So the NHL is in a state of lockout right now. The rumors are flying at a rapid pace and hopes of only missing the preseason games are made out to be the goal. Whether that becomes a reality or not is yet to be seen. What seems pretty clear is the league has between now and December for a deal to be struck. If the Winter Classic falls under jeopardy, that would be the only time I could see the owners buckling to a short deal they may not find supremely desirable. If the Winter Classic is lost, the entire season is truly threatened to possibly be lost.
The Players Association released a video to the fans as a sort of “I’m sorry and please support our side” type gesture. As nice as it is to see David Backes, Sidney Crosby, Gabriel Landeskog, James Reimer and Jonathan Toews speak out about how much they just love playing and they love the fans, when talking revenue and labor disputes, the fans don’t play much of a factor in the decision making. We’ve already heard semi-snide remarks from the Owner’s about how the fans aren’t even a thought in any of this, outside of being a dollar amount. It’s always good to know that the top players in the league aren’t money-hungry, greed hounds (Pens fans definitely know that about Crosby with how he handled his new contract), but fan support right now will not sway accounting numbers and general cost economics in the leagues.
The video below reinforces a lot of what we’ve already heard; “I’m just a player and all I want to do is play. Boardrooms and contract disputes are the absolute last things on our minds.” Check it out. You might as well considering it was made specifically for you to see. NHL Lockout.. Let the waiting game begin.
