NHL Lockout

[Jedi Master Carr]

It looks like the NHL has now officially locked out is players and this season is in doubt. Who knows how long this thing will go on. The owners are determined to get a salary cap, which they probably need to survive. But the players don't want to give in. Heck this could go on for a year or more. And if that is the case what will be left? I have read reports that there might be like 12-15 teams left if and when they come back. That is half the league gone. What is funny the Canadiana franchises are the most stable because of their fan bases. Cities like Tampa, Atlanta, Nashville, Anaheim, etc have no such luck. This is a mess the players should give in it is the best for the game.

[Figrin D'an]

Rarely are situations like this one-sided in terms of who deserves the blame, but I have to say... the NHL players union is pretty much the culpret in this one. They're under the delusion that enough people actually care about hockey to support the increased player salaries in recent years.

The NHL is going to be very different when it does return, and the fact that so many teams will have to be retracted is going to fracture the players union eventually... it'll be the upper echelon players against the 'bench' guys, whose jobs will be on the line if the league can't support all those teams anymore.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Yeah that is why this is so stupid, they are actually hurting the average joe players in reality if half the league doesn't come back. Most of those players will be out of a job.

[JMK]

I'm too depressed to even talk about it. The players are so dense about the salary cap issue that I want to smack each one of them upside the head. But if fans are taking sides with the owners because they believe that a salary cap will eventually lower ticket prices, they're dead wrong.

[Arya Ravenwing]

Thank God for Western Hockey League junior hockey. It officially starts here in Portland on Oct. 2nd. :D

[March Kalas]

Poor NHL. Hockey has been my favorite sport for a long time. (more action than most other American sports not to mention the fights) :(