $2.1 million per Penguins' game lost http://prohockeytalk...uins-game-lost/

Might've been me. - I've done my fair share of drinking. - I'm not saying he's necessarily an alcoholic. Just a consideration. - Agree with the rest of your post.

Ask downtown Detroit.