And based on the discussion on this site and around the hockey blogosphere, the progress better continue.
The frustration and in some cases complete apathy towards the NHL's CBA talks has to be a major concern for owners and players. There's no doubt the league's reputation has suffered irreparable damage during this lockout but if they can build on the recent momentum in negotiations, they may be able to salvage this season and begin the process of winning fans back.
What I find interesting about this whole process is that from the beginning, contacts I have talked to about this lockout continuously suggested mid-November/early December as the likely timeframe for the start of the season.
Considering the progress over the weekend, that timeline looks like a possibility.
- A handful of Ottawa Senators will be keeping busy for the next couple weeks in a charity tour called First Assist, being organized by the NHLPA. Daniel Alfredsson is among the headliners for the event and will be joined by Chris Neil, Chris Phillips, Zack Smith, Peter Regin, Marc Methot, Guillaume Latendresse and Jesse Winchester. First game was tonight in Cornwall with the next stop scheduled for November 12th in Thunder Bay.
- It's interesting to hear how optimism around the latest round of negotiation varies depending on who you talk to. Daniel Alfredsson isn't overly optimistic about the latest developments while Zack Smith seemed to think there was a deal to be made. While I understand Alfredsson's frustration, his negativity at this point in the negotiations is a tad disappointing.
- The Binghamton Senators went 1-1 this past weekend, winning 4-3 in Norfolk on Friday night and falling 4-2 to those same Admirals the following night. Binghamton's Friday night win snapped a 19 game home winning streak for the Admirals, a run that started last season. Through nine games, defencemen Andre Benoit and Tyler Eckford and forward Mike Hoffman, share the team scoring lead with 5 points a piece.
From website, "The program will repeat on Saturday, Nov. 24 on Discovery Science."
Getting tired of strike talk, nothing personal Chirp. Thanks for prospect updates.
Completely understand. Have no problem with people posting alternatives in the comment section.
Noticed that you tweeted some stats from the charity game in Cornwall. 6 pts for Latendresse eh? Were you there? If so, how was the intensity? Is there an official game sheet for the match?
Cheers,
It's his third lockout, so I'm betting he's a little better at reading the internal tea leaves / cutting through the partisan rhetoric than most.
He's seen as evil in the eyes of 99% of the fan base and even if it isn't told to him it'd be smart for him to do by himself (resign) to save some of the image of the NHL.
I would not be surprised if they yank the players chain this week and be difficult, although I hope I am wrong and that they are serious finally about getting a deal.
As much as I believe in our scouting team, we all have to admit that Zibby is not developing as quickly as anyone of us would like. I personally have not had the pleasure of watching a lot of his games, his stats really are very disappointing. Add to this all the rumours of him being shopped around, and the reality that Coutourier really is the real deal, and naturally regrets at not taking him begins to rise.
Obviously it is way to early to tell where these two will end up, the early indications are that perhaps Courtourier may have been the better fit.
Heres to hoping that I am wrong, and Zibby turns out to be the stud that the scouts saw in him.
In regards to zibby: scouting is never a sure thing. Couturier seems like the better player now, but who knows how they will end up in 5 years from now (I'm not implying anything there). Zibby seems like a solid player who can dominate the ice in the AHL with lots of skill, he just can't seem to finish.
I see him as a mix between Fisher and Kelly? Maybe? If you stand upside down and squint a little?? :)
As far as Alfie: He's been through this before, he's got experience and knows how it will go. He has also shown us that he openly expresses his emotions (happy or dissapointment) . I can certainly understand his frustrations right now :(
No access with FIREFOX last night (but EXPLORER was fine)
No problems with either this morning.
After NYI took Strome I assumed we would have Couturier, I do remember however that there was a lot of talk about Couturier likely to be the one to drop during that draft and that teams were scared off by something about him.
I don't think it's particularly helpful to compare Zbad directly with him, even though it's probably inevitable. Couturier was playing in a much better set up and with much better players than Zbad last year. I am worried that his stint back in the SEL held him back but I was expecting he would need a full year in the AHL anyway.
When it works itself out it might be that Zbad finishes as a 3C or a 2W, I don't really care about where we originally picked him if he turns out to be a good player for the organisation.
For me, I feel they get further along in discussions without Bettman and Donald Fehr..
Rumours are that the NHL was taken aback by the backlash from fans and sponsors and probably NBC for cancelling the Winter Classic.
Pierre McGuire mentioned this morning that 5 NHL cities were in the path of Hurricane Sandy -- Bos, Philly, NJ, NYR, NYI. He said with the destruction and loss of life due to this terrible tragedy.. the last thing fans in those cities are thinking of is NHL hockey. The NHL and the players had better realize that...
I guess he has a point there.
I can't believe the delay from both sides who are letting a 3 billion dollar business head 'down the toilet' and don't seem to give a damn about it.
It's a slap in the face to their meal tickets (fans, sponsors, advertisers). They may make so much damage to the NHL that it will take very long to recover and they have no one to blame but themselves.
My counterpoint about Hurricane Sandy issues is what happened with the NFL's Saints. Having a sports franchise have success during a tragedy can give fans hope and optimism. It may not be much, but it's sometimes nice to be distracted by the world around us.
That is true as well.. but some of these people have absolutely nothing except the clothes on their backs -- they have lost everything. Some have lost their loved ones. It's too soon for some of them to even think about hockey.
We probably know attendance league wide (for the most part) will be down... and especially in these areas.
Lines from practice:
Petersson-Zibanejad-Prince, Silfverberg-Can none-Cowick, Jessiman-Pageau -Hoffman, Dziurzynski-Gra nt-Schneider.
I agree that fans of certain teams have far more important things to do than think about hockey, but what possible difference can that make to the NHL or the NHLPA? Neither side has shown any indication of particularly caring about the fans up to this point so I don't see how that is going to change just because some of them have lived through a hurricane.
Hurricane Sandy will have a microscopic effect on the way the lock out does or doesn't get resolved and a microscopic effect on attendance for those teams mentioned.
A couple of people I have in NYC/Washington are still planning on attending the rangers first home game regardless.
I agree. I don't think it has any bearing on the negotiations. I just know how the community in New Orleans was able to rally after Hurricane Katrina when the Saints won the Superbowl. Having sports around can be a form of escapism when a community is ravaged by disaster.
You may have points re: sports is an escape.. I guess we will really find out if this ever gets settled this season.
And to think another storm headed the way of all those people still without power.. mix of rain, sleet & snow...
Umm the League went from shit pot League to a 3.3Billion market because of Mr Bettman. I highly doubt he will resign and 98% of the Owners stik by him.
How have they been doing, I admit, I have not watched 1 hockey game since the lockout, just scoreboard watching and the last I heard of Bingo is they had lost 2 straight, were 3-3 or something like that.
Not what most people thought, people here were jumping with excitement about having the best young prospect to dominate the AHL...not so much...
We need an update from the Bingo insider!!
Maybe NYR but I highly doubt NJ or NYI having fan support the way the Saints did, those are fans that dont even show up in a snow storm??? empty arenas, wimps!...rememb er you have to actually win for them to love you! No way NYI or NJ win the Cup this year or in years to come...
yup I have to admit that I was one who thought this team would absolutely dominate this season.
heck they have at least 8 players that we all thought could play in the NHL this year... I know it is only 7 games or so, but I really thought the B Sens, or at least those 8 players would be dominating... maybe they will start this week.
Awesome show...
EEEEEEYORE !
But for those of you from O-town, is Tyler Graovac for real or what?!?
Tookie = Jerkoff Jim Jerome redux.
Wife and I watch walking dead religiously...t he characters "decision making abilities" drive me absolutely insane!!! but as a zombie/horror lover, it is a very good show.
Last but not least (for me anyways): YAY!!! MY TOWN IS GETTING AN OHL TEAM BACK!!! I know that is small news to a city like ottawa, but welcome home North Bay Battalions (pending some legal mumbo jumbo...so I may be celebrating early, but I've missed OHL action since Chris Neil and our Centennials left).
He's overager, its not a surprise he is doing well. He wont amount to much in the NHL tho. He's just bigger and stronger than the kids he's playing against.
EEEEEEYORE !