Tag: NHL Lockout

CBA Voting, GM Firing & Red Line Designs

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The wait is OVER!! … Umm.. Schedule, please?

What a good afternoon it was for the fans of the National Hockey League as the NHL Board of Governors approved the new CBA deal with a vote of 30 to 0, thus allowing the fact that the season really is set to start within the next week.

However, the players must also ratify the the new deal, which isn’t set to happen until Friday. The voting will be electronically over a two-day process, with the deal needing the majority of the vote in support of the CBA (there are give-or-take about 740 union members…). If all goes to plan (fingers crossed), training camps should begin on Saturday, with a 48-game season beginning January 19th.

Rumor has it that the Predators could possibly be opening the season at home against the Columbus Blue Jackets on the 19th. We’ve run across this snippet a few times, but we aren’t promising anything. We’ll know as soon as you know… When the schedule’s released.

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In bizarre news, Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Brian Burke was fired today, but kept on as a corporate advisor, with no authority over Hockey Operations. The details over his step down is not fully known at this time, but due to the Leafs disappointing performance under his leadership could have played a deciding factor. Dave Norris will take on both GM and VP responsibilities from this point forward.

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New for 2013, a few leagues have found their creative, inner designer bug and have set forth to make a few tweaks on the ice. Enter, the new center ice red line designs, each unique for its prospective team. Here are a few teams that have dipped into their creative side:

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Calagary Flames

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Winnipeg Jets

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Dallas Stars

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St. Louis Blues

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Nashville Predators

Well how about that! Even the Predators have tried out the new center line. Now, you might be saying to yourself, “Wait a minute – I saw this last season!” Test run, folks; test run. The debut was set for the beginning of this season, but it looks like January was the right time (thanks, lockout). The other teams trying out the new look include the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Anaheim Ducks, the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Carolina Hurricanes, the L.A. Kings, the Montreal Canadiens, the Phoenix Coyotes, and the Ottawa Senators.

We are so close to a season, we can almost taste it! We will keep you updated as news is released regarding CBA voting, scheduling, and everything in between. Follow us at @lady_preds on Twitter and our Facebook page.

The Lockout is Over

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After 113 days… it’s time.

It’s official: THE NHL LOCKOUT IS OVER.

At 4:40 this morning, the two sides came to an agreement concerning the CBA Talks, making a formal statement to the media at around 6AM. Yea, we’re a few hours behind, but we don’t see 6AM on the weekends.

“Don Fehr and I are here to tell you that we have reached an agreement on the framework of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, the details of which need to be put to paper,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “We have to dot a lot of I’s and cross a lot of T’s. There is still a lot of work to be done, but the basic framework has been agreed upon. We have to go through a ratification process and the Board of Governors has to approve it from the League side and, obviously, the players have to approve it as well. We are not in a position to give you information right now about schedule, when we are starting. It’s early in the morning and we have been at this all day and all night, obviously. But, we will be back to you very shortly, hopefully, later today with more information in that regard.”

The schedule has yet to be announced, but we will update you once it is posted. We do know, however, that a 50-game schedule will begin on January 15th, and a 48-game schedule will start January 19th.

After 113 days, it feels like Christmas morning all over again. We are just relieved both the NHL and NHLPA have come to an agreement before the season was completely lost (though it shouldn’t have gotten to this point).

CBA Talks Continue: Progress, Methinks

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Rest In Peace, Winter Classic.

After a Christmas hiatus, we are back and… no good news or bad news really to report. A lot has happened, though and we will cover it all in one sugarcoated nutshell.

Let’s start with what we know:

  • Commissioner Gary Bettman has set a date for hockey doomsday: January 11th. If both the NHL and NHLPA have not come to an agreement in CBA talks by that date, the 2012– err, 2013 season will be kaput. 
  • The league proposed a new bargain last Thursday, basically consisting of 10-year CBA with a mutual opt-out after eight years, no contractual rollbacks on players’ salaries, 50-50 split of hockey-related revenue, $300 million towards the “Make Whole” provision, max-limits on free agent contracts, and one compliance buyout before the 2013-14 season. Phew – that’s a lot to throw on the table at once.
  • Late Tuesday night, the player’s association presented the league with a counter-proposal, but not too much has leaked to the media regarding what exactly the proposal entails. However, it has been noted that the NHLPA is not happy with the league’s pension offer, which is an entire argument in itself.
  • The NHLPA has a two hour (midnight EST) deadline to decide if they want to go ahead with the Disclaimer of Interest.

    Alrighty, got all that? A sense of false optimism has us biting our nails; we just can’t help ourselves. Progress is being make ever-so-surely, as the two sides are still meeting as we post this. As stated above, the NHLPA still has until the stroke of midnight to go with the DoI, but this is no Cinderella story – if the players’ association passes, they can always vote again in favor of it at a later date.

    We probably missed something, but that is what’s going on in the world of CBA talks at this time. Not good news, not bad news. Progress, methinks.

SK74 voted Starter in KHL All-Star Game

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Welp, the results are in for who will be in the starting lineup in the KHL All-Star Game and it looks like Sergei Kostitsyn has made the cut.

Sergei Kostitsyn is just one of three forwards starting for Team East, paired alongside Evgeni Malkin of Metallurg and Evgeny Kuznetsov of Traktor. Defense on Team East includes Ilya Nikulin of AK Bars and Sergei Gonchar of Metallurg MG. The starting goal is Michael Garnett of Traktor.

The starting line up for Team West is a bit more starstruck, with Alexander Ovechkin of Dynamo Moscow, Pavel Datsyuk of CSKA, and Ilya Kovalchuk of SKA rounding out the forwards. Zdeno Chara of Lev Praha and Alexander Ryazantsev of Severstal make up the defense of Team West, with Semyon Varlamov of Lokomotiv in goal.

One name that was not named in the lineup (who held a lead up until the end of the voting period) that is a bit surprising is Predators goalie, Pekka Rinne. However, with his recent groin injury, it explains why he did not make the starting lineup. It also brings up the speculation of if his injury is more severe than we know. Hopefully not.

The KHL All-Star Game will take place on January 13th, 2013 at the Traktor Sport Palace in Chelyabinsk, Russia.

12/12/12 proves Newsworthy for the Predators

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Day 88 of the NHL Lockout produced little insight on the CBA talks, but there was plenty of news on the home front for the Nashville Predators. Okay, so it was both good news and bad news…

Let’s begin with the bad news, shall we?

– Word out of Minsk, Belarus today was a bit disheartening. Though details haven’t made their way to us yet, it looks like Pekka Rinne suffered a groin injury, which has him sidelined for a while. Rinne, as you know, is currently goaltending it up for Dinamo Minsk in the KHL whilst the lockout continues to ruin the NHL as an organization. As we stated, not much more has been released, but if the lockout were to end relatively soon, it looks like Chris Mason would be taking the reins.

While you lick your wounds from that punch in the gut, we will go ahead and let you know that’s the only bad news from today. So let’s bring on the good news:

– Continuing with Pekka Rinne, although he is injured, he is still leading the goaltenders in the KHL’s ballot for their All-Star Game. Although Peks hasn’t exactly had the best luck in the KHL, he is obviously doing something right to get the fans of Dinamo Minsk to vote for him.

– Like Rinne, Sergei Kostitsyn is leading the ballots in the forward category. Yes, we said Sergei Kostitsyn. He’s been on fire since joining up with Avangard Omsk, putting up points in just about all of his games. It’s no wonder he’s been vocal about hoping the lockout continues; he’s the star he’s always wanted to be without ever leaving home (err… sort of). When you’re beating out more notable forwards such as Alexander Ovechkin, Pavel Datsyuk, and Evgeni Malkin, it’s completely understandable why you’d want to stay in the KHL.

– Patric Hörnqvist is leading a ballot of his own; one that consists of frequent flier miles. Horny has joined up with the Swiss club Fribourg-Gotteron during the Spengler Cup. This is Hörnqvist’s third club since the lockout began (if you do not include his minor stint with Tre Kronor) and his second Swiss team. Horny first joined Switzerland’s Martigny Red Ice before changing over to a familiar Swedish team, Djurgardens. Can’t quite get his bearings or does he just miss Nashville and the NHL that much?

So, although not much progress was made during today’s CBA talks (surprise, surprise), it was an eventful news day regarding the Predators. If you are interested in following the KHL All-Star standings – seeing as how our dreams are dashed – check out the site here.

Here’s to hoping Peks heals quickly and holds his lead in the ballots, to Sergei remembering the NHL is better, and to the airline points Horny has accumulated during the lockout.

NHL: Slow Dancing in a Burning Room

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With no surprise, the NHL announced today that all games schedule until December 30th have been canceled. It’s hard to believe, after 86 days of lockout, there are fans that still give a hoot.

We’ll be the first to admit; it has been very difficult to continue to show optimism amongst such disappointment. However, we understand our frustrations do not come from the franchises themselves, but from those who run the organization as a whole. If and/or when the season begins, we will return to the Bridgestone Arena to support the sport we have come to love.

We asked on our Facebook page yesterday if Season Ticket Holders have already or would be canceling their season tickets due to the dragging lockout. Most fans said they have already canceled them, unable to take the uncertainty of a possible season and the fact the money could go towards more important needs. Others said the thought has crossed their minds, but the perks that the Predators have offered for hanging on to the tickets have kept them for now. But a few hopefuls have made it known that they will hang on to their season tickets, not swayed by the unpredictable future that the lockout holds.

We can see the reasoning behind all of these fans and their opinions on their season tickets. You wouldn’t waste that much money on season tickets if you did not truly love the game, but that money, being unused, could go to so much more. Items that are needed, not so much wants.

But what about those who depend on the games being played for their livelihoods?

We aren’t talking about the players, the owners, or the hierarchy of the individual franchises. We’re talking about the concession stand workers, the ticket takers, the businesses surrounding the arenas, and so on? How are their lives being affected by this, the 86th day of the NHL Lockout?

Here’s a how they are being affected in a nutshell:

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Tough nutshell, isn’t it?
It’s hard to believe, with Tweets like these and other stories floating about, how the NHL and NHLPA can go on with this drama. Surely, they have seen examples like this; someone has to have shown them, right?
It’s almost sickening to read, honestly.

The sad reality with all of this is as the old adage goes: It’s easy to overlook those who are not directly in your daily life. Gary Bettman, Don Fehr, and the like have seen the devastation the lockout has incurred, but similar to the children of third world countries commercials go, it’s easier to sleep at night if you just change the channel. That’s essentially what the NHL and NHLPA are doing.

So, what can be done now to get this show on the road to a season?

Reporters speculate that the NHLPA will extend a ‘Disclaimer of Interest’ within the next week or so, essentially kicking Don Fehr to the curb, not allowing him to speak for the players any longer. This is also the route the NBA took when they, too entered a lockout last year. You can read up on the details of a ‘Disclaimer of Interest’ here.

Wether a DofI happens or not, the NHL is slow dancing in a burning room. Fans are turning their backs and employees are finding other means of work; businesses are cutting hours and closing up shop. Those low on the totem pole hold you in the sky, and the pegs are being chopped off left and right. Again, the NHL is slow dancing in a burning room.

Twitter post courtesy of @PredsNBolts

It’s Off to Europe for Rinne, Hornqvist, & Josi: Who’s Next?

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Pekka Rinne, Patric Hornqvist, & Roman Josi have hit the trail to Europe.

With all of September’s preseason games cancelled and three already missed, the Predators (along with players across the league) are struggling with the decision of wether to wait out the NHL Lockout or head over seas to continue what they do best.

Alexander Ovechkin, Ilya Kovalchuk, and Alexander Semin have been vocal about their departure for the ‘Mother Land’, prompting fellow NHLers to consider the same decisions, wether they nestle in the KHL or not.

Rumors have been swirling around particular Preds, with Martin Erat supposedly returning to the Czech Republic and Sergei Kostitsyn possibly signing with a KHL team, but the only truth for Predators fans is this: Pekka Rinne has signed with a KHL team, Patric Hornqvist signs with Sweden, and Roman Josi (who actually made his announcement earlier in the week) returns to Switzerland.

Amidst rumors of him signing with the Finnish Elite League, Pekka was adamant about settling with a KHL team instead of one in his native Finland. Rinne will be goaltending for Dinamo Minsk out of Belarus during the duration of the lockout.

Patric Hornqvist naturally returned to Sweden, signing with Djurgården, a key team of Sweden’s Allsvenskan league. Preds’ first rounder Pontus Aberg is active on Djurgården’s roster, giving Hornqvist the opportunity to help the youngster prepare for (maybe one day) a shot in the National Hockey League.

Roman Josi was the first to announce his departure to Europe under the Predators roof, shipping back to S.C. Bern of Switzerland. Former Pred J.P. Dumont played for S.C. Bern last season, gaining eight goals in just 31 games. Josi is expected to hit the ice for S.C. Bern on September 29th.

With Pekka, Patric, and Roman packing up and heading overseas, it’s only a matter of time before the other members of the Nashville Predators inevitably agree to the same decision. As mentioned, SK74 and Martin Erat are already in negations with European teams, so only time will tell when they sign.

The NHL and NHLPA have scheduled a formal meeting on Friday to discuss options on the current lockout, hopefully coming to some sort of an agreement.

From AHL to College Teams; Where to Find Hockey during Lockout

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From the Knoxville Ice Bears to the Mississippi RiverKings, there is hockey if you know where to find it.

Welp, Day 1 of the NHL Lockout is coming to a close and, as you might have expected, the NHL and the NHLPA are nowhere near coming to an agreement. Fans across North America are teary-eyed and sort of lost, not exactly knowing what to do without a hockey season to look forward to. Where as prominent hockey communities like New York and all of Canada have other outlets to cling to other than the NHL, those of us in non-traditional markets are left twiddling our thumbs, wishing on stars every night for the big wigs to come to an agreement… or are we?

Many would believe the South is a non-traditional hockey market and, in all fairness, it truly is. Baseball and college football rule this area, with hockey clinging like icicles in certain parts of the region. With Atlanta losing yet another NHL expansion team to Canada, it’s hard to believe hockey could survive somewhere like Georgia, Alabama, or even Mississippi, yet it thrives if you know just where to look.

For those who believe the South cannot withhold and establish a thriving hockey franchise, I give you the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL).

Yes, the South has its own professional league.

If you’re a devoted hockey follower, you have probably heard of the SPHL, but for all the newcomers that have never dealt with a NHL Lockout before, there is still hockey to be found! Teams in the SPHL include:

– The Huntsville Havoc – Huntsville, Alabama
– The Knoxville Ice Bears – Knoxville, Tennessee
– The Augusta RiverHawks – Augusta, Georgia
– The Columbus Cottonmouths – Columbus, Georgia
– The Mississippi RiverKings – Southaven, Mississippi (Memphis)
– The Fayetteville FireAntz – Fayetteville, North Carolina
– The Mississippi Surge – Biloxi, Mississippi
– The Louisiana Ice Gators – LaFayette, LA
– The Pensacola Ice Flyers – Pensacola, Florida

Although there have been many franchises that have folded over the years, from the teams listed, hockey has managed to thrive in the South, even before the Nashville Predators arrived in the Music City. For Predators fans, the Knoxville Ice Bears, the Mississippi RiverKings, and the Huntsville Havoc would be the nearest teams to visit, with the Havoc being the closest (2 hours). Although it isn’t exactly the boys we are used to cheering for, you could end up finding your own Pekka Rinne or Shea Weber in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Let’s also not forget our college teams also have a love for hockey. Wether it’s an actual team or just a club, you’d be surprised who has a hockey setup on campus. Here’s a list of a few colleges with hockey outlets:

– Vanderbilt Commodores – Nashville, TN
– The Tennessee Ice VOLS – Knoxville, TN
– The Ole Miss Ice Rebels – Oxford, MS
– Georgia Tech – Atlanta, GA
–  Memphis Tigers Hockey – Memphis, TN
– The Alabama Frozen Tide – Tuscaloosa, AL
– Florida Gators Hockey – Gainesville, FL
– The UGA Ice Dogs – Athens, GA

Who knew the SEC was prominent in sports other than football, baseball, and basketball? Now, that’s just a handful of colleges with hockey clubs and/or teams; we can’t list them all. Your best bet to see if your college (or one near by) has a hockey club or team is to check out your college’s website.

If the SPHL and the college teams just don’t do it for you, there are always the AHL and ECHL teams across the country, all affiliates with the NHL teams. As you know, the Milwaukee Admirals are the farm team to the Predators, but Wisconsin’s a good distance away from Nashville, Tennessee. The closest AHL team to Music City would be the Charlotte Checkers out of Charlotte, North Carolina. If you have a soft side for the Carolina Hurricanes, this would be the AHL team for you. For all of the AHL teams across the country and their NHL affiliates, just visit the AHL site here.

As for ECHL, the closest to the Nashville area are the Greenville Road Warriors of Greenville, South Carolina and the Gwinnett Gladiators of Duluth, Georgia. The Road Warriors are the ECHL affiliate of the New York Rangers and the Gladiators are the Phoenix Coyotes affiliate.

As you can tell, there’s still hockey to be found, even if the NHL and NHLPA can’t come to a logical agreement. And, may we add, the hockey to be found is not limited to this list alone. So plan a day trip, road trip, or whatever to support these minor league and college teams. Heck, even if the NHL Lockout comes to an end, it’s still a great idea to support these smaller, lesser known teams. Truthfully, they are the teams that keep hockey alive in the South.

What hockey team will you be supporting during the lockout?