The official NHL lockout thread

[wncsport.com]

Well, the lockout is announced.


Some minor leagues will benefit for a while, others, it won't matter.

But if there's no season this year, hockey will take a near fatal hit.

Discuss. We've got nothing better to do.

[Global-Hockey]

I have to agree, this will be the end of NHL hockey as we know it. I don't expect any NHL hockey this season, and probably not next season either. This is what happens when two sides get together, with no real purpose. The players want more money, the owners want more money and the only people that suffer are the fans that are already paying $65.00 for air traffic controlled seats. If this does get solved, the real losers will be the fans who aill have to pay for the greed that is being showed now. Yes I believe that players need to be paid for their talent, and yes the owners have to make money, but when both sides are further apart now than when they were 2 years ago, it is a losing situation. The Russian teams however are thrilled to be getting their stars back. So no player is going to lose a dime as they will be playing in Germany, Russia, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Finland, etc. Here in Detroit, the working folks will suffer. Sports bars around the Joe are going to lay off people because of the lack of customers. Who really loses? The fan as usual. The owners have stockpiled money and a couple have even said "We will make more money not playing" So bottom line is Nobody loses but the working stiff who has to pay 3 hours wages to buy a single ticket. I hope the minor leagues like playing before full houses.

[patmc16]

First I have to say hockey is my second favorite sport, just behind baseball, ahead of football and way ahead of basketball.

That being said, it is time for the players and the owners to realize what they have is a fourth place sport for the majority of the US. Some probablty put it 5th behind NASCAR. It wasn't that long ago that the NHL had reasonable prices for the fans and reasonable salaries for the players. They need to try to get back to those days. If the players don't like it, find a another league! Maybe the WHA is hiring! :lol: MLB almost killed itself when they cancelled the 94 World Series. It took years to get baseball back to its former place in the sporting world. The NHL will suffer a far worse fate if they don't settle this fast, which I don't think they will. Anything longer than the 94/95 strike and the NHL will not recover. Contraction will most likely happen. I'm guessing about a 20 team league if it goes more than a season. It will get to the point that people just won't care and teams will begin to fade away. Maybe Florida, Washington, Pittsburgh, Ottawa, Anaheim, Atlanta, and/or Carolina have already seen their last NHL game. Other cities that don't have a team can forget about getting one.

Global is right about the working people getting the short end of the stick. A friend of my family has worked for the Red Wings for over 20 years. It's BS that she may be out of a job because million-aire owners and million-aire players are fighting over the next million.

So, how do we get our hockey fix? I know I will be going to a lot of UHL games with my Motor City Mechanics season tickets, also taking in a couple of games in Flint and Port Huron. I usually will take in a couple of ECHL games a year with the Toledo Storm. I might use the strike as my oportiunity to trek across the state and take in an AHL game in Grand Rapids for the first time. At least I'll get to see a few future Red Wings. There are also several Junior A & B teams I could check out in the area, as well as the OHL Plymouth Whalers and Saginaw Spirit. Most NHL cities have other sources for professional hockey in the same region. What the fans might find out is that they don't need the NHL.

GO MECHANICS, GENERALS*, BEACONS*, STORM, AND GRIFFINS.

*Except when they play the Mechanics :) .

[hockeyfan2004]

There may not be a season this year but next year there will be one.The story ran int he ottawa sun last week if there is no deal within 8 months the league can force a vote and if it went this far it would aslo mean the end to the nhlpa.