

48 Game Misconduct

48 Game Misconduct

One Fan's Boycott of the 2012-13 National Hockey League Season

By Keith F. Shovlin

Copyright © 2015 by Keith F. Shovlin

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means—whether auditory, graphic, mechanical, or electronic—without written permission of both publisher and author, except in the case of brief excerpts used in critical articles and reviews. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this work is illegal and is punishable by law.

ISBN: 978-0-9859055-5-6

Special Thanks to those who made this book possible: Corey Parker,for editing. My loving wife Megan for her support and inspiration. My parents and older brothers for taking me to the rink.

Also by Keith F. Shovlin

Polk's Soliloquy

Life's Penance

### To all hockey fans
Forward

I went to my first hockey game when I was only a month old. For the early years of my life, I spent a lot of time in arenas, sometimes watching the games, sometimes playing in the arcade or around the vending machines. Being the youngest of three sons and the only one not to play hockey in school, there were a lot of times spent sitting behind the boards, watching the players fly by, skates slicing the ice bit by bit.

I would fall in and out of love with the game. There was a great fanaticism in me around my sixth-grade year. My Penguins had won back-to-back Stanley Cups and I got deeply interested in the history of the game. I wrote what could be considered my first book, a straight-up copy of the history of the NHL from the statistics book for 1993. It's the kind of wry reading that insomniacs would adore, but quite a project for my 11-year-old self. I was so hockey nuts that I even created my own fictional hockey league, the Professional Hockey League (PHL), with teams and logos inspired by past teams. This was, of course, a huge waste of time that didn't even take into consideration the minor leagues, with teams in many of the cities I had placed teams.

Then, for some reason, I fell out of love with hockey. I haven't thought about it for some time, but I just stopped caring. Perhaps it was after the saddening loss in the 1993 season to the New York Islanders, stopping the Penguins on their quest for a third-straight title. Perhaps it was the illnesses that soon seized team superstar Mario Lemieux. One thing that most likely had a significant effect was the first NHL lockout.

It's very easy to forget how much you love something when it is not around. You may miss it, but that feeling can be very distant, especially after considerable time has passed. You stop making time to sit down and watch a game. You miss out on regular trips to the arena to see the professionals play, or even catch them in practice at the local rink. You almost forget how to be a fan.

It was a long gap before I got back into hockey again, but I know the exact moment I did: December 27, 2000 at the Civic Arena (they may have renamed it Mellon Arena, but it was always the Civic to me). I was in section C20, row N, seat 2 for what was a Boy Scouts ticket night, which turned out to be so much more. It was the night he came back. It was the night Mario retook the ice. Since then, I've been hooked.

Now, 14 years later, I have been to dozens of games. Even though I moved into enemy territory and am forced to watch Washington Capitals games with regularity, I have not lost my love of the sport. I have watched the League expand, new players come and go, styles change, jerseys fade. I was a season ticket holder for a while in DC, with an 11-game pick 'em plan. I usually went to games where I could root against the Capitals, or cheer for the ice to open up and swallow whole the Craps and the opposing team. Over those years, I introduced several of my friends to the joy of seeing hockey live, and have now passed it along to my children.

I have three Penguins jerseys (a black "home" jersey, the light blue road jersey from 1967, and the current third/Winter Classic jersey), two Ducks jerseys (classic Mighty Ducks road and current Ducks road), an NHL All-Star jersey (from 2002, North America vs. the World), and several "game-worn" uncrested jerseys (Vancouver Canucks home and Colorado Avalanche home). Also in my collection is a 1980 USA Olympic team white jersey, a reproduction of the Charleston Chiefs jersey from the movie Slap Shot, and my own reproduction of the jersey worn by the Pittsburgh Pirates NHL franchise in 1925.

I detail all this not to make myself out to be a bigger fan than anyone else out there. I just want you to understand how deeply I love the game and its history. I am no fair-weather fan. That is why 2012-2013 was so tough for me.

I could live with losing half a season in the mid-90s. I was a pre-teen and was more interested in this new thing called the Internet. With the change happening in Pittsburgh at the time, the absence of hockey seems to have come at a low point for a lot of Pittsburgh sports. The Pittsburgh Pirates baseball club was only a season into what would become 20 years of losing. The Steelers football team lost to the Dallas Cowboys (the GD Dallas F*(&ing Cowboys) in the Super Bowl and almost seemed cursed to fall short of "one for the thumb."

When the 2004-05 lockout came, I was expecting it. I was in tune with what was happening, having seen it firsthand with the Penguins and the Capitals. Big-market teams were buying up the talent in free agency and the other teams couldn't compete. Rising salaries were leading to rising ticket prices, making it more difficult for the average fan to come out to the game. It all was coming to a head, and the leadership of the League and Players' Association were in such intractable positions that there was no way for there to be an amicable resolution to save the season.

I knew this was coming. I knew it when I watched the Tampa Bay Lightning face the Calgary Flames in the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals. With each game, I knew this would be my last hockey for some time. When the season was lost, I only hoped that the changes would be made to save the game. More importantly, that the spirit of the game be restored and everything would get back to normal.

The next eight years were splendid. I was overjoyed season after season (especially 2008-2009) and was glad to share it with everyone I could. Hockey was back. I love the shootout. It's been a joy to see all the new players and many of the new rules. The Penguins were saved again by Mario and live on, slicing through the NHL schedule like their blades on the ice. It was almost as if nothing could go wrong. But then it did.

I'm still quite certain that it was entirely avoidable. The deal reached in January 2013 to end the lockout that claimed half the season was identical to the projected deal sports analysts were reporting on five months before. It is unacceptable that we had to lose even a single minute of hockey for the minuscule changes brought in by the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

With all my faith in the game of hockey itself, I did what I thought was the most prudent move. I needed to let my frustrations be known, and, more importantly, wage some sort of protest against the NHL for denying me 34 regular-season games and over a dozen preseason games.

My plan was simple. I would not watch or attend a game for the whole of the lockout-shortened regular season. I would not buy a single piece of hockey memorabilia, gear, or other type of fan merchandise until it was over. I would gladly share my feelings with hockey fans far and wide and hope they would join me in my protest. After formulating my plan during the cold, dark winter months when no professional hockey was played in North America, I decided on my plan. I would do what so many of my generation do when they are perturbed and need to vent their frustrations. I would blog about it.

And so 48 Game Misconduct was born. I spent four months talking about my love of hockey and reviewing the good (and bad) that have come throughout its history. Once a week, I would select pictures from the week's games and add captions. I would share news, history, and fun about the game, all while avoiding watching any of it. Across over 140 posts, I succeeded.

Now I can look back and say that I did what I set out to do, and found a fair amount of support from the hockey community online. My captioned pics often had dozens of reblogs or likes. I grew to over 40 followers at one point and saw some of my memes show up elsewhere on the Internet. I lived without hockey, but never lost my fanaticism.

With several full and proper season now passed, I wanted to share anew my posts and information. This publication leaves out some things that just don't transfer. Fully understanding copyright and my limited use of certain items, a lot of the graphics, logos, and other pictures that adorned my blog are absent from this book. Where I could, I replaced them with pictures I myself took or descriptions and typed-out links for you to find it yourself. This is far less than what my blog was, but I feel it can be more. Now I have the passage of time to reflect and revisit some of what I wrote back in the heart of the matter. Now I can reconsider whether my protest was really worthwhile.

Enjoy the pages ahead. I'm sure not everyone will agree with some of my writings. I'm not sure if I even agree with all of them anymore. Some of my posts are still online at 48gamemisconduct.tumblr.com, including all of the graphics and posts from the playoffs and offseason. These posts here are the very essence of what I wanted to say. These are the most important posts, the foundation and structure of my love of hockey.

Game on.

Keith F. Shovlin
So it begins . . .

6 January 2013

On September 11, 2012, after it was abundantly clear the NHL would not start their season on time, I posted this message on my Facebook page:

"Ok, I've thought long and hard about this. If the NHL loses even a single game this season due to a lockout - I'm out. I will not go to a game this season. I will not buy any new memorabilia or clothing. I will sit out the whole season, even if they drop only one game, and I encourage others to do the same. We can't keep going through this yo-yo system every 8 years. It needs to stop, and someone needs to drop the puck. Game on."

I continued to reiterate my disgust and hatred as the lockout raged for several months. Then, finally, as the final deadline approached, a deal was reached. The season had been saved! Add to that, the league was considering a number of ways to improve the game and get fans interested again. I took this time again to comment on Facebook:

"Welcome back NHL. I hear that your plan to win back the fans is to add teams in Seattle and Quebec and expand the playoffs to 20 teams... Don't. Fix what's broken; don't paint over it. Regardless, I'm out for this season. I will not watch or attend a single game. See you next year. Game on."

I am a diehard Pittsburgh Penguins fan, and have been since the day I was born. I first visited an ice rink when I was a week old and have been going back every chance I get since. In the early 90s, I also latched on to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (now Anaheim Ducks). I have at least four Penguins jerseys, two Ducks jerseys, an NHL All-Star Game jersey, and several uncrested jerseys from other teams. I was a season ticket holder for three years until my plan was eliminated. I have attended at least one game a season for my entire life. NOT THIS YEAR.

So begins the penalty. The most severe penalty in hockey is the Game Misconduct, which usually follows a five-minute major for fighting. For the League, owners, and players, there should also be a penalty—48 games.

Over the course of the next four months I will comment on the 96 games I would have tried to watch (48 Penguins, 48 Ducks), plus (as a resident of the Washington, DC area) the occasional Capitals games I had a chance to watch or attend. With each, I will attempt to add a bit of trivia or other fun fact that reminds us all of a time when hockey players played the game for the love of the game, and owners owned teams because they were the biggest fans who could be found.

Have any contributions? Let me know. Think this is a bad idea? I guess you can do that, too. I had ended each of my Facebook posts with Game On, but in this case, Game Off.
Day 1: no games rescheduled

7 January 2013

So the NHL has followed up the glorious announcement of a deal with the players with ...

With ...

With?

(Crickets)

There are reports the games might start on January 19. Facebook and Twitter are overflowing with stories and pictures of players packing up their gear and heading back to the States. Some sports writers are even penning their post mortems for the lockout, such as one from SportsIllustrated.com.

But otherwise, five months of waiting are being followed by more waiting.

If there had been no lockout:

The Penguins would have 43 games left, the Ducks also with 43, and the Capitals 42. So a 48-game schedule will be squished into a timeframe that these teams previously would have had 38, 37, and 36 games, respectively.

Tonight the Capitals would face the Toronto Maple Leafs in Toronto at 7 p.m.
Playoffs staying at 16 teams

8 January 2013

The National Football League is the most popular sporting organization in America. It has 32 teams, at least one in every major city of note except Los Angeles. Of the 32, it sends 12 teams to the playoffs this year. Each round of the playoffs is one game.

Major League Baseball has a long and storied history in American popular culture. It currently has 32 teams, and as of last year it expanded the number of playoff teams from 8 to 10. The two wildcards play a one-game playoff before facing the #1 seed in a best of five. The Championship Series and World Series are 7 games.

The National Hockey League and National Basketball Association both have 30 teams, and both send 16 (!) teams to face off in a multiple-round, best-of-seven playoff. Each league has a season of 82 games (regularly) and is then followed by at least two months of playoffs. TWO MONTHS. The last game of the Stanley Cup Finals has been regularly played after Memorial Day for the past few years. Ice hockey ... in June.

I bring all this up because an idea was floated that the NHL could expand its playoffs to 20 teams as a way to win the fans back. I'm not exactly sure how 20 teams would work, perhaps using a sort of bye system like they do in baseball and football. But regardless, this is a horrible, no-good, very bad idea. And thankfully, it's dead.

From the words of NHL #2 Bill Daly in an email to Puck Daddy:

"No expansion of the Playoffs being contemplated for this year (and I don't think any is being contemplated beyond this year either)."

Finally some sanity! How do you preserve a level of competition when a full two-thirds of your league are making it into the playoffs? Please, to paraphrase the great Minnesota State Screaming Eagles Coach Hayden Fox: Bury this idea with a shovel, then bury the shovel.

If there had been no lockout:

Tonight on NBC Sports (formerly VS. [formerly OLN {formerly UHF 32}]), catch the Pittsburgh Penguins as they host the Tampa Bay Lightning at 7:00 p.m. Check your local listings as 20 teams are lacing up for games, including this marquee matchup: the Anaheim Ducks visit their cross-town rivals, the defending Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings, at 10:30!
Kovalchuk pulls a Morozov?

9 January 2013

In 2004, the NHL became the first professional sports league to lose an entire season to a labor impasse. Seasons have been lost before, mostly for more valid reasons such as war or disease. Never before over money. When the foreign players returned to their homelands, as they are welcome to do, they sometimes find themselves more comfortable back home.

This happened in 2004 with Alexei Morozov of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Morozov was a top-flight grinder. The kind of third-line player who made the big plays happen by setting them up with timely passing or key checks against the opponent's top line. Where Morozov truly shone was when the Penguins dropped the puck against the New Jersey Devils. Morozov hated the Devils. I don't know for certain if he actually hated them, but his actions imply some sort of vitriol. He was a Devil killer. Give him plenty of ice time and a few clear lanes of passing and he was guaranteed to notch a point or two (or three). During his last season with the Pens (the last pre-Crosby), he led all Penguins forwards in points.

When he left he joined Ak Bars Kazan of the KHL, where he broke out for huge seasons with all-time highs in goals and points. He reached a level of play that earned him top recognition in Russia, including being named Captain of the Russian National Team for 2007-2011. There remain no plans for him to ever return to the NHL.

I bring this up because it may be happening again. There are several Russian players who made some noise early in the lockout about not returning (cough* Ovechkin cough*), but most are now on their way back. Ilya Kovalchuk is another story, though. As of today, he has made no plans to leave Russia. The New Jersey Devils say that they have not been told that he is not returning. His agent claims that he may still return. If he doesn't, he would be one of the highest-profile casualties of the lockout. He is the highest-paid player on the Devils team and the key to their offense. I remind you that the Devils won the Eastern Conference last year, with Kovalchuk as a big part of that.

As a hockey fan, I hope Kovalchuk returns (and Morozov, too). He is a dynamic player who is a treat to watch with his impressive moves and stick work. As a Penguins fan, however, I remind him that home is where the heart is (but would still like Morozov back).

Tomorrow: The Fate of Gary Bettman

If there had been no Lockout

The Anaheim Ducks welcome Zach Parise, Ryan Suter, and the Minnesota Wild to the Honda Center at 10:00 p.m. while, in DC, the Battle of the Capitals plays out as the Washington Capitals host the Ottawa Senators at 7 p.m. I would love for Ottawa-Washington to become a top rivalry in the NHL. Our countries may be allies, but our hockey teams hate each other's guts? That's what sports are for.
Gary Bettman

10 January 2013

Gary Bettman was hired in 1993 as the first commissioner of the National Hockey League. Prior to Bettman, a president led the NHL. Also prior to Bettman, hockey was incredibly enjoyable to watch. To wit:

\- Oversaw the transition of the game away from tradition by changing the names of both conferences and divisions to geographic titles (that occasionally ignore geography).

\- Hard bargained the NHLPA into a half-season hockey strike in 1994/95. This is actually pretty devastating, as the NBA was in pretty bad shape at the time and the NHL was ripe to move into the #3 spot—it didn't.

\- Expanded the league several times to cities that never have ice naturally, so why on Earth would they have a professional ice hockey team?!

\- Expanded the playoffs so that each round would have seven games, meaning that the Stanley Cup Finals are played in June. JUNE!

\- After being brought in to improve the NHL's television contract (Hah!) oversaw the league getting booted from Fox (glowing puck!) and ESPN (replaced by poker) before landing at the Outdoor Life Network (now Versus NBC Sports).

\- Rather than lay the groundwork months ahead of time for a new labor agreement with a salary cap, put off discussions until it led to the NHL becoming THE FIRST PROFESSIONAL SPORTS LEAGUE TO LOSE A SEASON OVER LABOR ISSUES.

\- Lost an entire season, leaving a permanent scar on the Stanley Cup.

\- Continued to support questionable ownership, causing a quarter of the league to be teetering on the edge of insolvency.

\- Refuses to give up on Phoenix. Come on, man!

\- Knowing that it could happen again, willingly plunged forward with hostile negotiations against NHLPA, again resulting in a half-season labor stoppage.

Gary Bettman: NHL Commissioner for 20 years—but only 18 seasons.

I am going to say this succinctly and with some respect. Commissioner Bettman, retire. Take this labor agreement, put it in your little suitcase, and announce that this is your final season. When you present the Stanley Cup in June (JUNE!), let it be the last time you ever step foot inside a hockey arena for the rest of your life.

Tomorrow: It's all a fantasy (league)

If there had been no lockout

My teams take a breather, but check out the action elsewhere around the league:

  * The Montreal Canadiens host the Philadelphia Wah Flyers (stolen from Scott Paulsen)

  * The Hartford Whalers (sorry ... Carolina Hurricanes) host the New York Rangers

  * The Florida Panthers host the Toronto Maple Leafs (now decapitated)

  * The Dallas Stars host the Chicago Blackhawks

  * The San Jose Sharks host the GD Phoenix Coyotes

  * And the Minnesota Wild host the defending champion Los Angeles Kings

By the way, once the new schedule begins, I will only be able to refer to the originally scheduled games for the Penguins, Ducks, and Capitals, as those are the three I have on hand. I expect all evidence of the original schedule to be wiped from the Internet by next week.
Fantasy (League) Land

11 January 2013

There it was in my mailbox, that simple missive from Yahoo! Sports that usually comes each August or September, at least for the past six or seven years:

You have been invited to join [NAME OMITTED] league in Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Hockey, [NAME OMITTED] to manage the team called Flightless Birdies.

In order to join the league, follow the link above. We will send you a confirmation with further details once you have completed the registration process.

This year was going to be my year. Last season, I finished 6th in the regular season but rode a fresh-off-the-IR Sidney Crosby to a 3rd-place finish in the playoffs. With some success, and a little more attention to second- and third-liners, I could win it all.

But alas, now that the calendar has slipped to January and a new year is upon us, I feel betrayed by the league, and will skip my trip to fantasyland. I'm sure my employers will be happy that I will spend less of my time worrying about lineups. My wife will also enjoy that I won't be checking stats and standings, sometimes rooting for both teams on the ice because I have both of the goalies.

This is what hockey meant to me. I had my teams through thick and thin, and then I loved following the players, too. I love this game. But the NHL took it away from me, and I'm not going to let them back in so easily.

If there was no lockout

A battle for my hockey-loving soul! The Pittsburgh Penguins go west to face the Anaheim Ducks tonight at 10 p.m. See how the Finnish Flash does against El Sid. As a yinzer thru and thru, I am a 'Guins fan first, but either way this game ends, I'm happy.

Also on the docket, a Southeast Division showdown as the Washington Crapitals travel south to face the Tampa Bay Lightning at 7:30 p.m.
Cutting the cord

14 January 2013

So the training camps are now open, the lockout officially ended Saturday night, and the new schedules are out. I haven't looked at any of them, and am not planning to. As of today, I am completely cutting the cord. Every day I check my online news sites, with Sports Illustrated being my preferred sports site. As of today, I will not be clicking on the NHL page until this season is over. I'm breaking free, prepared to devote my time to something else. What little hockey news I do get would come in the way of huge stories in the Washington Post, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, on Facebook, Sports Illustrated, or from friends and family.

As I move forward with this blog, I must find a way to keep relevant while also ignoring this travesty of a season. It's a travesty that we should have to settle for only 48 games of the best sports competition on ice. It's a travesty that the "everyone plays everybody else" model had to be thrown out the window to accommodate the shortened timeframe. It's a travesty that certain players are already making it known that they are retiring because of the long layoff since they last played. It's a travesty that new coaches and veteran coaches alike only have a week to put together their teams before the real action begins.

There are so many ways that this season is a travesty that I can go on for weeks. So I will; see you tomorrow.

If there had been no lockout

It's getting harder and harder to find the original schedule as the NHL and the several media organizations are switching over to the abbreviated atrocity. Luckily I still found some of it. My two teams and the local team take a breather this evening, leaving me to pick between these three games for my hockey fix:

  * The Colorado Rockies Avalanche host the Dallas Lone Stars

  * The Edmonton Oilers host the San Jose Sharks

  * The defending champion Los Angeles Kings host the GD Phoenix Coyotes.

Thank You?

16 January 2013

I was preparing to write today's post about my schedule going forward. I want to make it so this blog is a proper forum for my love of hockey and utter disgust with the current leadership of the National Hockey League. I was having difficulty coming up with a plan, purely because I need to have limits, as well as write to the level I feel is necessary. I was stuck, but then I got this email:

Thank You?

When the NHL came back from the last lockout, they added, "Thank You, Fans!" in each of the zones. Most teams kept it through the season. Some even made it into the year after. In reality, it never should have left. For teams that continually raise prices on tickets, concessions, and memorabilia. For teams that routinely fail to compete year after year. For a league that felt so little for their fans that they deprived us of an entire season. Writing, "Thank You, Fans!" on the ice should be the norm, not the exception.

So now many teams are taking extra steps to thank the fans for coming back this time around. The Caps are having this event on Saturday. The Penguins are offering certain items at the concessions stands for free. The Tampa Bay Lightning are offering a special, be one of 20 to buy a season ticket package, get it for $200 (I'm sure that goes over well with all of their season ticket holders who merely rolled over their old package).

The CBC's Eliotte Friedman wrote in late October that there were three groups of owners, the smallest being the hardliners:

There are several who would rather cancel the season than accept a bad deal because they are hemorrhaging money and need immediate satisfaction.

While the players believe Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs is calling the shots, an educated guess at the final group includes but may not be limited to Anaheim, Columbus, Florida, the Islanders, Phoenix, St. Louis, Washington and Dallas — enough to block any agreement from getting done (It's tough to lock it down because owners are forbidden to discuss this stuff. Attempts to talk to a couple were politely shot down).

This group is the biggest challenge for both the commissioner and the players.

The inclusion of some of the teams on this list is explainable (they are the ones I mentioned above that chronically underperform). The Blues have a new owner, so there is some learning curve there. But the Bruins and the Capitals? The Bruins won the cup just two years ago, and the Caps have been threatening since the last lockout with the high-caliber players they put on the ice.

To hear that Leonsis was one of the hardliners makes me pay a little more attention to how he tries to win back his fans. I understand the Wizards, which he just purchased two years ago, are not doing well and hemorrhaging cash, but I went to games at the MCI Verizon Center for $10 and moved down to the front row of the balcony during the second period. Those days are long gone since the Ovenchicken has taken the ice.

Leonsis has a problem with contract length? Why did he sign Ovechkin to a 13-year contract? Please.

I expect better. I expect more. At this rate, I may never be a season ticket holder for the C(r)aps again. At least as long as Leonsis continues to call the shots.

Tomorrow ... the plan for going forward.

If there had been no lockout

Tonight in the wide, wide world of sports on ice:

  * The Nashville Predators host the Dallas Stars

  * The Detroit Red Wings travel to face the GD Phoenix Coyotes

  * The Calgary Flames host the San Jose Sharks

  * The Hartford Whalers Carolina Hurricanes visit the Florida Panthers

  * The Washington Capitals host the Vancouver Canucks

  * The Buffalo Sabres sneak across the border to face the Ottawa Senators

That's all I can find. BTW, there seems to be no great loss for NBC. Their NBC Sports channel (formerly VS, or OLN, or UHF 163) lost some revenue, but the main channel wasn't to launch their Game of the Week until this coming Sunday. Funny how that worked out, huh?
Delay of Game

17 January 2013

On occasion, I may have to take off a day or so. Today is one of those days; my daughter was sick and kept me busy all day long. Check back tomorrow.
After much delay . . .

18 January 2013

The plan for going forward. I won't be watching any of the 48-game atrocity that starts this Saturday, but after Saturday, I will count down the number of games remaining in this 48 Game Misconduct penalty. Here's how I am planning to fill the time:

Mondays: The Best of the NHL—Teams/Cities/Arenas

Across the few short weeks of this repugnant season I will look at some of the best franchises, arenas, and cities that have graced the ice over the NHL's storied history.

Tuesdays: The Best of the NHL—Look and Feel

While Mondays will talk up the franchise or home, Tuesday is for the aesthetics. Logos, jerseys, gear, and rules will come under the lights. Feel free to write in with your own thoughts as we look at some of what makes this game so appealing.

Wednesdays: The Worst of the NHL—the other side of the coin

You have to take the good with the bad, so Wednesdays will highlight the worst the NHL has to offer (besides the lockouts; we've covered that). Submissions are always welcome, whether they be the ugliest sweaters, worst team, worst city (ahem, Phoenix), or arena to ever host an NHL game.

Thursdays: The Rant

For the past two weeks, I have mostly been ranting, as I am wont to do from time to time. The remaining time of this blog, I will attempt to keep these rants, which are occasionally of considerable length, in the box until Thursday. I do reserve the right to interject at any other point within the week, though.

Fridays: Flashbacks and Funnies

I did a taste of this last week by adding the link to a Mental Floss article on hockey pucks. Expect more of the same, plus embedded clips of classic hockey, the way it was meant to be played.

Saturdays: Pics and Quips

Did you like the graphics I put together last week? How about the ones I shared from other blogs? Expect more of that each Saturday, hopefully pulled from SI's unusual pics of the week. I am also willing to share anything that befits the nature of this blog.

Sundays: I rest

Hey, you have to sometime.

So that's it. I'll try to keep the schedule for the next few weeks. Of course, it all goes out the window once the season ends, but as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end.

Tomorrow ... Flashbacks and Funnies

If there had been no lockout

It's a hockey night in Canada as the Anaheim Ducks quack their way across the border to face the Calgary Flames. It's a shorter trip for the Washington Crapitals as they drive up I-95 to play the Wah Wah Philly Flyers.

If the NHL had realigned for this season as Bettman had planned, these games might have extreme playoff implications. But instead, they only help the overall totals in conference, since neither matchup is interdivision.
Monday—Best of the NHL

22 January 2013

It should be no surprise that I chose for my first Best of the NHL (Team/City/Arena):

The Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, PA

It opened in 1962 as the home of Pittsburgh's Civic Light Opera, hence the name. It was the first sports arena in the world with a retractable roof. When fully opened, seven of its eight panels would retract into the final one, revealing the entire place to the city around. In my time, the machinery had grown too old, the cost too great, and the seating too high, to open more than a single piece. The last time I remember seeing it was in the gawd-awful "Sudden Death" starring Jeanne Claude Van Damme.

Its first professional hockey game was a loss by the expansion Pittsburgh Penguins to the Montreal Canadiens. Its final game was a game 7 playoff loss by the marquee Pittsburgh Penguins to the, you guessed it, Montreal Canadiens. During its 45 years of NHL service, it saw the good and bad. It saw the rise of a French-Canadian kid, and the collapse of that team when that kid had to step away. It survived against all odds to see a new kid named Crosby come to town.

It hosted four Stanley Cup Finals, but through all four, the only one where the Cup actually came out of its box was to be given to the Detroit Red Wings, who quickly dashed out of town. The greats all played there: Lemieux and Crosby, Francis and Coffey, Jagr and Straka, Kovalev and Malkin, and, from the visitors, Gretzky and Messier, Fuhr and Roy, Brodeur and Dryden, Ovechkin and Kovalchuk, and on and on and on.

My first trip to the Civic Arena was to see a production of Sesame Street on Ice when I was very young. I was told later that I threw up. From then on, my family had nicknamed it the "Sick" Arena. I have seen so many games there, and not just the Penguins. My brothers both played high school hockey and led their teams to the playoffs in the Arena several times. I was young enough that I could sneak down to the locker rooms without getting into too much trouble. There were very few places in that arena that a regular Joe like me could go that I hadn't been to at least once.

Now the Civic Arena is gone. The name disappeared for a few years, yes, becoming the Mellon Arena, until the Pens moved across the street. (It was still the Civic or "Sick" Arena to my family and me). But now it is really gone.

http://penguins.nhl.com/ext/html/webcam4.html

As Joni Mitchell wrote: "They paved paradise, and put up a parking lot."

Last time seeing it before it was gone (thanks to Rob Joswiak for the photo):

One piece of solace: I have two ornaments made from the steel that made up the roof of the Arena, and a bottle of the melted ice from the final game. That's how much I loved the Igloo.

Tomorrow ... Best of the NHL: Jerseys/Logos/Rules

If there had been no lockout

The Calgary Flames burn across the border to play the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Goal Mine at 7 while the Ducks head the other way, taking on the Vancouver Canucks at 10. The Washington Crapitals take on interdivision rival (and the latest team to knock them off their hobby horse) Florida Sunrise Panthers down where it stays so warm there never is ice.
Best of the NHL—Logos

23 January 2013

This was a tough one, trying to pick. It became so difficult I thought I would look at it in three different ways.

The Best Current NHL Team Logo: Winnipeg Jets

It's strong, authoritative and sets the team apart from the Jets of old. The best part of it is that it is based on the actual Canadian Air Force logo. An excellent choice and my current favorite.

The Best Current NHL Alternate Logo: St. Louis Blues

You can't go wrong with the Arch. It's a shame that it has taken the Blues so long to include it in one of their logo designs. Featured mainly on their third jersey, it unites the best of St. Louis with the most common visual when anyone thinks of the Gateway to the West.

The Best Classic Logo: Hartford Whalers

Just a perfectly designed logo. It has the H, the W, and the tail. It perfectly symbolized what was a great hockey franchise.

All of these logos were copied from the excellent sports logo site: Chris Creamer's SportsLogos.net

Tomorrow ... The Worst of the NHL—Jerseys

If there had been no lockout

On the last night before the All-Star break, the capital cities face off again as the Washington Crapitals host the Ottawa Senators at 7 p.m.
Worst of the NHL—Jerseys & Holding the Stick

24 January 2013

I wanted to give a range of items this week, rather than just do good logos and bad logos. I'll get to bad logos in a couple weeks. Since Worst of the NHL will only be one day, I'll try to cover two things: Today: worst jerseys and one of the worst penalties.

Worst Current Jersey: Nashville Predators Home

Thanks again to SportsLogos.net for the graphics. This extreme yellow jersey just doesn't work. It's mainly the color scheme. It reminds me a little too much of Cub Scouts, but with the colors reversed.

Worst Alternate Jersey: Tampa Bay Lightning

It's nice when your team has multiple nicknames. It's weird when you put one of them across the front of a jersey (BOLTS!). Plus, having Tampa Bay on the bottom edge of the back: just awful.

Worst Classic Jersey: Vancouver Canucks

The gold, black, and red V was their home jersey for nearly 10 years, with minor alterations. The away jersey was just as bad, with the black and yellow reversed. It looks like an ill-fitting sweater. Plus, the arrow kind of draws the eyes where you don't want them to go.

Worst Classic Alternate Jersey: Mighty Ducks of Anaheim

Alternate jerseys have only been around the past 20 years, so you don't have to look back too far to find a bad one, and this one is it.

You have a cartoon duck in a regular Ducks uniform jumping out of the ice. Real hockey players wore this. On the ice. In front of people. People who paid to see them.

Worst Penalty: Holding the Stick

You can make an argument for any penalty here. Delay of Game is a recent favorite, since it can be highly suspect whether someone deliberately sends the puck into the stands. My problem with Holding the Stick is that it's usually called on the most mundane of occurrences. In some cases, I'm sure players have purposely stuck their sticks underneath an opponent's arm so that they could draw the penalty. Seeing this penalty called, especially if very few infractions have occurred, is beyond disappointing. It's like offensive pass interference when the player didn't even catch the ball, or an outfield ump making a call on the infield fly rule. It doesn't seem worth the penalty.

Tomorrow ... Thursday's Rant

If there had been no lockout

The best of the NHL are on their way to Columbus, Ohio for the 60th All-Star Game. As with last year, the NHL names two captains and they get to pick their respective teams. The draft will be held on Friday, the 25th. Saturday night is the skills competition and the game will be Sunday, with the NHL Futures game in the morning.
Thursday's Rant

25 January 2013

I've been doing some cleaning lately and came upon the letter I received from the NHL about the last lockout. Since I just used a copy of the new letter that was printed in various newspapers for a graphic, I thought I might find several similarities between the two. After all, it's a letter you hope not to have to write again, so why write it twice?

The letter from eight years ago was conciliatory. They stressed that they too were unhappy that an entire season was lost over acrimony. It states:

"While it may be said that the greatness of hockey, and the NHL, is best measured by the character and tenaciousness of its players, I would add that the greatness of our game is also reflected by the character and tenaciousness of you, one of our fans."

Besides the point that this letter must not have been sent to anyone in Philadelphia, this letter was an excellent mea culpa, part of a larger campaign of winning back the fans. I mentioned before how the second step was writing "Thank You, Fans!" on the ice. They also started the season with all 30 teams playing, and each fan in attendance got a miniature Stanley Cup. Plus, the shootout.

These were all positive steps from a league that was pulling itself off the mat. Now how does the letter from yesteryear compare to the letter today?

"As your teams prepare for the opening face-off of the 2012-13 season, we thank you for your patience and we apologize to you for the time we've missed. From today forward, we will do everything we can to make this season worth the wait."

While the first letter was over the top in apology and explaining the situation for absolute clarity, the new letter is pretty much "rah, rah, sis boom bah!" Now I understand the two lockouts are very different. We didn't lose a whole season this time, but we were still robbed of a game that we love for far too long.

In the old letter, they note that the negotiations only went on as long as they had to, as the complexity of the transition to a capped system was so daunting. In the new letter, they seemed to be saying "who cares how long it took, let's play some hockey!"

The most telling difference is in the signature. The letter from eight years ago was signed "Sincerely, Gary B. Bettman." The one that appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country, going out to a much larger audience, was signed: "With respect and appreciation, The National Hockey League." So eight years ago, the Commissioner personally took responsibility and apologized to the fans in a letter. Today, the faceless "National Hockey League" sends a message not of atonement but of revelry.

I want the league to atone. I want the league to realize they robbed us of something we hold dear. I want the owners to have personally signed (perhaps in a non-reproducible signature) letters published in each city that has been robbed of the jobs, tax revenue, and entertainment this sport provides. This lockout hurt people, not just the players who sat at home or went to Russia. Restaurants and transit lines, taxi drivers and street sweepers, the arena staffs and concession workers all felt the pinch of four and a half months of being locked out.

Where is the apology for them? Where is the sense that a colossal wrong has occurred? I know that sports are merely entertainment and really should have no major bearing in my life, but they have a huge bearing on those people's lives. Some restaurants most likely closed because they didn't have pre- or post-game crowds. It may be years until we realize how much it cost the cities, states, and larger economies to not have skates on the ice. Over what? The final deal looks almost exactly like the speculation over what the final deal would look like.

They got to 50/50 on revenue. They got to a middle ground on contract length. Past contracts are being grandfathered in and teams can write off certain bad contracts. We knew this was what the CBA was going to be four months ago. Why did it take so long for the League and the players to realize that, too?

45 games remaining ...
Best of the NHL—Cities

29 January 2013

When looking at the best city to host an NHL team, it's easy to rule out certain cities over others. Some cities have at times hosted two (or even three) teams and prospered. This would be a very short post if I made it just the best NHL city, so I broke it down by era:

Original Six City: Montreal

Runner-Up: Toronto

Want to know how much of a hockey city Montreal is? The Montreal Amateur Athletic Association was the first team to win the Stanley Cup in 1893. The Montreal Canadiens have won the Cup an astounding 24 times. The city itself has seen the Cup raised 39 times. 39. That's more Cups than the rest of the original six combined! Well, just barely.

The first years of the NHL, Montreal had two teams, the Canadiens and the Wanderers. The Wanderers only dropped out because their arena was destroyed in a fire. Later, in the 1920s, the NHL expanded to add a second team, the Montreal Maroons. The Great Depression caused the Maroons to falter, suspending play in 1938. Despite efforts to revive the team, it officially folded in 1947.

Today, the Montreal Canadiens are one of the most storied teams in all of professional sports, and the city of Montreal, though smaller than many of its NHL competitors, will never see the demise of Les Habitants (also the best nickname for an NHL franchise).

Expansion-Era City: Pittsburgh

Runner-Up: Philadelphia

Yes, I'm a homer. Get over it. Pittsburgh is a city that lives and dies with its sports teams. When I was growing up, the Steelers were declining and the Pirates were good, but the Penguins were on the rise. When the Pirates began their two decades of ignominy, the Penguins leapt into the hearts of the fans, needing something to watch the six days of the week the Steelers weren't playing for 16 weeks a year, plus.

As the Penguins did better, with Lemieux, Coffey, Francis, Jagr, Straka, Kovalev and others, the Pirates seasons seemed to get shorter and shorter. We regularly watched hockey until May with the playoffs. The Steelers hit training camp in August, leaving the Pirates only June and July to keep the city entertained.

I know the city almost lost the Penguins three times, first before they drafted Lemieux, again before they drafted Crosby, and again because of the casino issue. This was never for lack of fan excitement.

(I gave Philadelphia runner-up status here because that city's fans are just nucking futs.)

Modern NHL City: Winnipeg/St. Paul (Tie)

I couldn't choose between these two cities, which both saw the return of hockey this century after the unfair loss of their teams in the '90s. The Stars had no business leaving Minnesota for Dallas. (Dallas?!) And one of the biggest mistakes in NHL history (not bigger than the lockout) has been allowing the city of Winnipeg to lose their beloved Jets to Phoenix. PHOENIX!

So now the NHL has returned the expansion Wild to Minnesota in 2002 and the transfer of the Atlanta Thrashers as the reborn Jets in 2011. (Really, Atlanta? Two teams, both lost to Canadian cities. Time to give it up.) With skates back on the ice, the fans have responded, selling out every game for each team since they came back. EVERY GAME. Even now, after an unholy atrocity robbed them of half a season, they are still there for each and every drop of the puck.

Those are cities that know the suffering of having lost something they loved so dearly. So now they are out to prove that if there is hockey to be played, they will be there.

Tomorrow ... Best of the NHL—Rules

If there had been no lockout

Congrats to all the competitors in last night's All-Star Game in Columbus, Ohio. After one additional day off, all the teams will be back to their regular schedules tomorrow.

43 Games Remaining ...
Best of the NHL—Jerseys

30 January 2013

To partner with last week's worst, here are the best sweaters in the NHL:

Best Current Jersey:  Montreal Canadiens Home

Simple. Classy. It has adorned great players for Les Habitants for generations. Even when they trotted out past jerseys during their centennial celebration (yes, the team is over 100 years old), this one was still the best.

(Winnipeg Jets Road Runner-Up)

Best Current Alternate Jersey:  Minnesota Wild

I love the colors. I love the script. I love the tie. I love everything about this jersey, except, maybe, the team.

 (Columbus Blue Jackets Runner-Up)

Best Classic Jersey:  Vancouver Canucks 1970-78

Compared to the monstrosity that followed it, this jersey (and logo) is a work of art. I'm glad the team has decided to bring back the classic logo lately.

(New Jersey Devils Road 1982-1992 Runner-Up)

Best Classic Alternate Jersey:  Ottawa Senators 2000-2007

The logo may not have been the best, though better than the current iteration. The key to why this jersey rocks is the gold line with the black chevrons. Classy.

(Mighty Ducks of Anaheim 2003-2005  Runner-Up)

Tomorrow ... Worst NHL city and gear

If there had been no lockout

It's time again for the Crapitals to go north of the border to storm the streets of Ottawa for a capital city clash for the ages. Meanwhile, the Penguins head for Long Island for one of their final clashes at the dilapidated pit that is the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

42 games remaining ...
Worst of the NHL—City and Gear

31 January 2013

Following two days of the best, here's your double dose of the worst:

Worst City in the NHL: Glendale, AZ

This is nothing against what I am sure are good people in Glendale, Arizona. It's just that you should not have a professional hockey team. You should not have had to shell out the money to build a state-of-the-art ice rink in the middle of the desert. You shouldn't have to put up with the team playing in your town but calling itself the Phoenix Coyotes. You shouldn't have to pay the NHL $25 million each season to keep the team. You should never have had the team in the first place.

I can understand spreading hockey to new markets, trying to build new fan bases. Fine. Go at it. Denver was a misstep in the '70s but it has worked this time around, great. Dallas works for some reason, good. Snowbirds in Florida can actually support two teams? Fine. Just proves that Reg Dunlap was right all along. But why does Phoenix have a team and not Seattle? Why did a strong fan base in Winnipeg have to lose their team to the desert, of all places?

Your team has had three owners since it moved, and is currently owned by the NHL itself. Every election swings on whether your candidates will or won't support the future of the team. Possible owners have come and gone as your city leaders have tried to negotiate a fair deal for your city. You're not going to get a fair deal, Glendale. Even if the team does change their name to the Arizona Coyotes, that is still not fair to you. You're going to be stuck with that big, empty building, just as Kansas City is stuck with the Sprint Center.

Enjoy hockey while you have it. Maybe in the future a fine AHL team will take hold and call itself the Glendale Coyotes. But you shouldn't have an NHL team. Not now. Not ever.

(Additional: What do you know? I post this and less than an hour later, catch this on ESPN: http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/8898939/greg-jamison-main-suitor-phoenix-coyotes-produce-capital-purcahse-team-according-sources )

Worst Required Gear: Jersey Straps

The main reason I dislike the straps is that they keep the jersey tethered to a player's equipment: I suggest you visit YouTube for Messrs. Chelios and Jackson.

Tomorrow ... A Frickin' GroupOn! (Thursday's Rant)

If there had been no lockout

The Ducks of Anaheim return from the All-Star break to host the Nashville Predators at the Honda Center at 10 p.m. EST.
Best of the nhl—franchises

4 February 2013

First of all, thank you to everyone who has stopped to check out this blog this weekend. Between the DiPietro pic, Gretzky, and the classic hockey shot, we had over 40 likes and reblogs. Makes me wonder if I should cut back on the entries and do more graphics. Feel free to comment on that below.

Second, I would like to take a moment to explain why the entries have been posted later in the evening in the past few weeks. Due to a recent software upgrade, Tumblr now requires a newer version of Java than I have installed on my work computer. Since I work on a closed system, I am not allowed to upgrade, so I am now unable to update this blog while at work. Once I get home, the earliest I can get to this is much later in the evening.

Now on to the regularly scheduled entry: Best of the NHL—Franchises

Best Franchise: Detroit Red Wings

I know that I've been pretty outspoken on my respect for the Montreal Canadiens, but today I need to pay homage to the most successful American ice hockey franchise. For all of the Canadiens success, they did it mostly with favorable policies, such as first dibs on any French Canadian players well into the 1960s.

The reason I selected Detroit is because of the example they continue to set by building through the draft, nurturing their talent, signing their players to sensible contracts, and engaging their fan base. They have built a solid core of talent frequently, understanding the ebb and flow a franchise may go through.

Yes, there was the 15-year "Dead Wing" era, but since then, the residents of "Hockeytown" have enjoyed their team's success, leading all American NHL teams with 11 Stanley Cups. Like them or not, the ownership (Mike Ilitch) and management (current GM Ken Holland) have been a class act, and they are an example the rest of the NHL can follow.

Why I ruled out the Anaheim Ducks, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Montreal Canadiens:

The Ducks have been fun to watch and have come up with a solid formula of defense-first, strong, fundamental hockey. They are a team built for the playoffs. They just need to survive the regular season first. They would be a model franchise except for the fact that they are not yet 20 years old and the current ownership is less than ideal.

The Penguins are my favorite team in all of professional sports. The key to them being the best has been drafting cornerstone players who have become a part of the community. At least in my lifetime. Before they drafted Mario Lemieux, they were one of the worst franchises in the league. Even after the arrival of Le Magnifique, the team was constantly on shaky ownership ground, until, unsurprisingly, Lemieux himself stepped in and provided stability in the one part of the franchise it didn't previously have. There has been too much disappointment in Penguins history for them to be a consistent model.

The Canadiens, what can I say? Right now, they kind of suck. They celebrated their centennial season with special jerseys and events, but with one of the worst performances on the ice. They've signed big free agents past their prime. They've failed in the draft, and their coaching has been atrocious. I hope to see them improve, but honestly am not sure when.

Tomorrow ... Best of the NHL—Penalties

If there had been no lockout

It's a quiet night around the league as the Crapitals, Penguins, and Ducks all have the night off. If I could find the rest of the schedule I would have something to post.

39 games remaining ...
Best of the NHL—Penalties

5 February 2013

Thanks again to all of the followers and the people who have liked and reblogged my posts. Please feel free to comment or contact me on twitter @48gamelockout if you would like to see something else or have something you would like to add. I would welcome anyone who wished to add more content to this blog. And now ...

Best Penalty in the NHL: the Fighting Major

One of the single best things about professional hockey is that two players can duke it out, on the ice, then take five minutes to cool off surrounded by 20,000 screaming fans. I love the fighting major.

Now, to be specific, I like a traditional fight and its consequences. I don't like seeing players being rammed into the ice, like Steve Moore, or railed against the side of a window, or even boarded in any way. If there is a fight, it's two players, squaring up, evenly matched. Yes, one of them is going to lose. Sometimes laughably so (DiPietro v. Johnson comes to mind). But it is fair.

There are so few things in professional sports that are fair. Why is it fair that bench players who get maybe two minutes of ice time on the second-line penalty kill get paid more in a season than I do in a decade? The same goes for bench players in baseball, and the practice squad in football. I know they serve a purpose and are ready if injury strikes, but do they really deserve that kind of money?

But bringing it back to fighting. There have been good fights and bad fights. There have been fights that continued even after the players have been sent to their boxes to feel shame. There have been fights that continued across whole off-seasons. Ever seen a fight at a baseball game? It's a joke most of the time, and the umps break it up far too soon. How about a fight at a football game? Just a shoving match.

Now I'm sure there are quite a few people out there who disagree with me here (ahem, Damien Cox, ahem). But I leave with the words of John Ondrasik of the band Five for Fighting:

 http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/john_ondrasik/09/27/gone.goons/index.html

Tomorrow ... Worst of the NHL—Logos and Arena

If there had been no lockout

Look out, good people of Pittsburgh; the Devils are in town, at the Goal Mine at 7 p.m. The Crapitals take it on the road as they visit the retirement community in Sunrise, Florida to play the Panthers at 7:30. (7:30? Whatever.) The Anaheim Ducks are not as out west as usual as they travel to Dallas to face the Stars at 8:30.

38 games remaining ...
Worst of the Game—Logos and Arena

6 February 2013

Following two days of good, it's a double dose of the bad:

Worst Current Logo: Tampa Bay Lightning

It's just too simple, too pedestrian compared to the other shields that grace an NHL sweater. One color and only two parts makes it seem like a connect-the-dots drawing.

Worst Current Alternate Logo: Buffalo Sabres

I know this was the main logo for a short while, but it's technically the current alternate, for good reason. It's just plain awful. What were they thinking when they approved this logo?

Worst Classic Logo: Phoenix Coyotes (1996-2003)

OK, not exactly a classic logo, but still pitiful. It's hockey by Picasso. The lines are too awkward. The coyote looks like it is completely insane, which is fitting since putting a professional hockey team in the desert is completely insane.

Worst Classic Alternate Logo: Boston Bruins (1976-1995)

There have been some bad logos in hockey, and some bad ones out of Boston, but this one just looks atrocious. They obviously wanted it to look fierce, but also use the team colors. So we get this yellow and black bear with crazy jagged eyes that wants to eat you.

Worst Current Arena: Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY

It is an incredible shame that the New York Islanders have been forced to play their entire existence in this poor excuse for a professional sports arena. The fact that it hosted four Stanley Cup championships is astounding, but, of course, that was in the early '80s. It was originally built for the Islanders as well as the New York Nets and will soon be (finally!) abandoned. Interestingly, the Nets left for New Jersey and now play in Brooklyn in the Barclays Center. In New Jersey, they shared space with the Devils, and the Barclays Center was to be their first home built just for them, but now the Islanders are moving in. Back to the way it was in the '70s.

The building is now over 40 years old and can only seat 16,297 people. Want to know something else outstanding? It only has 153 club seats. 153. There are sections at the Verizon Center in the club section that have more seats than that.

Now, here's how bad this stadium truly is: the Isles moved out in 1998 and were ordered to return by the New York State Supreme Court. In September 1998, the Isles spent two weeks as nomads before the court ruled the arena was indeed safe.

Well, two more years remain before this building is left to rot. If all the horror stories of its construction are true, it should only take a single swing of a hammer to take it down.

Tomorrow ... Rant On

If there had been no lockout

Another quiet night on the original NHL schedule. I really need to find some more of the lost schedule.

39 games remaining ...

Best of the NHL—Classic Arena

11 February 2013

Again, thank you for the over 50 reblogs and likes of the graphics on Saturday. I did an extra one plus added the tag so I could follow the pics' travel through the internet (and retain some credit). As I return to my weekday postings, I realized I only covered one excellent arena when I started Best of the NHL a few weeks ago. The Civic Arena was a place out of time, and on my mind at the moment, hence its coverage. Today I take a closer look at the best classic NHL arena.

I did slightly more exhaustive research for this one, since some of the best were gone before my father was even born. After consulting fan lists and Bleacher Report and other sources of conjecture and praise, I give you ...

The Best Classic Arena in the NHL: Maple Leaf Gardens

It's easy just to say the Forum. Maybe Madison Square Garden (not the current one). I immediately ruled out the Boston Garden. But just look at this building. It hosted the Maple Leafs for 68 years. It saw a 53-year sellout streak. Every square inch of the building oozes hockey history and lore. Yes, the Forum hosted far more Stanley Cups, but the key to making the Forum great was the fans filling the seats. Maple Leaf Gardens is epic on its own.

When looking at the myriad past arenas that have graced the sharpened skates of NHL greats, this one stands out not only because it is beautiful, but also because it is still standing. As of 2012, it is the home athletics complex of Ryerson University and still hosts many events, including an NHLPA charity game during the Great Unpleasantness that just passed.

The Maple Leaf Gardens was a gem of the league and should not be forgotten.

P.S. My favorite bit of trivia: the first ever game was a loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. The last ever game was a loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. The rink and pucks aren't the only things in hockey that are circular.

Some links on Maple Leaf Gardens:

  *  http://hockey.ballparks.com/NHL/TorontoMapleLeafs/index.htm

  * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maple_Leaf_Gardens

Tomorrow ... Best of the NHL—Team Colors

If there had been no lockout

The Pens, Ducks, and Craps are off, but luckily I tracked down some more schedules from the season that wasn't:

  * The GD Phoenix Coyotes return to Winnipeg to face the reborn Jets at 6 p.m. Phoenix time.

  * The Vancouver Canucks host the Minnesota Wild at 10 p.m.

  * The Dallas Stars head north to face the Flames in Calgary at 9 p.m.

35 games remaining ...
Best of the NHL—Team Colors

12 February 2013

I know you've probably noticed something about these entries, the best and worst of the NHL. Through two months of posting, I have yet to comment on players. There are a couple reasons for that:

  * I blame the lockout primarily on the owners and the league, so I tend to focus on league or team history.

  * I wasn't sure if I wanted to wade into the far more contentious player debate.

I may do that in the weeks to come, especially as I run out of other topics, but for now, back to the ephemeral:

Best Team Colors in the NHL: The Chicago Blackhawks

The heart of the Blackhawks colors is red. Its current home sweater is solid red, and it has been a constant throughout the team's existence. Black and white, the standard of nearly every team in the league, help counter, but the true counter color is a rich yellow, almost gold.

The reason I chose Chicago over several other teams that use these is because of the diversity of color in the logo. Many teams have logos that are monochromatic, or try to simplify to only the primary team colors. The Blackhawks have always had an array of colors on display. From the slightly different shade of black in the hair to the splash of color in the feathers to the skin color of the warrior with his slight smile, it is a fantastic tableau of color.

Runner-Up: Minnesota Wild (I just really love that green)

Tomorrow ... Worst of the NHL—Classic Arena and Owner

If there had been no lockout

  * The Pens host the Wah Wah Philly Flyers at the Goal Mine at 7.

  * The Ducks and Craps are resting for their epic battle tomorrow.

  * The GD Phoenix Coyotes travel to Chicago to take on the Blackhawks at 8:30 p.m.

  * The Toronto Maple Leafs visit division rival Boston at 7 p.m.

  * The Nashville Predators welcome the Florida Sunrise Panthers at 7 p.m.

  * The Dallas Stars continue their trans-Canada tour with a stop in Edmonton to face the Oilers at 8:30 p.m.

Worst on Wednesday—Classic Arena and Team Owner

13 February 2013

Following up on two days of the best, here is your double dose of the worst:

Worst Classic Arena: The Capitals Centre, Landover, MD

It may not have been a dump, but it certainly wasn't a shrine to the gods of hockey. It was not an easy place to play hockey. The fans were never really electric, and its biggest negative: it was in the middle of a parking lot in Landover, Maryland. Too far from Baltimore and just outside the Capital Beltway: the only way to get to it was to drive.

It hosted the Craps and the Bullets for 24 years, changing names from the Capitals Centre to USAir Arena to USAirways Arena. According to what I can find online, they never had enough lighting and the fans were never overly involved. It's pretty comical that the planned extension of the DC Metro Blue Line to the Capitals Centre finally opened seven years after the Bullets/Wizards and Craps left. The only reason I put this arena lower than the livestock stable the Sharks had to play in in their inaugural season is because they were only there one year.

 http://hockey.ballparks.com/NHL/WashingtonCapitals/oldindex.htm

(Runner-Up: The Cow Palace, San Jose, CA)

Worst Owner: Charles Wang, New York Islanders

How bad of an owner is Charles Wang? He hired Mike Milbury as GM. That should be enough, but then it gets worse. Milbury drafted Rick DiPietro and traded Roberto Luongo. When he was finally fired, he was replaced by DiPietro's backup, Garth Snow. From backup goalie to GM in one afternoon. Snow's first big move as GM? Signing DiPietro to a 15-year contract! 15 years for a player that can't make it through warm-ups without being put on the injured reserve.

Here's the ultimate negative for Wang. He came up with a real plan to make his team a part of the long-term community, but was completely unable to make it reality. The Lighthouse Project was visionary and wonderful, but he constantly made it more and more difficult for the local politicians to support it.

He could have increased the share he was willing to fund. He could have scaled back some of the plans to be phased in over the years. Or—and here's the crazy one—he could've hired a competent GM and front-office staff and built a team that can compete, even in the crazy great Atlantic Division.

(Runner-Up: The NHL, Phoenix Coyotes—do I even need to explain?)

Tomorrow ... Rant on Facebook Friends

If there had been no lockout

The battle I've been waiting for as former Crapitals coach Bruce Boudreau welcomes his former team to the Pond for a game they won't soon forget, Ducks/Craps, 10 p.m. Otherwise:

  * The St. Louis Blues head to Vancouver to take on the Canucks, and whoever might be in goal, at 10 p.m.

  * The Toronto Maple Leafs host the Winnipeg Jets at 7 p.m.

  * The Detroit Red Wings welcome the rival Chicago Blackhawks to Joe Louis Arena.

34 games remaining ...
Thursday Rant: Facebook Friends

14 February 2013

Being a fervent hockey fan my entire life, I have made a lot of friends who may be just as fervent as I. This has created a problematic dilemma because I am boycotting this season: How do I ignore my friends' posts on the games?

Some of it is easy; I hid any posts from the Ducks or the Pens. But I also get updates from WDVE in Pittsburgh, which regularly updates when a game is on, and no less than 15 friends comment regularly during games.

My email inbox is a piece of cake to control, as any emails from the Caps or Pens can get sent straight to the trash or filed away for later, respectively. I try not to follow too many hockey feeds on Twitter, so that keeps that space pretty clear.

I no longer visit the NHL page on SI.com and haven't been on ESPN's site in weeks, so that leaves Facebook as the only place where I am continually bombarded with hockey news. I want to keep up with my friends, but I'm still so mad at the NHL and am sticking to my promise to sit this season out.

Grr... Argh... Bettman!

Tomorrow ... Flashback and Funnies

If there had been no lockout

  * The GD Phoenix Coyotes head to Nashville to battle the Predators at 8 p.m. Remember when the Predators almost moved to Hamilton? Hamilton Coyotes has a nice ring to it.

  * The Tampa Bay Bolts welcome the San Jose Sharks to the Thunderdome Tampa Bay Times Forum at 7:30.

  * The Oilers host the Minnesota Wild at Rexall Place at 8:30.

Best of the NHL—Presidents' Day

18 February 2013

Thanks again to all of the dozen or so reblogs and likes from this weekend's graphics. None of the graphics did as well as some of the ones I posted in previous weeks, so I have to aim higher for next week.

Since it is Presidents' Day in the States (officially George Washington's Birthday), I decided to take the day to look back at the NHL presidents. The NHL was the last professional league to switch to having a commissioner with the hiring of Gary Bettman in 1993. Prior to that, back to the formation of the league, it had been run by a president, serving for several years.

Best of the NHL: Presidents of the National Hockey League

Frank Calder (1917-1943)

The first President of the NHL, he pulled the league together, serving as the last President of the prior National Hockey Association (NHA). He was a powerful force behind the league, helping to control owners and players alike. When a team threatened to strike, he suspended them and fined each player $200.

He was also incredibly progressive for his time. When he heard about the all-black amateur hockey team, the Boston Black Panthers, in 1927, he stated that "pro hockey has no ruling against the colored man, nor is it likely to ever draw the line."

The Calder Memorial Trophy is given out to the best rookie performance each year.

Number of Work Stoppages under Calder: 0

Red Dutton (1943-1946)

Dutton was chosen as the acting president after Calder died. A former defenseman and coach, he stepped down from the position in September 1946 over a disagreement over the return of his team, the Brooklyn Americans.

Number of Work Stoppages under Dutton: 0

Clarence Campbell (1946-1977)

Although a strict disciplinarian, most well known for suspending star player Maurice "The Rocket" Richard, he is best remembered for beginning a new era of expansion, beginning with the class of '67.

The owners celebrated this new era by commissioning a trophy, which was given out to the winner of the West Division, then, later, the Campbell Conference, and now the Western Conference. He was held in such high regard that the Campbell Conference was named for him while he was still the president.

He was a referee prior to working in the league offices and was considered the heir apparent to Frank Calder, but was serving in WWII when Calder died. He retired in 1977 after allegations of bribing a Canadian Senator.

Number of Work Stoppages under Campbell: 0

John Ziegler (1977-1992)

The first American to hold the position, he brought about many of the changes that are now commonplace. He mandated helmets and conducted the merger with the WHA, bringing several new teams into the league. He made several contentious decisions concerning player movement, trades, and the draft, as well as the inclusion of players from the Soviet Union.

When the players held a ten-day strike over the players' pension fund, Ziegler was forced from office.

Number of Work Stoppages under Ziegler: 1 (forcing his resignation)

Gil Stein (1992-1993)

Stein stepped into the office at a point of transition. He immediately turned over the league staff, letting several vice presidents go. He regularly attended games and was very visible in the hockey community. He took over all league discipline and changed the rules on suspensions to include days of practice instead of only games.

He worked with the owners to hire his replacement, Gary Bettman, formerly of the NBA, to be the first commissioner. One of his most far-reaching efforts was the drive to allow NHL players to take part in the Olympics.

Number of Work Stoppages under Stein: 0

And then there was Bettman ...

Tomorrow ... Best of the NHL—Trophy

If there had been no lockout

  * The Pittsburgh Penguins travel north south to face the Hartford Whalers Carolina Hurricanes at 7.

  * The Anaheim Ducks are in Ohio to take on the Columbus Blue Jackets at 7.

  * The GD Phoenix Coyotes welcome the Calgary Flames to the desert at 9.

  * The Toronto Maple Leafs visit the Sunshine State to take on the Florida Sunrise Panthers at 7:30.

  * The Edmonton Oilers host the Colorado Avalanche at 9.

  * Down in Nashville, the Predators play the Boston Bruins at 7.

32 games remaining ...
Best of the NHL—Trophy

19 February 2013

I hope you all liked the Presidents' Day post. I'll pick a best President in a couple weeks, to pair with the obvious "Worst President/Commissioner." Now for today's entry:

Best Trophy in the NHL: The Stanley Cup

No argument. No discussion. The Cup is the greatest trophy in professional sports.

Tomorrow ... Worst of the NHL—Franchise and Colors

If there had been no lockout

A break in the schedule for the Pens, Ducks, and Craps. But otherwise around the league:

  * The St. Louis Blues welcome the Winnipeg Jets through the Arch at 8 p.m.

  * The Vancouver Canucks head to Texas to take on the Dallas Stars at 8 p.m.

  * The Tampa Bay Lightning host the Toronto Maple Leafs at 7:30 p.m.

  * The Edmonton Oilers are joined by Gretzky trade partner and defending champion Los Angeles Kings at 8:30 p.m.

  * The Nashville Predators face the Wild in Minnesota at 8 p.m.

  * The Detroit Red Wings take on their bitter rival, the Chicago Blackhawks.

Worst of the NHL—Franchise and Colors

20 February 2013

I decided to eschew the double-up on worst today to focus on the dynamics of picking a worst franchise in the NHL. I've decided to pick two: worst current franchise and worst defunct franchise.

And the losers are:

Worst Defunct Franchise: The California Golden Seals/Oakland Seals/Cleveland Barons

Talk about a no-brainer: they joined the league with the class of '67 and quickly sank to the bottom of the pack. Within a decade they moved to Cleveland, where even the citizens of the Mistake on the Lake were unaware they existed. After three miserable seasons there, the team was "merged" with the Minnesota North Stars. Their coaches and players were absorbed and discarded while the franchise itself was cancelled. No franchises have been disposed of in such a way before or after this occurrence.

Worst Current Franchise: The San Jose Sharks

A lot of thought went into this decision. The New York Islanders are a disgrace, but that is a once-proud franchise that carried the Cup three times in the early '80s before the rise of the Oilers. The Carolina Hurricanes played for years of ignominy in Hartford, but have found success in the flood plain, playing in two finals and capturing one.

The GD Phoenix Coyotes? Though they have never been farther than the Conference Finals, that was a proud Winnipeg Jets franchise before the ill-conceived sojourn to the desert.

The Florida Panthers? A few division titles and a memorable Cup run in 1996 does not a loser make.

The Columbus Blue Jackets? I consider them to still be an expansion club, trying to find their footing in a market that can't support a lot of big contracts. Ditto Nashville.

The Buffalo Sabres? Lindy Ruff led some excellent teams before free agency caused them to scavenge for parts. They've been mediocre at best, never truly bad.

The Tampa Bay Lightning? Won a Cup, automatically excluded. Same to you, Anaheim, Dallas, Colorado.

The Washington Crapitals? Hmm. a strong second place, I would say. Let's look at the stats: one Finals appearance (swept in 1998). Despite having some of the most dynamic players in the game since the last lockout, have not made it past the Conference Finals. In the record book: fewest points in a season by a team, fewest wins, most goals against in a season, lowest goal differential in a season. Y'know, if it wasn't for that one horrible season (1974-75), and one Cup run, this team would be mediocre.

And so, it's the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks have never played for the Stanley Cup. They have a paltry three division titles in 17 years. Although they've made the playoffs 11 times, they've only won 9 series. Their first season, they set an NHL record for the most losses in a season (71 out of 82) and tied the 74-75 Craps for the longest losing streak in league history (17 games).

Through their 17 years, I have never seen this team do anything of great consequence. They seem to always be in the hunt, but just fall short. Again and again. If I were a fan of this team, I would've quit on them by now.

And what the heck, let's also give them worst colors as well.

Tomorrow ... Rant on Realignment

If there had been no lockout

Don't have all the schedules in front of me today, so all I have is the Penguins facing the Wah Wah Philly Flyers at 7 p.m. at the Goal Mine.

2015 Update: There is something I wasn't aware of when I wrote this post. The San Jose Sharks is, technically, the California Golden Seals/Oakland Seals/Cleveland Barons franchise, and they are even proud to say it. The Sharks were the first expansion team after the Barons merged with the North Starts, so when the expansion draft was organized, they were allowed to take more from Minnesota, meaning the team is technically demerged and continuing that franchises' long skate of ignominy.
Thursday Rant—Realignment

21 February 2013

First off, before I get into this, I would be remiss not to mention the excellent work down at the NHL Realignment Project blog:  http://www.tomfulery.com/category/sports/hockey/nhl-realignment-project/

So, a reminder of why this is an issue:

Winnipeg is lost in the Southeast because of the defection of the Atlanta Thrashers to the north. The Dallas Stars have no business being in the "Pacific" Division. The Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets are in the Eastern Time Zone but play in the Western Conference (quick note: Toronto and Tampa Bay previously were in the Western Conference before saner minds prevailed).

Now here's how the NHL "solved" this problem (until the NHLPA decided they should have a say):

 http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/7321214/nhl-approves-radical-four-conference-alignment-plan

Quite simply, this is nuts. Faced with having to disappoint two of the triumvirate of Detroit, Columbus, and Nashville, Gary Bettman and his Brain Trust have decided to throw out the two-conference alignment that has ruled hockey for over three decades.

The idea, instead, of four conferences, alternating between seven and eight teams, creates an uneven mess where an inconsiderate mess existed before. When it comes down to it, there is a much easier way to do it:

First, jettison the geographic names and return to NHL Heritage, removing the stigma of having to justify classification. This would also work in the NFL, where the Indianapolis Colts are in the AFC South and the Dallas Cowboys are in the NFC East. Clarence Campbell for the West and Prince of Wales for the East, of course.

As for new Division names, I would take a page from the NHL Realignment Project and go with Howe in the Campbell and Orr in the Wales. Atlantic becomes Patrick, Southeast is Adams, Northeast is Orr (since Boston is in it). Northwest is Norris, Central is Howe (Detroit), and Pacific is Smythe.

Second, move Winnipeg to the former Northwest Division, moving Colorado to the Pacific (remember, renaming it), Dallas to the Central, and Nashville to the Southeast. That way it accommodates travel for these teams.

Third, have Gary Bettman retire so he can stop messing with the game we love. End of rant.

Tomorrow ... Flashbacks and Funnies

If there had been no lockout

The Anaheim Ducks are in St. Louis to take on the Blues at 8. Meanwhile, the Craps welcome the Buffalo Sabres (perhaps just as Ruff-less) to the Phone Booth at 7.

31 games remaining ...
Best of the NHL—Best Owner

25 February 2013

Thank you again for the likes and reblogs this weekend. I'll try not to disappoint as we enter March. Today's topic is Best Current NHL Owner. We have 30 owners to choose from, so let's whittle it down together:

  * Out is the Worst Owner from two weeks back, Charlie Wang of the Islanders, and the runner-up, The NHL with the Coyotes.

  * Next we'll take out all the hardliners from the CBA negotiations: Jacobs (Bruins), Samuel (Ducks), McConnell (Blue Jackets), Viner (Panthers), Wang, the GD Coyotes, Stillman (Blues), Leonsis (Crapitals), and Gaglardi (Stars). This leaves 21 teams to choose from.

  * Now let's look at the salary cap: is the team at the floor, in the middle, or bumping up against the cap? With too much cap space, we can knock off the Colorado Avalanche, Ottawa Senators, Nashville Predators, Edmonton Oilers, and Carolina Hurricanes. (1: Left off the Jets because TrueNorth has only had a season to get used to being an owner. 2: I know this metric isn't the best at determining what makes a good owner; it is just helping me winnow the field.) This leaves 16 teams.

  * Next competitiveness: Gonna have to rule out the Maple Leafs here, and, unfortunately, the Canadiens. Also the Sabres: they let Ruff get too comfortable. So now I've wiped an entire division. Let's throw out the Jets (sorry!), the Flames, the Sharks (did you see my post last week?), and the Lightning.

So here's who's left: The Atlantic Division minus Wang's Circus. The Blackhawks, Red Wings, Canucks, and Kings.

  * Let's knock out the Devils over Vanderbeek's issues with almost losing the team in debt. The Rangers have been competitive, but seem to still be using the Yankees playbook.

  * The Wild seem committed to winning based on Suter and Parise, but not sure if that is a sign of a committed owner or a gasp of desperation.

  * The Kings are for sale, so that knocks out Anschutz, and drop the Canucks since a majority owner recently got in trouble over something to do with wine.

  * I want to like Ed Snider, but I just found out he was a major funder for Atlas Shrugged the movie, so the Flyers are out.

Now, I'm conflicted. Rocky Wirtz has done an excellent job building the Blackhawks back into a respectable franchise and led them to victory in 2010. Mario Lemieux saved hockey in Pittsburgh by becoming the owner and he has done right by the team, even when he has had to consider selling it. Having Ron Burkle on board has helped make a team that was in bankruptcy just 15 years ago become a rock in the current NHL. Then there's Mike Ilitch and the Detroit Red Wings. He saved that team, not from moving or bankruptcy, but from obscurity. His ownership and willingness to invest in talent has made that team a joy to watch.

OK, biting the bullet ... .

The Best Current Owner in the NHL is: Mike Ilitch of the Detroit Red Wings

Since he took over, the team has won the Cup four times. They have built through the draft and smart trades and been a shining example for the rest of the league.

Plus this fact, which appeals to my MBA side. He bought the team for $8 million. It's now worth $346 million. He could easily sell it tomorrow for $400 million, a ROI of 50 times his initial cost.

Tomorrow ... Best of the NHL—Mascot

If there had been no lockout

So I had a computer crash last week and had to reload my system from my backup ... and lost all of the schedules I had scrounged and saved on my hard drive. So I'm back to only having the schedules for the Pens, Ducks, and Craps, and they are all off tonight.

29 games remaining ...
Best of the NHL—Team Mascot

26 February 2013

I know full well that there is a lot I don't know about hockey. I have been going to games since I was very young and have noticed the rising presence of mascots around the league, though. I just didn't know quite how many.

For today's entry, I consulted a Bleacher Report slideshow on the 25 team mascots currently working the crowd ice side, and I have to agree with them:

Best Mascot in the NHL: Wild Wing of the Anaheim Ducks

I was a fan of the Ducks when they were a bunch of prepubescent kids being coached by Emilio Estevez. The fact that Wild Wing survived the redesigns the team underwent when they dropped the "mighty" is a testament to how awesome he is. He looks tough, but cartoonish. The costume isn't so over the top that the person inside might need a frosty beverage every ten minutes. And the most awesome thing ... he enters from the rafters.

I'm still partial to Iceburgh with the Penguins and am also a big fan of the Canadian transplants. Mick E. Moose (Jets) and Yuppi (Canadiens) are both welcome additions to the fan experience. Just someone keep Slapshot (Caps) away from me.

Tomorrow ... Worst of the NHL—Trophy and Mascot

If there had been no lockout

The Pens travel south to take on the Florida Sunrise Panthers at the retirement home at 7:30 after the residents have gone to sleep. The Craps play host to the Quebec Nordiques Colorado Avalanche (both good!) at the Phone Booth at 7. Anaheim and Wild Wing have the night off.
 Another look at realignment

http://tracking.si.com/2013/02/27/nhl-realignment-plan-to-feature-wild-cards-for-playoffs/?sct=hp_t2_a8&ere

27 February 2013

So the East will have 16 teams and the West will have 14. Glad to see parity is alive and well.

Plus, the "Central" Division includes all of the northernmost teams in the East, and southernmost. I guess geography isn't a required course either. Maybe it's central because they average the 6 northernmost and 2 southernmost and call it middle.

This is going to be it for the blog today. Delay of game on the Worst of the NHL until tomorrow. The Thursday Rant is cancelled for this week.

28 games remaining ...
Delay of Game

28 February 2013

Sorry again. It's my daughter's second birthday. See you tomorrow for Friday Flashback and Funnies.
Best of the NHL—AHL Affiliates

4 March 2013

Thanks for all of the love this weekend. Over 25 reblogs and likes plus a couple new followers. Welcome all! Now, after last week's contretemps, back to our regularly scheduled programming.

I'm breaking out a little from the common analysis of NHL history to look at the minor leagues. When I was growing up, every team had either an International Hockey League (IHL) or American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, or both. Below that were the regional leagues, your Western Hockey League (WHL) or East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). It goes on down to part timers in roller blades.

Somewhere in the '90s the IHL went belly-up and I said good-bye to the Cleveland Lumberjacks and watched all of Pittsburgh's up-and-coming talent move to the Wilkes-Barre-Scranton Baby Penguins. Now that team has been thrilling to watch and has provided the last two coaches for the big team. They hardly have a strong history like some other minor league teams, however.

For a look at the AHL, I looked at several points: their current standings, name recognition, and the strength of the NHL club they are attached to. Then I threw most of that out and went with my gut choice, which is ...

Best AHL Affiliate: The Hershey Bears (Washington Capitals)

First off, look at the logo. Pretty badass and, I say, better than anything out of Chicago or Boston. Second, now I know what you might be thinking. I hate the Craps and rag on them any chance I get. How can I be a fan of their AHL affiliate? The answer is simple. They haven't always been the Craps affiliate.

They started in the AHL in 1938. !(#*. That makes this team older than every team in the NHL, save the Original Six. And they actually started in a smaller league six years before that. They are the longest continuous-playing team in the AHL and have strong enough ownership to last for another 70 years to come, being owned by the Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company, wholly owned and operated by the Hershey Trust. Ever eat a Hershey bar? You helped fund a great minor-league hockey team.

Just look at some of these facts:

  * They played in the same arena for 66 years, from 1936 to 2002, the Hersheypark Arena. The arena still serves as their practice rink, despite suffering damage from a fire in July 2012.

  * They have been affiliated with six different NHL clubs, including the Bruins, Flyers, and Penguins.

  * They've won 11 Calder Cups out of 22 Conference Championships.

  * For one year (1933-34), they were known as the Hershey Chocolate B'ars.

  * They have played over 5,000 games and appeared in over 500 Calder Cup final games.

This team is a class act and an example for the rest of the AHL to follow, and maybe even the NHL, too.

For more information: http://www.hersheybears.com/index.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hershey_Bears

Tomorrow ... Best of the NHL—Era

If there had been no lockout

Another quiet night for the Pens, Ducks, and Craps. Sorry.

26 games remaining ... 
Best of the NHL—Era

5 March 2013

The history of the National Hockey League is commonly split between four eras:

  * The Early Years (1917-1941[2])

  * The Original Six (1942-1966)

  * The Expansion Years (1967-1992)

  * The Modern Era (1992-Present)

There is some disagreement. This  article from Hockey Analytics posits that there have been six eras. There is also disagreement over how long the Expansion Years lasted versus the Modern Era. The fact that since 1992, teams have been added in Tampa Bay, San Jose, Anaheim, Florida, Atlanta Winnipeg, Nashville, Minnesota, and Columbus could increase the length of the Expansion Era to nearly 40 years.

I like to keep the four-era split with nearly the same names, except some minor tweaks:

  * The Early Years (1917-1945)—accommodating WWII

  * The Original Six (1946-1966)

  * The Growth Years (1967-1993)

  * The Bettman Years (1993-Present)

With those in mind, here is my choice for the best era in NHL history

The Best Era of the NHL: The Growth Years (1967-1993)

The Original Six was hockey at its essence. A solid, committed, well-played game with top-notch players in the most fervent fan bases. But also, sadly, mired in obscurity for most of the sports world. Then came the class of '67. Six new teams, in exotic places like California and returning strongholds of St. Louis, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia, not to mention the most no-brainer placement of a team: Minnesota.

Having hockey in these six cities opened up the sport to thousands of new fans, and made it clear to the wide, wide world of sports that the NHL was ready to play at the same level as the NFL and MLB. Soon teams followed in Washington and Vancouver. The NHL devoured the WHA, bringing a stronger Canadian contingent and the Whale. A player draft, established in the mid '60s, allowed the best players to be spread around the league. Free agency and transactions allowed teams to build outside traditional sources.

The NHL was on the up and up. After a set of dynasties (Flyers, then Islanders, then Oilers, then Penguins), the NHL saw increased market share and the chance to expand further into non-traditional markets. But they also hit a problem, as the League had its first-ever labor strike, resulting in the loss of a week of play midseason and the forced ouster of the league president.

Out of the wreckage of that first strike, we got a plan to remold the NHL that might have worked, except for the man chosen to lead it: Gary Bettman. What followed was overexpansion and relocation, misfires in rights negotiations for television coverage, and a near-anemic inability to keep labor peace over an extended period.

Yes, there are more teams now, and some of the players are far superior alone than some teams from years past, but so much has been lost. The product is not better, and so I long for hockey the way it was. It is rather fitting that this current era has only seen one team repeat as champions (Red Wings, 1997-98), while the constant threat of another lockout seems only a couple years away.

The best days of hockey are currently behind us, but there is an opportunity for them to return. And everyone knows where the NHL needs to start.

Tomorrow ... I finally get to the Worst of the NHL I promised last week—Trophy and Mascot

If there had been no lockout

Thank you to  Dirk Hoag of SBNation for compiling an analysis of the original 2012-13 schedule and not making it vanish once the atrocity of 2013 came upon us. Here is what's on the scoreboard:

  * The Boston Bruins enter the dank pit that is Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum to take on the Islanders at 7.

  * The Hartford Whalers Carolina Hurricanes host the Buffalo Sabres at 7.

  * The Columbus Blue Jackets come to the Phone Booth to face the Crapitals at 7.

  * The Calgary Flames and Dallas Stars duke it out in Texas at 8.

  * The St. Louis Blues host the Colorado Avalanche at 8.

  * The Edmonton Oilers are in St. Paul to play the Minnesota Wild at 8.

  * The Florida Sunrise Panthers welcome the Southeast Division rival Winnipeg Jets at 7:30.

  * The Tampa Bay Lightning admit to being in New Jersey for one night to play the Devils at 7.

  * The Ottawa Senators swing past the Grand Ole Opry as they play the Nashville Predators at 8.

  * It's an Atlantic Division showdown as the Pens butt heads with the Rangers in Madison Square Garden at 7.

  * The Toronto Maple Leafs take the long way to play a game as they play the Sharks in San Jose at 10:30.

* Worst of the NHL—Trophy and Mascot

6 March 2013

Now for your double dose of worst for this snowy/rainy Wednesday.

Worst Trophy in the NHL: The NHL Foundation Award

The NHL has some beautiful trophies. Even the most recent additions seem to have that touch of history that makes the others seem like a true honor to behold, not just to win. Then there's the NHL Foundation Award. The picture on the blog was the only one I could find, and it comes directly from the NHL.com page for the award.

It's so plain and modern; it just doesn't fit with any of the others. Given out each year to players who "enrich the lives of people in his community," it also happens to overlap with a much better-looking trophy for the same purpose, the King Clancy Memorial Trophy.

Now there are many differences between the Foundation Award and the King Clancy. The Foundation Award comes from the NHL with a $25,000 grant to be given to the charity of the player's choice. The King Clancy is awarded by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association and NHL Broadcasters' Association and has no monetary award attached.

I can understand the reason for the overlap, and the Foundation Award is an excellent way to support the efforts of these players, but can't they afford a better-looking trophy?

Worst Mascot in the NHL: Stormy the Ice Hog (Carolina Hurricanes)

http://hurricanes.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=46245

Let's start with the easy reason why Stormy is the worst. He's an ice hog and is the mascot for the Hurricanes. He looks only slightly like a hog, almost like a cow, or a flat-nosed dog. Amongst all 25 mascots around the NHL, he appears to be the most ridiculous, and that's really saying something.

Runner-Up: Thunderbug the Lightning Bug (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Tomorrow ... Rant about the Children

If there had been no lockout

It's a relatively quiet night around the league. The Ducks host the Defending Champion Los Angeles Kings at 10:30. The Chicago Blackhawks take on Rocky Mountain Rival the Colorado Avalanche at 8. The Detroit Red Wings welcome the Edmonton Oilers to the Joe at 7:30.
Thursday's Rant: "Think of the Children"

7 March 2013

Would someone please think of the children? I'm not sure where I go after that. That is pretty much my whole argument there. Now you can take it many different ways.

You could say that hockey is a violent sport where injuries happen regularly and players are encouraged to drop the gloves and pummel each other to the cheers of the masses.

You could say that the romanticism common in sports makes idols out of athletes who may otherwise be unremarkable or, at worst, unsavory individuals.

You could argue against things such as division and fanaticism, gambling, and other ills of society.

Or you could go with my point of view: what kind of sport are we leaving for the next generation? In my lifetime, the NHL has grown from 22 teams split between two conferences, heavily steeped in sport history, where one team could dominate for nearly a decade and players seldom moved, to a 30-team league plagued by player intransigence, increased focus on "the business of hockey," a refutation of most of the history, and a new champion every year since 1998. Can someone make an argument that that is an improvement?

Yes, the play is better. Yes, the players are better. Yes, I love seeing fans in uncommon places get the chance to share in the greatness that is the sport of hockey—but at what cost?

Now I know this is happening to every sports league nowadays. The big four all have 30 to 32 teams, less focus on the past, and occasional labor troubles. In the last two years alone, the NHL and NBA have both lost half a season, and the NFL nearly lost their preseason. Only MLB has been level headed in the labor department, but that is mainly because the other three have set the example they choose not to follow.

We could have it worse, though we did lose half a season: the NHL isn't threatened by the scourge of the designated hitter rule. Or the constant threat of big stars being caught with performance-enhancing drugs. And NHL players appear to be the best role models, as opposed to the police blotter shenanigans of many members of the NFL and NBA.

The point is that I became a hockey fan when it was at its best, and weathered some of its worst. Now that I have children of my own, I want them to enjoy hockey the way I have. We owe them that much.

And here's a tune from Pittsburgh Radio DJ Scott Paulsen to drive it home, Thank God for Hockey. http://espn.go.com//espnradio/play?id=5140207

Tomorrow ... Friday Flashback and Funnies

If there had been no lockout

Around the NHL tonight:

  * The Pens are in Raleigh to beat up on Stormy the Ice Hog and his friends, the Carolina Hurricanes, at 7.

  * The Craps host Les Habitants at the Phone Booth at 7.

  * The New Jersey Devils welcome the Buffalo Sabres to a slightly less cold environment at 7.

  * It's a battle for New York as the Rangers face the Islanders in the warehouse in Nassau at 7.

  * The Winnipeg Jets take one of their long interdivision trips to battle the Lightning in Tampa Bay at 7:30.

  * The Toronto Maple Leafs are lost in the desert searching for the GD Phoenix Coyotes at 9.

  * The San Jose Sharks heat things up against the Calgary Flames at 10:30.

  * The Defending Champion Los Angeles Kings put out the red carpet for a different kind of Stars as Dallas is in town at 10:30.

Best of the NHL—NHL President/Commissioner

11 March 2013

First of all, I tried a little experiment this weekend by posting only the photos and not a full meme graphic. While I have averaged 20 or so reblogs and likes over the past few weeks, this week fell short. For next week I will return to adding the captions, including a couple from this past week. That said, I do want to thank those who liked and reblogged the images as well as the new followers to this blog. I hope you like everything else I try to offer. And now, the Best of the NHL.

Best NHL President/Commissioner: Frank Calder (1917-1943)

When Frank Calder took over as head of the National Hockey Association, he had a sinister motive. He helped unite most of the owners and filled the vacuum created by the resignation of his predecessor, Frank Robinson. He became more powerful than Robinson ever dreamed and led the owners to create a new league, the National Hockey League. For the next 26 years, he was the NHL, the embodiment of everything professional hockey would become.

I covered the biggest, most important facts when I did a full retrospective on all the league presidents on Presidents' Day, but here are the bullet points on why Calder was awesome:

  * Fully accepted the idea of black players in the league.

  * When a team threatened to go on strike, he suspended the players and fined them each $200.

  * He created the award for Rookie of the Year, which the league named for him posthumously.

  * He had a heart attack during an NHL Board of Governors meeting but toughed it out and traveled to Montreal a week later, where he had another, this time fatal, heart attack.

  * Because of that first heart attack, the Board of Governors devised a plan to give him time off and name Red Dutton as Acting President. Calder died the day after the plan was approved.

  * He used expansion into the U.S. to fend off challenges from rival leagues, leading to their demise and the rise of the NHL as the best hockey league in the world.

  * Born in England, when he decided to emigrate, he flipped a coin to decide between the U.S. and Canada.

Tomorrow ... Best of the NHL—Marketing the Game

If there had been no lockout

It's a quiet night around the league as the Tampa Bay Lightning host Southeast Division rivals Carolina Hurricanes at 7:30. Out west, the defending champion Los Angeles Kings welcome the Colorado Avalanche at 10:30. In the great white north, the Ottawa Senators face the Brooklyn New York Islanders at 7:30.

22 games remaining ...
Best of the NHL—Current Marketing

12 March 2013

I am primarily writing this blog as a sports fan, but I am also a novelist, amateur historian, civil servant, and amateur businessman. I completed my MBA at George Washington University in 2011 with a specialization in Marketing of Services, so I always watch/view advertising with a critical eye. It's important to understand whom the ads are geared toward and whether that message is getting across. The flip side of that is whether this ad campaign may deter other segments of the population or make the item being promoted appear negatively. With that in mind, here is a look at the current best marketing promotions in the NHL:

First off, 25 of the 30 teams are currently using some form of a marketing slogan. Some are new. Some are rehashed. Some are basically ingrained in the team's being. I visited each team page and then the Facebook pages of the teams that I didn't find a slogan for on the webpage, and here is what I've found:

  * Anaheim: It's Game Time

  * Buffalo: We Live Hockey

  * Calgary: Every Game Matters

  * Carolina: It's Time

  * Colorado: Worn with Pride

  * Columbus: Lead the Charge

  * Dallas: The Coolest Game on Earth (and 20th Anniversary)

  * Detroit: It's More than Hockey

  * Edmonton: This is Oil Country

  * Florida: Red Rising

  * Minnesota: State of Hockey

  * Montreal: Raise the Torch

  * Nashville: Smashville

  * New Jersey: Get Your Jersey On

  * Islanders: Orange & Blue + You

  * Rangers: Blueshirts United

  * Ottawa: Ready for More

  * Phoenix: Join the Hunt

  * Pittsburgh: A Great Day for Hockey

  * St. Louis: Long Live the Note

  * Tampa Bay: 20th Anniversary

  * Toronto: the Passion that Unites Us All

  * Vancouver: Our Team. Our Way

  * Washington: Building America's Hockey Capital

  * Winnipeg: Fueled by Passion

Taking all of those into account, I have chosen:

Best Current NHL Marketing: Get Your Jersey On, New Jersey Devils

I went back and forth between this and the two (yes, two) runner-ups, but decided this best used the occasion of the shortened season and connected it to the team itself. It is both a call to arms and an invitation to indulge in all things Jersey, despite how disgusting that may actually be.

A good slogan needs to be something that the entire marketing pitch can build off of. This slogan easily fits into the idea of preparing to watch a game, or play it (from the players' perspective), but also the idea that fans should show their support and buy/wear their Jersey. And for shame if you don't wear your jersey!

For shame!

Runner-ups: Raise the Torch, Montreal Canadiens/Orange & Blue + You, New York Islanders

The Canadiens slogan seemed original, but I couldn't find any further reference to what torch should be lifted. The Islanders slogan feels original and its interesting graphic design makes it stand out, but it's the Islanders, so they have to settle for a tie for runner-up.

Tomorrow ... Worst President/Commissioner and AHL Affiliate

If there had been no lockout

As expected, a quiet night in the NHL is followed by a busy one as twenty teams face off, mostly in the Eastern and Central time zones:

  * The Anaheim Ducks are in Dallas to play the Stars at 8.

  * The Buffalo Sabres host the Florida Sunrise Panthers at 7.

  * The Columbus Blue Jackets welcome neighbor Nashville Predators at 7.

  * The Chicago Blackhawks take on the Vancouver Canucks at home at 8:30.

  * In the only West Coast game, the San Jose Sharks face the Colorado Avalanche at 10:30.

  * The St. Louis Blues watch the Oilers of Edmonton come on down at 8.

  * The Minnesota Wild are forced to play against the GD Phoenix Coyotes in St. Paul at 8.

  * The Pittsburgh Penguins take on a third of the axis of evil as the New York Rangers are in town at 7.

  * In Washington, the Craps welcome the reborn Winnipeg Jets to the Phone Booth at 7.

21 games remaining ...
Worst of the NHL—AHL Affiliate and President/Commissioner

13 March 2013

After two days of the best, now for a double dose of the worst:

Worst AHL Affiliate: Abbotsford Heat (Calgary Flames)

In reviewing the 30 teams of the AHL, it is easy to look at records and results to decide on best vs. worst franchise. The problem with that is that these squads are dependent on the depth of the NHL roster they support. Then there is whether a team has had numerous partnerships over the years. The problem with that category is the number of intangibles that can influence NHL teams to change (i.e., travel accommodations, availability of other affiliates, etc.).

There are two facts I considered when rating the Abbotsford Heat the worst. First, the current location. Sure, the LA Kings affiliate is in Maine, which isn't too convenient for a sudden call-up. But at least Maine is close to every other AHL team. This is nothing against the city of Abbotsford, British Columbia, but the Heat are the only team on the West Coast. Check that, only team in the Pacific time zone, at that. The next closest team is the Oklahoma City Barons, over 1,600 miles away! That makes this team wholly inconvenient in the current AHL. Forget about getting emergency call-ups to Calgary, this team is getting more miles than George Clooney just to finish a season.

Second, I was called to this franchise by  the news that this is its last season in Abbotsford, as it will be moving to Utica, NY. BC to NY. This wouldn't be such a big deal except for the fact that the team just moved to Abbotsford four years ago and has had dismal attendance. So maybe it is something against the city of Abbotsford. Prior to being the Heat, they played for two years in Moline, Illinois. Only two years. For the two years prior to that, they were in Omaha, Nebraska. Again, two years. Prior to that they had a decade in Saint John, New Brunswick. That, of course, follows the team's six years in Utica as the affiliate of the New Jersey Devils. Now the team returns to Utica, which wasn't even their original home. They started in Portland as the Maine Mariners, affiliate to the Wah Wah Philly Flyers.

At this rate, the Little Flames, or Heat, or whatever they want to call themselves, might consider becoming a nomadic team, setting up shop in whatever city would have them for a month at a time. They can come up with a generic place name. If they choose Springfield, they could move around to all of the Springfields across the US. Maybe one of them would actually make the team feel at home.

2015 Update: The AHL has been moving west to accommodate the west coast NHL teams and five teams will now be calling California home, including the former Abbotsford Heat. After two years as the Adirondack Flames, they are moving to Stockton, CA, to be the Stockton Heat.

Worst League President/Commissioner: Gary Bettman (1993-Present)

Come on, like I really would choose anybody else.

I briefly considered disgraced former President John Ziegler, the last real president of the NHL (Yes, I know Gil Stein was the last president, but he was more of a placeholder as they transitioned to the schmuck noted above). But then I considered his resignation due to the strike more as a sign of honor than any disgrace.

So Bettman it is.

Tomorrow ... Rant on Pi Day!

If there had been no lockout

Another quiet night for hockey; what is up with the schedule these days? Les Habitants host their Capital compatriots, the Ottawa Senators at 8. In a game where I root for the ice to open up and swallow both teams, the New Jersey Devils welcome the Wah Wah Philly Flyers to Newark at 7:30. And the Calgary Flames, fresh off the lashing I gave their AHL squad, play the Detroit Red Wings at 9:30.
Thursday's Rant: Happy Pi Day!

14 March 2013

Let's just hold off from ridiculing the news that the NHL Board of Governors approved the terrible, no good, very bad realignment plan and celebrate how Pi Day influences the NHL. When I was in high school, my algebra teacher, Mr. Marker, would have us commemorate Pi Day by bringing in different circular items to measure. Some students brought in actual pie, others ordered pizza. One year, I forgot and snagged an AOL CD from the tech office. In the spirit of measuring all things round on Pi Day, here are some round things in the world of hockey:

  * A hockey rink is 200 ft. long and 85 ft. wide, with rounded corners and a radius of 28 ft.

  * A 12-inch blue dot is the center of the rink. Around it is a 15-ft circle.

  * Neutral zone faceoff dots are two feet wide and five feet from the blue line.

  * Each of the four faceoff circles in the end zones are two feet in diameter with 15 circles around. The outer circles have a 20-ft. radius and the faceoff dot is 20 ft. from the goal line.

  * In front of the scorekeepers window along the center ice boards is a half circle with a 10-ft. diameter.

  * An official NHL puck is one inch in height and three inches in diameter. It must weigh between 5.5 and 6 oz.

  * The original Stanley Cup is 7.28 inches tall with a diameter of 11.42 inches.

  * The current complete Cup is 35.25 inches tall with a bowl height of 7.5 inches and diameter of 11.25 inches. The circumference is 35 inches. The collar is 6.25 inches tall, while the shoulder is 3.25 inches tall. The barrel is 18.25 inches tall. The diameter of the base is 17.25 inches. It weighs 35.5 lbs.

And to close out Pi Day, some Pi Day links:

  * From the Washington Post:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/03/14/in-honor-of-national-pi-day-here-are-nine-amazing-pie-charts/

  * From my old website: http://geocities.ws/kfshov/cabinet/Pie/pi.html

  * And from Hard 'n Phirm: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDMBtQjS1bQ

Tomorrow ... Friday Flashback and Funnies!

If there had been no lockout

Once again, a quiet night begets a busy one as 24 teams drop the puck from sea to shining sea. The Anaheim Ducks visit Parise and Suter in St. Paul as they play the Minnesota Wild at 8. The Boston Bruins welcome the Florida Sunrise Panthers at 7. The Toronto Maple Leafs face off against cross-border rivals Buffalo Sabres at 7. It's a Southeast Division battle as the Carolina Hurricanes host the Washington Crapitals at 7. The GD Phoenix Coyotes continue their escape from the desert as they play the Blue Jackets in Columbus at 7. The Colorado Avalanche face the rival Chicago Blackhawks in Denver at 9. Another neighborly matchup as the Dallas Stars visit the St. Louis Blues at 8. The LA Kings also take a short trip to play the San Jose Sharks at 10:30. The New Jersey Devils break the mold as they travel to Ottawa and play the Senators at 7:30. Also out of the area, the Nashville Predators hit the west coast to play the Canucks in Vancouver at 10. The Brooklyn Islanders get some breathing room from Nassau as they play the Tampa Bay Lightning at 7:30. Finally the Blueshirts are in Winnipeg playing the reborn Jets at 8.
Delay of Game

18 March 2013

My beautiful wife gave birth to our second child this afternoon. I will be taking a few days to take care of them. See yah when I see yah.
Best of the NHL—Coach

23 April 2013

Sorry for the long gap in posting, but parenting has taken up a lot of my time. This miserable wretch of a season is coming to a close, and so too must my boycott. I will resume my schedule for one final week, then begin posting about the playoffs next week in a more free-flowing form. So without further ado:

Best of the NHL—Best Coach Ever: Scotty Bowman

Over the many weeks that I have posted, I kept my best and worst of the NHLs to the teams, describing arenas, jerseys, franchises, cities, fan bases and the like. And when I wasn't looking critically at the teams, I was looking at the NHL itself. If not for my month-long absence, this entry would have come sooner and been followed by best trades, best free-agent signings, and the like. But, instead, you'll have this one.

William Scott "Scotty" Bowman is by far the best coach ever to walk the bench of an NHL arena. His record 1,244 wins in regular-season play justify this alone, let alone his NINE Stanley Cups as a coach. He's won all over the league and been a standard of excellence through four decades in the hot seat. Here is just a small collection of his awesomeness:

  * Coached the St. Louis Blues, Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Detroit Red Wings. Even at 79, any of these teams would love to have him back.

  * In addition to 1,244 regular-season wins, he has 223 playoff wins as coach.

  * Has won 9 Cups as a coach and an additional three while in the front office.

  * His teams have appeared in 13 Stanley Cup Finals, the most of any coach.

  * In 1976-77, his team had only 8 losses, the modern record.

  * His son is now the GM of the Chicago Blackhawks and has helped shape that team into a force to be reckoned with.

  * The Toronto Maple Leafs were prepared to name him team president in 2008, except for the stupidity of MLSE CEP Richard Peddie.

For this and many other reasons, Scotty Bowman is simply the best.

Tomorrow ... Best of the NHL—Best Player Ever

If there had been no lockout

We're through two weeks of the NHL playoffs, most likely finishing up the first round, whittling down the field of 16 to eight teams moving on to the semifinals.

Four games remaining ... 
Best of the NHL—Player

25 April 2013

Sorry for the break, but I had a major family emergency yesterday. Now back to the action.

Best Player in NHL History: Joseph Henri Maurice "The Rocket" Richard

First to score 50 goals in a season (in a 50-game season, no less). First to score 500 goals in a career. His first few seasons, he was considered a lemon who would never make it in the league, but then he became "hockey's Babe Ruth." He was hockey's first celebrity player, making Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Sidney Crosby, and Alex Ovechkin all possible.

Here are some more stats:

  * Won the Stanley Cup eight times (four as team captain).

  * Played in every NHL All-Star Game from 1947 to 1959.

  * Inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame in 1961, having the three-year waiting period waived.

  * Wrote a column for the local newspaper that drew the ire of league President Clarence Campbell.

  * His subsequent suspension for the column caused riots throughout Montreal.

  * Made great strides for French-speaking players in the league. When you consider the number of countries now represented in the NHL, this may be his biggest contribution.

  * His ability was so great that the award for most goals in a season is the Rocket Richard Trophy.

If you want to learn more about Richard, I highly recommend the movie "The Rocket" that came out in 2009.

Tomorrow ... Worst of the NHL

Two games remaining ... 
Defense

I went to my first hockey game in nearly two years for a preseason game between the Washington Capitals and the Nashville Predators at the Verizon Center on September 25th. It was a good feeling to see the skates hit the ice again. Even though I was in the back row over the opposing goal, it was nice just to be in the arena again.

I'm still a hockey fan, and always will be. It's not even a question of what is most important to me as a sports fan; just look at my closet—you'll see four football jerseys, three baseball jerseys, and 11 hockey jerseys. Eleven. And you know what the worst thing about that is? I want more. I would love to get a Winnipeg Jets home jersey. It's a beautiful sweater with a great logo, plus I want to let the NHL know that professional hockey belongs in Winnipeg and should've never left. I love my teams, but I also love the sport. If there's a game on, I'm going to watch it, I can't say the same of most of the other sports. I can put on a baseball game or football game and just check in from time to time. I'm all in on hockey games.

You've got me back, NHL. I fought you for most of last year, but now I'm back. I missed hockey so much that the countdown of games remaining in the season was more of a countdown until I could watch hockey again. I gave myself an out and exploited it fully. I said, repeatedly, that it was a 48 game misconduct, so once the regular season was over, so was my boycott.

I watched every game of the playoffs I could see. My playoff board was back on the wall and I was thrilled as my Penguins stormed into the Conference Finals before collapsing fully to the Boston Bruins.

Now that new seasons have come and the shadows of the lockout have cleared away, something has become all too clear. With news of new, stronger owners, a new contract for television rights in Canada, and the near-universal return of the fans at games and watching on TV, it makes it seem like the NHL lost nothing. They have suffered no penalty beyond the loss of income for the 44 games not played. If they have not suffered, if there is no punishment, then what is to stop them from doing it again?

When this new collective bargaining agreement runs out, what's to stop the owners from locking out the players once again? Will they want a majority of the profits instead of the current 50/50 split? Will they want to have more control over players? Or will this be time for the Players Association to rise up and strike?

I am and always will be a hockey fan, but I have my limits. I was willing to boycott a half season because of three work stoppages in 20 years. If we have another before a third decade has dawned, I only hope that the NHL pays a steeper price for keeping us all from enjoying the sport we love.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

KEITH F. SHOVLIN lives in Alexandria, VA, with his wife and family. By day he works as a civil servant in Washington, DC, by night he writes anything and everything that moves him. He began writing fiction after years as a student journalist, deciding he needed a break from the factual. His first novel, Polk's Soliloquy, was published in 2010 by Lulu Enterprises and promoted by aois21 publishing. He is now working on the Millennial Row series in addition to other projects.

