Early Sunday morning, the news that we were all waiting for finally came down: We will see NHL hockey this season after all. If you had given up hope, you assuredly weren’t alone. As occurs every time a sports league locks out (which is far too often, if you ask me), things tend to move very quickly once a deal is struck. So what I wanted to start our new season off with is a few key points that will be of interest. The agreement that was struck will last for the next 10 years (with an ... Read More
NHL lockout update
Well, this is depressing. The NHL has cancelled all games through the end of November (though they’ve avoided canceling the Winter Classic and the All-Star Game), and on top of that, have pulled their previous offer off the table, leaving the negotiations in a very tenuous spot. The NHLPA tried earlier this week to continue working on a new agreement, but were spurned by the NHL by saying “not sure what we would be meeting about.” While I’ve always maintained (and will continue to do so) that ... Read More
Why there is an NHL Lockout
Much has been written about the current NHL lockout, and what (if any) progress is being made. However, many writers, myself included, have been derelict in our duty of explaining why the lockout occurred to begin with. As every good historian knows, knowing why something happened is as important as knowing what happened. Let’s begin with the Collective Bargaining Agreement set forth by the league after the 2004-05 lockout. This agreement put the current salary cap structure (which is tied to ... Read More
Locked Out: A Fan’s 2012-13 Survival Guide
The thought of spending October through April not watching Penguins hockey is about as appealing as shaving with sandpaper. By the time Christmas would come around, you’d be having Happy Gilmore-like dreams where you take a skate off and try to stab Gary Bettman. Don’t let it get to that. You can survive without hockey. The human race has done it for millennia. Heck, even Canadians did it! What else is there to do? Well I’m glad you asked. 1. Drink Heavily. This is probably the worst ... Read More