I didn't say the word "buy".

Gamblor, they will have an option to move the classic to a future date if they need to. My guess, they are going to need to. But you never know. Maybe Bettman and Fehr will go have a few drinks, become best friends, and work out the perfect solution to appease everyone!

It could happen.

Flames fan who wants some short-term runhot to bag 8th in the West gives this a jacknod.gif

Baller. As. ****.

Also, Hammerhands, A ****ING PLUS OMG

KIDS IN THE HALL YEAHHHHHHHHHHHH SON

5 years

we made our summer ball hockey team in uni 5 years ago and we've never got over the hump. lost game 3 tonight of our finals. again. drunk as ****.

WE CAN'T ****ING WIN THE SHIP WTF, AND I SNIPED TONIGHT AND IN GAME 2 FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK

Yo Geddy let me ring next time

This upcoming lockout isn't going to be as "fun" as the last one.

No lolNHLPA getting mad at mid-level players being okay with a salary cap.
- remember that? ZOMG don't talk about a salary cap, you'll be booted from the union! Guys saying they would be okay playing with a cap, and then a day later saying their words were misinterpreted.

No Ted Saskin.
- Alan Eagleson II in waiting.

No Bob Goodenow.

No NHLPA hats.

No bringing out Lemieux and Gretzky to try and settle the cap issue.
- I remember everyone being absolutely sure that bringing in Lemieux and Gretzky for negotiations was going to end the lockout.

At least if there's going to be a lockout, hopefully we get a few laughs out of it.

I am disappointed also that the top members of the NHLPA will not be exclusively guys who are 33 and older, the vast majority of which were above-average players. That was fun last time, watching guys who never even played under the new system complaining about the possibility of them implementing it.

Pretty sure anyone who was quoted during that period has retired, lol Goodenow.

If the nhl locks out I could see myself taking a few years off before going back. I know I'd go back, but I don't feel like coming back like this each time with my tail between my legs is worth it.

The real mystery is whether or not teams add "again" after the "Thank You Fans" message inside the blue-lines

Personally I'm selfish. I think a lockout would be good for the Habs, we could use another year to stock some picks and get rid of dead weight contracts. Let Markov heal, Galy should be NHL ready by then. Plus a top pick from this year's draft will be handy.

I'm not really looking forward to this year if it ends up like last year, so I don't mind a lock out.

They should just be honest and put What are you gonna do? Watch juniors? LOL

They should write "Thank you, The Fan" in honor of Melky.

People seem confident that a likely lockout would only last for a few months. What are the odds that it wipes out the entire season?

I sorta feel this way but I love hockey too much and would give in I'm sure, in fact I just bought some tickets.

Close to 0. The NHL loses way too much by doing that.

If they officially go into a lockout I wont be posting or lurking [very much] until they are back. I have no appetite for rumours or spin, it's too painful.

I suggest you try to gauge your tolerance for rumour and speculation. It will make coming back easier.

just read some of the NBA sheep thread. NHL posters are so good. except for Muresan of course.

This is how I imagine the NHLPA counteroffer discussions going

LOL at how generally dead this thread is...moreso than normal even for an off-season thread.

Typical season discussion stuff = Why bother talking about that when the season is never starting on time anyway.

Lockout and negotiations talk = Nothing's really happening right now.

Normally it would be a lot of, "I really like what Carolina has done with their team" "Is TB going to have a chance of making the playoffs with improved goaltending?" and "LOL, Michel Therrien...still can't over that."

But that would involve people actually being excited about the upcoming season. And nobody is right now.

To that end, the league is already losing. I have to think trying to sell tickets...either season tix or individual tix, is near impossible right now. Normally you would have at least some fans making their plans to go see Philly vs. Pittsburgh or NYR vs Boston in Oct/Nov or something.

Please rename the thread to "NHL Pre-Offseason 2012 Thread"

Whoever said I have no wingers on the spreadsheet is wrong!

zetterberg's a center yo