The NHL and NHLPA did not meet today. The NHL is waiting for the NHLPA to make a proposal, saying it really hasn't made one since its original offer.
So which is it?
Losing a full training camp schedule is bad enough for a young team like the Blue Jackets. If this drags on to the point of losing regular season games... well.
Here are just a few of the things at stake:
Young players like Cam Atkinson and John Moore will, at best, get to dominate the AHL. At worst, they'll regress in their development.
Older players like Vinny Prospal and Adrian Aucoin may be soon realizing they've already played their last game, as mentioned by Prospal in the article linked above.
Players with something to prove will get to prove themselves in Switzerland, or Russia, or a rec league. I'm looking at you, Steve Mason.
Not to mention the reality that Columbus will lose the All-Star game if this drags on for another couple months. What about the Blue Jackets staff that worked so hard to promote the one shining star in Columbus? Will fans be half as receptive when they call back asking for deposits for the 2015 All-Star game?
The NHL and the players will get through the lockout eventually, but at what cost? Losing money? A year of an already short career? The fans?
What is too much to lose?
Maybe tomorrow, we'll all wake up and it will be over. The sound of hockey will be filling rinks everywhere.
Or maybe we won't see an NHL game until October, 2013.
Remember a couple of weeks ago I showed you all a glimpse of our new logo?
I'm back to tease again, this time with a screenshot of what you can expect when SBNation United goes live:
I know, i know, it's a Laker blog. We didn't want to give too much away, but this particular screen shot shows the new cover page, the first thing that you see when you arrive at the blog. As you can see, the layout is different, but definitely more attractive!
Here are a couple of notes from our founder Tyler Bleszinski:
- SB Nation United is going to make our sites load faster and run better meaning you can get to the content you want faster. - SB Nation United is going to make sure that you're seeing the best and brightest content up front with our flexible layout, modern design and reduction of clutter. - SB Nation United is going to make the experience on our sites run seamlessly from every platform, whether mobile, tablet or computer. No matter where you are, the experience will not change. - SB Nation United will not take away or change any of the community elements you love like FanPosts and FanShots and GameThreads.
When is everything going to change over to the new SBNation United format you ask? Very soon. Please be patient, and remember, we're going to be here with you during the transition. I can't wait for you to see just how killer the new United version of The Cannon looks and operates. Stay tuned!
As we keep waiting to see what happens with the lockout, news gets grimmer and grimmer. The latest blow was the totally expected yet somehow painful cancellation of the first batches of pre-season games, including the planned "Hockeyville" game between the Blue Jackets and Maple Leafs in Stirling-Rowdown, Ontario.
Yet there are a few small reasons to hold out hope, even now - and it comes from the plans that players themselves are making.
Vinny Prospal has debated returning to the Czech Republic, though as of today he is still in Columbus. Artem Anisimov has signed to play in the KHL with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl while locked out, and there has been some talk that Sergei Bobrovsky might join him, though I've yet to see that be made official. (Edit:Just after this was posted, Dmitri Chesnokov reported that Bobrovsky has signed a deal to play for SKA.)
Should they go, they'll need to wait for the IIHF to process their transfer cards, which has been a roadblock for several NHLers who have already made the leap overseas. Fedor Tyutin seems like another player who is likely to go East if the lockout looks to go on for too long, but for now it seems he's waiting to see what happens.
Aside from the guys moving to the AHL, there's really been no mass exodus, and reports from Aaron Portzline and others indicate that a sizable core group of the team still practice daily over at the Ice Haus. They seem to be hoping that, just perhaps, this lockout will a relatively short one, and it doesn't make sense to make commitments elsewhere that they'll be walking away from before too long.
It's not much - in fact, it's about as paper thin of a hope as you could ever hold on to.
Part of the conventional wisdom around this NHL Lockout is that eventually the owners and players will split Hockey Related Revenue somewhere around the 50/50 mark, based on comparison to the recent CBA's struck by the NFL and NBA. But does that really have to be the case? Are there other world-class sports leagues out there which provide a different model on how to proceed?
With former MLBPA chief Don Fehr at the helm, the NHLPA has the best leadership it has ever had, by a wide margin. Yet with the NHL seeking to further ratchet down the players' share of revenues, one must concede that at some point it cases to be worth maintaining the union.
...
To see how a non-unionized labor market works in a major professional sports league, one need look no further than the English Premier League.
With total 2010-2011 revenues (the most recent season for which figures are available) of 2.3 billion Pounds (about $3.7 billion), the EPL is the world's most lucrative soccer league.
... And with no union, players claimed a full 70% of total EPL revenues. That's a lot better than the 57% the NHL players settled for in their last CBA, to say nothing of the sub-50% level the NHL owners are reportedly seeking in a new agreement. Indeed, it rivals the 75% of revenues the NHL owners dubiously claimed to be paying out in salaries prior to the last NHL lockout.
Hmm... now here's an interesting notion. I'm not very familiar with how the EPL operates, but I suspect a major difference between that and North American pro sports leagues is that of competition. Just across the English Channel are a number of other top-notch European leagues which can also attract top talent, whereas Major League Baseball, the NFL, NBA and NHL have no significant competition short of crossing the Atlantic.
The owners can basically be viewed as the Ranch, and the players, and me included, are the cattle. The owners own the Ranch and allow the players to eat there. That's the way its always been and that the way it will be forever. And the owners simply aren't going to let a union push them around. It's not going to happen.
...
Let the players take 43% and let the owners take 57%. Just reverse it from where it is now and let the owners run the rest of their business and manage their expenses. Now keep in mind this time around it's not just revenue sharing that is the issue. There are many, many more components at play here, from entry level contracts, years of service, insurance, etc. I mean a whole bucket load of disputes that are just as important for the owners to need to get a fair deal done."
"Yes, they are billionaires. Good on them, they deserve it, but they also make their employees millionaires. Not a bad trade off for a guy like Lucic getting what, 6 million dollars a year? I mean good on him too, but he should be grateful.
This kind of thinking opens up a huge range of possibilities, and there would presumably be many, many obstacles to cross to make such a thing happen.
But what if the NHLPA disbanded and the players came to the league via an open market?
Sure, all of us fans want to see the NHL come back to us as quickly as possible, but one former Nashville Predator is hoping to get back into the league himself. As part of his coverage of the players' local workouts at A-Game Sportsplex, the Tennessean's Josh Cooper caught up with J.P. Dumont, and that story leads off our Saturday hockey notes...
Nashville Predators News
J.P. Dumont skates and waits | The Tennessean J.P. still hopes to catch on with an NHL team, but hey, at least with his buyout he's still going to receive paychecks during the lockout.
David Climer: NHL will survive this lockout | The Tennessean Climer points out how diehard hockey fans are, and how that emboldens the owners. One critical point is off, however - pointing to individual contracts like Shea Weber's as a sign that owners need to be saved "from themselves" is nonsense. In a hard cap environment, every extra dollar that a guy like Weber gets is one less for everybody else. It's the overall share of HRR that matters.
Wednesday's TV schedule, complete with channels and times, customized for the Boston sports fan. Click on highlighted teams' names for complete schedules, scores, and previews, plus an active community devoted to your team. All times ET and approximate.
NBA
Boston Celtics vs. Utah Jazz - 7:30 p.m. (TV: Comcast Sports Net New England) The Boston Celtics face a Utah Jazz team with great potential. The Jazz have won seven of their last eight games, including beating the New Jersey Nets 105-84 on Monday night.
Shawn Hunwick's unbelievable story got even more unbelievable on Wednesday when he was signed to an amateur tryout contract by the Columbus Blue Jackets. In need of a backup goalie after Steve Mason suffered an injury in practice, the Blue Jackets decided to sign Hunwick, who just finished his career at Michigan last week. He drove down to Columbus from Ann Arbor, and everything happened so fast that he is dressing on Wednesday night in Columbus against the Detroit Red Wings in his Michigan gear. The result is seeing a player for a Columbus team with a maize and blue winged helmet. Check it out:
Considering he came to Michigan as a walk-on, it's surprising enough that Hunwick even saw the ice for a significant amount of time in college, let alone became the starter. When you consider he led the Wolverines to the national championship game last year and left as a Hobey Baker finalist this year, it's truly unbelievable. Now add in the fact that he is getting a chance to suit up for an NHL team and this will truly go down as one of the most improbable sports stories in a long, long time.
Over the years, the NHL games from EA Sports have evolved to become one of their premium franchises ... rather, they've evolved into a very well-made game that is light on complaints and heavy on features, when it comes to the fans. As such, its popularity is growing, and as it does, other things associated with it will also gain in popularity. We've recently seen a spike in awareness of cover athletes for games like Madden NFL and the various baseball games, too.
Being the cover athlete is a big thing these days, and EA Sports has elected to bring their successful voting platform from their Madden franchise over to the NHL franchise. Users are still voting on the cover athlete for Madden NFL 13, and now they can get going on a vote for NHL 13. Like Madden, they're going to set it up to where two players from one team battle it out with each other to decide who represents said team, before trying to carve a path to cover through the others.
Crosby had a goal and an assist in Saturday's victory over the Flyers, an assist in Thursday's win over the Rangers, and two goals and an assist in a win over the Bruins. He now has points in five straight games, also including two assists in a 6-4 loss to the Flyers on April 1 and a goal and three assists in a win over the Sabres March 30.
Smith shut out the Blue Jackets on April 3, then allowed one goal each against the Blues and Wild last weekend. His three goals this week helped the Coyotes edge out the Sharks for first place in the Pacific Division, clinching the third seed in the Western Conference.
It was a long, rough season, but this was supposed to be the payoff. Fans of the Columbus Blue Jackets gathered at a local bar on Tuesday night, prepared to see their team win the 2012 NHL Draft Lottery. They would have earned the right to draft top prospect Nail Yakupov, and they had a roughly 48 percent chance of grabbing the No. 1 pick.
But apparently, the Blue Jackets can't even do this properly.
There's still a long, long way to go, and many, many things to sort out before this becomes official, but it looks like the Washington Capitals are at least toying with the idea of playing an exhibition game in Baltimore for a second straight year.
Ticketmaster had listed Tuesday evening on its website a Sept. 27 game between the Caps and the Columbus Blue Jackets at First Mariner Arena. The game, again billed as the "Baltimore Hockey Classic," was removed Wednesday morning from Ticketmaster's website, just a few hours after a Baltimore Business Journal inquiry to the Capitals.
Capitals officials declined to comment on the game.
Like we said, there are still quite a few obstacles to clear. Most notably, we still don't know if there will be an NHL Preseason in 2012 due the fact that the current NHL CBA expires on September 15,2012 and, according to this CBC report, negotiations won't begin until after this season.
But if this game does go off as tentatively scheduled, let's hope the ice surface is better than it was for last year's game. You might recall that Bruce Boudreau had a few things to say about it.
UPDATE: Per 106.7's Sky Kerstein has confirmed that the Baltimore Hockey Classic will be scheduled for September 27.
A source confirms the @WBJonline report, September 27th #Caps vs. Columbus will be the Baltimore Hockey Classic at First Mariner
To CBJ: Pick Nos. 4, 34, 65, 103, 125, 155 and 185.
To NYI: Pick No. 2
It's really hard to determine which team here is dumber.
The deal would have dropped CBJ just two spots in the first round of the draft and it would have given them six extra picks overall in the draft. The Islanders clearly wanted the opportunity to draft defenseman Ryan Murray, but in talking with Matt Wagner of The Cannon in Pittsburgh over the weekend, it seems as though Columbus was all-in on Murray to the point that the Blue Jackets may have taken him over consensus No. 1 pick Nail Yakupov had both been available at No. 2.
But while they may not have had the chance to select Murray had they made this deal, it would have been an unbelievable score for Columbus. The team would have selected a really solid player with the No. 4 pick -- potentially Griffin Reinhart, the defensive prospect the Islanders wound up taking in that spot -- and would have ended up with 12 (!) picks over the course of the seven-round draft.
Scott Howson could have had Pick Nos. 4, 31, 34, 62, 65, 95, 103, 125, 152, 155, 182 and 185 on Friday and Saturday. Oh, and he had the option of taking the Kings No. 30 pick in the first round this year as well, which would have given Columbus four of the top 34 picks in the draft.
Ryan Murray is a fine prospect, but two NHL teams ridiculously overvalued him this past weekend. It's not hard to understand why these are the two of the worst teams in the league we're talking about here.
If you were hoping to make a really big score off of the Minnesota Wild winning the Stanley Cup during the 2012-13 season. . .well, it appears that you're a little too late.
According to the folks at Covers.com, just two weeks ago the Wild were listed as a 200-to-1 shot to hoist the big, silver trophy next season. The only team that had longer odds than Minnesota was the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The drop in the team's odds truly speaks to the level of players that Suter and Parise are. They were the top two available free agents this off-season in the National Hockey League, and there were very few people that thought that the Wild would land even one of the two, let alone both of them. But, in the end, they both signed identical deals with the Wild. . .both for thirteen years, and both for $98 million.
Have to give credit to the management of the Minnesota Wild for pulling off a coup like this. It looks like it's time to truly start getting excited in the State of Hockey again.
I'm a Pittsburgh sports fan but I'm currently a resident of Columbus, and I was a little surprised to see an ad in my email account today suggesting I buy tickets to Blue Jackets games ... and giving me no reason to do so other than that they're going to be playing the Penguins, Red Wings, Blackhawks and Rangers. I'm sure it's not uncommon for NHL teams to advertise by pointing out who they'll be playing, but the Blue Jackets don't play some of these teams for months, and there's almost nothing to this ad besides a suggestion that I go to games in Columbus to watch other teams. Not that I don't understand, of course; it must be tough to be in the Blue Jackets marketing department.
Columbus hosts the Pens in a preseason matchup September 24; the Pens return to Columbus for a regular-season matchup November 2.
Kekalainen spoke with Bobrovsky's agent, Paul Theofanous, in Boston on Wednesday, but the Columbus manager told the Dispatch that talks were not productive and that the two sides are no closer to an agreement.
Considering the circumstances, this situation isn't that surprising.
Bobrovsky and his representation are negotiating with a considerable amount of leverage. The goalie is coming off of a season where the 24-year-old goaltender won the Vezina Trophy and he also has the option of playing in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League or waiting out an offer sheet from a rival club if something doesn't get done with Columbus. The Blue Jackets still have every intention of retaining Bobrovsky, though, and have said they'll match any such offer they're able to match (though Bobrovsky can sign anywhere in Europe if a deal isn't agreed upon by July 1).
Kekalainen appears to understand that Bobrovsky wants -- and likely deserves -- a larger contract. At the same time, though, the manager knows the franchise needs to make a smart business decision.
Bobrovsky played well in 2013, but it was for a short period of time given the truncated nature of the season and while past performance gives some indication to the goaltender's potential, it doesn't necessarily warrant a long-term commitment that could potentially absorb a substantial chunk of the team's salary cap space (and budgetary allocation).
Bobrovsky's contractual commitment to the Blue Jackets officially expires on July 1 as the goaltender recently finished the final year of his three-year, $2.7 million entry-level contract.
Hey all! Welcome to another instalment of Arctic Ice Hockey's annual NHL Mock Draft.
Over the next thirty days, we will attempt to telepathically channel the minds of NHL General Managers as they complete their final rankings in preparation for the 2013 NHL Draft being held June 30, 2012 in Newark, NJ.
Without further adieu, we present our loyal readers with the twentieth overall pick of Arctic Ice Hockey's 2013 Mock Draft.
Doug Wilson: With the twentieth overall selection in this years draft, the San Jose Sharks' are pleased to select...
Curtis Lazar
Right Wing / Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
6-0
190
February 2, 1995
Hometown: Salmon Arm, BC
Shoots: Right
Rankings: CSS (20 NA), ISS (12), TSN (32), Hockey Prospectus (29)
"Lazar is a well-rounded forward, with the benefit of having one of the smallest risk factors in this draft (in terms of probability of becoming an NHL player). He is an above-average skater who can flash plus ability in that area. He covers a lot of ice due to his tremendous work ethic, as he is always moving his feet. He can change gears quickly, and he picks up speed well."
Hey all! Welcome to another instalment of Arctic Ice Hockey's annual NHL Mock Draft.
Over the next thirty days, we will attempt to telepathically channel the minds of NHL General Managers as they complete their final rankings in preparation for the 2013 NHL Draft being held June 30, 2012 in Newark, NJ.
Without further adieu, we present our loyal readers with the twenty-first overall pick of Arctic Ice Hockey's 2013 Mock Draft.
Dave Nonis: With the twenty-first overall selection in this years draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs' are pleased to select...
Andre Burakowsky
Left Wing / Malmö (Allsvenskan)
6-1
176
February 9, 1995
Hometown: Klagenfurt, AUT
Shoots: Left
Rankings: CSS (6 EUR), ISS (16), TSN (58), Hockey Prospectus (13)
"Burakowsky struggled to get ice time in the second-tier Swedish pro league at the beginning of the season, but his fine form in international play has been encouraging. One NHL executive said that Burakowsky's skating is comparable to some of the top Swedes to come out of the draft recently. He gains efficient power from his stride, and he has a great top gear. His skill level allows him to regularly make above-average to high-end dekes and passes. He has the look of a skilled puck possessor with every shift."
Hey all! Welcome to another instalment of Arctic Ice Hockey's annual NHL Mock Draft.
Over the next thirty days, we will attempt to telepathically channel the minds of NHL General Managers as they complete their final rankings in preparation for the 2013 NHL Draft being held June 30, 2012 in Newark, NJ.
Without further adieu, we present our loyal readers with the twenty-second overall pick of Arctic Ice Hockey's 2013 Mock Draft.
Jay Feaster: With the twenty-second overall selection in this years draft, the Calgary Flames' are pleased to select...
Shea Théodore
Defenceman / Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
6-2
178
August 3, 1995
Hometown: Langley, BC
Shoots: Left
Rankings: CSS (11 NA), ISS (NA), TSN (47), Hockey Prospectus (30)
"Theodore is an offensive defenseman who possesses many tools. He put up big numbers at age 16, and although he did not match that pace at age 17, he was still very good. He is a dynamic skater, with a powerful stride that lets him pick up speed quickly. He can be a real threat when rushing the puck up the ice. He thinks the game so well in the offensive end, displaying a high level of ability with the puck. Theodore can dangle, but he is more of an instinctual passer, whether on outlets or controlling the point on the power play. He possesses a big shot as well."
Position: RIght Wing Team: Owen Sound Attack (OHL) Age: 18 Date of Birth: March 30, 1995 Place of Birth: Barrie, Ontario Ht: 6'1" Wt: 190lbs Shoots:Right
Nastasiuk creeps into the first round in a handful of mock drafts, be he is more than likely ticketed for the second round. He isn't a high-end offensive player, rather he is a solid two-way player who in the professional ranks will play a checking role. His scouting reports read a lot like Boone Jenner's did in his draft year.
He's got enough size and abilities without the puck that if he were to develop his offensive game more, he could turn in to a second-line winger for the NHL team that drafts him.
Fucale is a cool and calm, poised goalie that is incredibly athletic. He shows high-end reflexes and is never out in a play. He has elite level mobility and incredible quickness within the crease. He shows very impressive footwork and can get to almost any puck. He possesses an impressive glove hand that is flashy and able to rob some of the QMJHL’s heaviest shooters. He also possesses a good blocker hand and strong control with its rebounds. He plays with great positioning and is always square to shooters. He’s aggressive and enjoys challenging shooters. Fucale is competitive and focused goalie that has an incredible compete level and shows great determination. - See more at: http://futureconsiderations.ca/playerprofiler/Zachary-Fucale/#sthash.QPKIN7da.dpuf
Fucale is a cool and calm, poised goalie that is incredibly athletic. He shows high-end reflexes and is never out in a play. He has elite level mobility and incredible quickness within the crease. He shows very impressive footwork and can get to almost any puck. He possesses an impressive glove hand that is flashy and able to rob some of the QMJHL’s heaviest shooters. He also possesses a good blocker hand and strong control with its rebounds. He plays with great positioning and is always square to shooters. He’s aggressive and enjoys challenging shooters. Fucale is competitive and focused goalie that has an incredible compete level and shows great determination. - See more at: http://futureconsiderations.ca/playerprofiler/Zachary-Fucale/#sthash.QPKIN7da.dpuf
Scouting Reports:
Nastasiuk is one of the more interesting prospects in this draft class. Scouts have a wide range of takes on his game, but nobody objects to his physicality and intangibles. He is a very hard-working, strong forward, and he does a lot off of the puck. He pressures well on the forecheck, playing a good two-way game. He kills penalties, and can lay some good hits on opponents. He protects the puck well on the cycle, and he can be hard to move when he plants himself in front of the net. His offensive upside and his skating ability are the questionable areas of his game. His production this year was just okay (40 points in 62 games), but he did produce around a point per game in the OHL playoffs. He has above-average puck skills, but some scouts say he is not overly creative. That is not a consensus opinion, however. Scouts are also divided on his skating, with one saying it is bad, another calling it average and yet a third qualifying it as high end. I give it a grade of average, but with uncertainty. There is an argument that Nastasiuk could be a scoring line player, but there is a chance he could end up as a great third liner.
Nastasiuk is among the most well rounded players in this year’s draft class. He’s a team first player who will do whatever it takes to win and lay it all on the line every shift. He never backs down from anyone and wins a lot more puck battles than he loses. He’ll block shots, his positioning is good and overall he’s excellent defensively. Nastasiuk is a very smart player and isn’t afraid to go to the dirty areas of the ice. His offensive game is good and getting better, too. He uses his strong frame to protect the puck, keep it away from oncoming defenders and is good when cycling the puck. He has a decent set of hands on him, can distribute the puck and can chip in with goals here and there, as well.
I compared him to Boone Jenner earlier, and if he were picked up by the Jackets the duo would in all likelihood be linemates for years to come, forming 2/3 of the checking line and killing penalties together.
He would be a great pick 44th overall- the Jackets' second rounder.
Hey all! Welcome to another instalment of Arctic Ice Hockey's annual NHL Mock Draft.
Over the next thirty days, we will attempt to telepathically channel the minds of NHL General Managers as they complete their final rankings in preparation for the 2013 NHL Draft being held June 30, 2012 in Newark, NJ.
Without further adieu, we present our loyal readers with the twenty-third overall pick of Arctic Ice Hockey's 2013 Mock Draft.
George McPhee: With the twenty-third overall selection in this years draft, the Washington Capitals' are pleased to select...
Jimmy Lodge
Centre / Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
6-0
166
March 5, 1995
Hometown: West Chester, PA
Shoots: Right
Rankings: CSS (21 NA), ISS (NA), TSN (56), Hockey Prospectus (40)
"Lodge is a skilled forward, who developed well over the 2012-13 OHL campaign, as he exceeded one point per game. He is not a finished product by any means, but he has a significant amount of upside. He has high-end puck skills, conveying the overall look of a skilled player. He is very coordinated in his puck handling, with the ability to make top-level plays. Lodge has good offensive instincts, manifesting both in his puck creativity and in his gifted passing and crisp distributions. He can execute difficult plays. He is a solid to above-average skater as well."
