Topic: NHL Lockout Over!!

[IceCold]

The301-day NHL lockout has finally come to a close after more than a season of no games.

I know that many of you really don't give a damn, but please....humour me.

And remember, this isn't an "I don't care," thread, this is a "Congratulations" thread.

[kirby_killer_dedede]

It's just hockey.

It's much more catastrophic when the workers at a Wal-Mart 350 miles away go on strike.  It makes you want to cry.

[IceCold]

What a joke Kirby! Really, that's the funniest comment I've heard since, well, EVER! Why don't you call the President immediately and insist that it replace the Hollywood sign, or even better, hack into all of the media signals and announce this piece of brilliancy that trumps Shakespeare to the world.

Don't worry, I don't expect someone with an IQ lower than 83 to perceive sarcasm

[Ian Sane]

It's funny.  I read this news earlier this morning yet I didn't start a thread or even tell any of my co-workers.  Why?  Because I assumed no one would care.  That's the damage this lockout has caused.  The NHL was already the least popular of the "big four" leagues in North America.  Now it's even worse.  I've been looking forward to hockey returning yet even I didn't feel excited or really happy when I found out the lockout is over.  My reaction was "it's about f*cking time".  I'm glad their back but I'm pissed they missed a year.  And for what?  The player's held out and got a worse deal then they would have in February.  As Jerry Seinfeld put it "that's how you negotiate in the Bizarro world."  This lockout was so unnecessary.  All it did was make everyone involved look greedy and stupid.  When players are complaining about taking a pay cut that still leaves them as millionaires and both sides are wasting months because they're too immature to start up talks with the other side you're looking at irrepairable damage.

I'll be watching every Canuck game I can this season but I will never see hockey in the same light again.

Edit: Or maybe I won't be watching so much.  According to a local radio show apparently Markus Nasland is considering not playing with Vancouver and with Todd Bertuzzi currently suspended that leave the Canucks without their top two players.  I don't really see too bright of a season with that kind of gutted lineup.  I think I'll have to wait and see who gets signed where before watching.  The Sedin sisters and Dan Cloutier sure as hell aren't going to get Vancouver to the cup or arguably the playoffs.

[nickmitch]

The players united to strike and now they must get back on the ice and return to fighting eachother. That's my favorite part of hockey because you KNOW it's comming, just not when.

[IceCold]

Yea - I heard about Naslund - not a good sign, but I still think he'll stay here, mainly because Bertuzzi WILL be reinstated. The NHL isn't about to keep him out longer; first off he's been out enough, and secondly he is a money maker. With the lockout just ending and a need for a jumpstart, the NHL will let him off the hook. And there were, and still are, rumours that Kariya would sign with Vancouver, and we all know that he's ALOT better than he showed in Colorado. Then, the Sedin "sisters" are developing faster - they played really well in Sweden and that hot streak they had last season isn't a fluke. Next, we have the best defensive core in the NHL (with the most underrated player in the NHL Mattias Ohlund) and DAN'S THE MAN! so stop worrying.

About the lockout, not being the ever-pessimistic being that you are, I still believe that people do care a lot about hockey. Most of the conversations I've had with people today have started with this news. And the hockey markets CAN rebound from this, although it will take a bit of work especially down south. Now that the financial work has been worked out, the league can go on to improving and promoting the product, and I honestly believe that it will be successful.

It seems that your reasons for not caring about the NHL as much are mostly political, and you aren't focusing on the HOCKEY. You're right, of course, that the players and the owners treated the fans like sh!t by having this whole ordeal, and that the players, even though my grandmother knew that a cap was iminent, chose to go on was completely stupid. But you know what, I'm willing to forgive them, and I don't share your view about it being tainted. The simple reason that they did it was to prove a point. Being a very proud person myself, I know that sometimes I just can't relent in an argument, even though I know I'm wrong and I'm hurting a lot of people in the process. I'm sure that this is what happened, and I'm willing to give them another chance. And besides, the players play in the playoffs for FREE - come on, you can't be that hard on them.

But please, don't tell me that on the first game of the season, after the anthems and when the puck drops, that you won't have jitters, because you wouldn't be human then.  

EDIT: I was just watching the in-depth coverage, and I can still remember most of the players! (Even Bates Battaglia). Then they showed some highlights - I'm SO ready!

Wow, this summer is going to be a busy one.

[Ian Sane]

Heh.  I completely didn't notice the Canuck logo in your avatar.  I was thinking "this guy's profile says he's from Alberta.  How's he know so much about the Canucks?"  

Yeah Ohlund is awesome.  I like most of the team I just feel there needs to be more consistently great players.  I find the Sedins too inconsistent, same with Cloutier.  You never know if they're going to deliver or not.  Cloutier is pretty good.  He puts up really impressive numbers in the regular season.  But every time the puck gets sent his way I get nervous.  He's just let in enough goals that should have been easy saves that I don't have faith in him.  Compare this to 2004's finalists Calgary and Tampa Bay.  Their goalies are dependable.  I always thought they were going to make the save when watching the finals.  That's the type of goalie that wins Stanley Cups.  Looking at the last few winners those are the goalies you pretty much need to win the cup.  The last few cup winning goalies were Khabibulin, Brodeur, Hasek, Roy & Belfour.  Those are guys who don't just let goals in, you have to score on them.  Dan just hasn't proven himself to be at that level.  Still he deserves at least one more try since his injury in the 2004 playoffs didn't allow him to prove himself.  Had he not gotten injured and Bert hadn't been suspended the Canucks could have obviously done much better last time so he deserves at least one more try on more even ground.

[IceCold]

Yea - I've always loved the Canucks - didn't know what to do when everyone was celebrating the Flames victory over them. I just went to my room and cried And for those two months after, I just couldn't cheer for the Flames, so it was a lonely few weeks for me lol

Actually, I shouldn't have written "but I still think [Bertuzzi] will stay here"

[stevey]

There is a GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! of canada.