The NHL is BACK!!!

[Big Brother Dunk]

Finally!!!

I haven't been this excited about the NHL this early in the season for many years. The rule changes and the salary cap will make this seaon a lot of fun.

Oh yeah, one more thing....'

GO HABS!!!

 

[Silver]

Oh man, screw the Habs. It's all about the Avs.

Go Joe Go!

 

[Big Brother Dunk]

Oh man, screw the Habs. It's all about the Avs.

Go Joe Go!

The Avs are a good team. They've got a good shot at making the playoffs this year.

 

[Silver]

I don't remember the last time they didn't.

Can't say the same for the Habs though.

Then again, this year's a total crapshoot I think. Who knows what's going to happen.

 

[EDSGolf]

Nice to have the game back! 11 out of 15 games were sold out, I guess the fans have forgiven!

 

[Bravo]

I do not follow the NHL, but would like for someone to summarize the issues that lead up to the strike and how these have been resolved including the salary cap.

thanks

 

[goatster]

ahh the hated habs stick a dagger in my heart the first night of the season.
i think on this trip back to N.O. im gonna get some ecoli in a bottle for T-BO.then we`ll see were them damb habs go.

 

[Youngun5]

i'm glad, i don't really follow regular season hockey, but if a game is one i'll watch, playoff hockey is on a totally different level though, i watch those pretty in depth

cheers

 

[Big Brother Dunk]

ahh the hated habs stick a dagger in my heart the first night of the season.
i think on this trip back to N.O. im gonna get some ecoli in a bottle for T-BO.then we`ll see were them damb habs go.

You're obviously a die-hard Bruins fan. It's a great rivalry and they've had some outstanding clashes over the years.

I work with several Bruins fans, and money changes hands many times during the season.

 

[goatster]

the original 6.any time any of these guys face off its huge.but i think that Bruins-Habs is the biggest of the bunch.

it seems like every time these guys go at it its a war and they always seem to match up in the playoffs.of course some of that may be due to all the Habs tropheys.

(i also realized after i wrote this that T-Bo has moved on and now it Theadore just had J.T. stuck in my head)

 

[Big Brother Dunk]

Montreal goes to 3-0!!! WOW!!

I do not follow the NHL, but would like for someone to summarize the issues that lead up to the strike and how these have been resolved including the salary cap.

thanks

Bravo, the main issue was spiraling player salaries. Here's the capsule version:

The owners started it by paying huge salaries, but when they wanted to rein it in, the players said, "no way, we're got giving up the big bucks".

So when the players rejected a salary cap, the owners locked them out. After losing a season, the Player's Association finally gave in and accepted a salary cap.

 

[Silver]

and the deal they eventually accepted was way worse than the original offer from the owners, no?

 

[Big Brother Dunk]

and the deal they eventually accepted was way worse than the original offer from the owners, no?

Well, sort of.

The owners' original offer was a $39M cap. The NHLPA rejected that, saying that a salary cap was out of the question. They got locked out.

Early in 2005, in an effort to salvage the season, the players decided to accept a $49M salary cap. Eventually, the owners countered with a $44M cap (I think). The players said no, they were sticking to the $49M.

The owners said fine, the season's over.

Then when they finally settled, it was at the $39M cap the owners originally offered. The NHLPA President, Bob Goodenow, resigned.