NHL dead or alive?
I was in Hartford over the weekend covering the UNC-UConn basketball game and have to admit I got a bit nostalgic for NHL hockey when I spied a few Whalers banners hanging from the Civic Center rafters and a framed picture of then-Whaler Ron Francis facing off against Mario Lemieux in the press workroom.
Then, this morning, I hear Hurricanes (formerly the Whalers) radio man Chuck Kaiton talking about tomorrow's anticipated announcement from NHL commish Gary Bettman that the 2004-05 season is to be canceled. What a sad state of affairs.
There's a chance Bettman will instead be announcing a very condensed 28-game schedule with playoffs as usual. The AP reports that players have consented to a salary cap (but not the $40 mil owners demand) while the owners are agreeable about not tying salaries to revenues. So maybe there will be an 11th-hour deal.
I'm somewhat of a hockey junkie -- even did a fantasy league last season -- but realize most of America won't give a flip if hockey goes away. And they won't be pining loudly for its return next year because the game will be forgotten. Which makes players and owners alike look like delusional fools. If they scrap the season, the NHL will only be viable in Canada from here on out. And nobody will be paying players $1.8 mil average salary when the CBC is the only TV deal the NHL has left.
Oh, and anyone out there know which three jerseys were retired by the Whalers? Hint: "Red light" Mike Liut isn't one of them.
Comments (5)
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I, for one, haven't missed the NHL season at all. Your point about how this whole ordeal makes the owners and players look like delusional fools is right on the money. Quit bickering about money. No one cares.
Actually, one group (other than Canadians, but they don't count, do they?) does care: advertisers. I bet Molson's sales have tanked.
Posted on February 15, 2005 1:30 PM
And is it just me or are more college basketball games making it onto ESPN and ESPN2? I'd much rather watch a college b-ball game between Nobody and Nobody State than any major league hockey game. Go ahead and cancel the season. I don't even want to see an abbreviated schedule on my tv.
Posted on February 16, 2005 12:39 PM
Actually Kehaar, I'm thrilled because no NHL means more ESPN original entertainment. Bring on more episodes of Tilt! Maybe a sequel to Season on the Brink, or the Junction Boys!
By the way, Brian Dennehy IS Bobby Knight. And if you cross the Matador, he will take you out.
Posted on February 17, 2005 6:59 PM
Oh and my three guesses were Andrew Cassels, Stu Grimson and Robert Kron.
Posted on February 17, 2005 7:00 PM
My apologies for leaving all you Whaler-turned-Hurricane fans hanging on the retired Whaler numbers (no pun intended, really):
They are Gordie Howe (who you might better remember as a Red Wing; the Whale was going for street cred on that one), Rick Ley and John McKenzie (who did his best work for the Bruins).
Posted on February 17, 2005 7:09 PM