In The Crease

Circle your calendar

When the NHL released its schedule yesterday, I can't say I was jumping for joy. The Buffalo Sabres open against the New York Islanders on Oct. 5. Last season ('03-04, for those that have lost track), the Isles demolished the Sabres 6-0 on opening night at HSBC Arena. And we didn't beat Michael Peca and his crew a single time in the four meetings that season, either. The last time the Sabres defeated the Isles was Oct. 10, 2002. Ironically, that was also opening night.

Besides the "joy" of playing Boston, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto eight times a piece, Sidney Crosby will visit Buffalo twice -- Oct. 10 and Dec. 17. The later date conflicts with a Bills/Broncos home game.

If previous years mean anything, the Sabres, Canadians and Islanders will fight for the seventh and eight spot in the East the last month of the season. Buffalo plays Montreal in twice in the last four games of the season (Apr. 12 and 15)

Lucky for the Sabres, the change in inter-conference play means only one, three-game swing to the west coast (Jan. 16-21). No more seven-game road trips where every game ends at midnight or later.

More interesting points of the Sabres schedule from The Buffalo News:

"January will be interesting for the Sabres. The month begins with the last five games of a season-long seven-game home stretch but ends with a season-long, six-game road trip. From Jan. 16 to 31, the Sabres will travel to Edmonton, Vancouver, Calgary, Manhattan, Toronto and Atlanta.

The whirlwind happens at a good time because the Sabres will have a chance to recover in February, when there are only six games, including four at home. ...

The home stretch will be a furious one for the Sabres.

Their last nine games include seven Northeast Division games, including three against the Maple Leafs."

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While Sabres fans look at the schedule, knowing it will tough but fun to play divisional rivals eight times, Red Wings fans are shaking their heads at the joy of Columbus, Nashville and Chicago eight times a season. The Detroit News:

' "It's an absolute joke," said David Miller, a 25-year season-ticket holder from West Bloomfield. "It used to be that there were games you wouldn't give up your tickets for, regular-season games you looked forward to.

"That isn't the case anymore." ...

How far has the NHL gone to stress divisional rivalries? Consider this: The Wings play at Columbus on Oct. 22 and Oct. 24, followed by three consecutive games against Chicago."

Hey, I'm glad it's not my team. And I never said I was thrilled about the new divisional-rivalry set-up. It will burn teams in tough divisions like the Northeast and Northwest, while benefiting good teams in the Southeast and Central divisions.

Red Wings fans were also mad that Joe Louis Arena will see four of the six original teams -- Boston, Montreal, New York and Toronto -- only every three years. So much for tradition.

However, the article also mentioned that a change in the playoff format -- which hasn't been announced yet -- could be the reason behind the schedule changes:

"There has been some speculation that the NHL will take the top two teams in each division, along with the next two best records, into the conference playoffs.

The current system takes the three division winners and the next five best records.

"If it's the top two teams (in the division), I can understand all the divisional play (in the regular season schedule)," Holland said. "It's a race within your division." '

In my opinion, this is even worse. Can you imagine taking two teams from EVERY division? And think of all of the teams that would be left out of the playoffs with more points. See: Carolina Hurricanes repeatedly making playoffs due to weak division.

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AROUND THE LEAGUE:

- Bob Goodenow steps down. Can't say I'm surprised. The players basically went over him to make the CBA deal since he was completely against a salary cap.

- The return of the Dominator. Toronto Star:

"Ottawa Senators GM John Muckler liked what he heard from Dominik Hasek when the two talked recently.

"I could hear that passion in his voice," Muckler said during a conference call yesterday. "He's on a mission and he wants to prove that he can become an elite player again." '

Great, eight times a year.

- Why Jack Johnson should go second in this Saturday's draft. No one is talking about anything but Sidney Crosby, but Johnson's a tough, solid-built defenseman with a good shot. I'm glad he's playing for the Wolverines this season, especially since goalie Al Montoya finally left to join the Rangers.

Sid, Satan and Swedes

Talk is where it's at on day four of buyout week:

I'll admit it. I've always had a thing for Peter Forsberg. He's everything you want in a hockey player -- a tough and aggressive, eyes-in-the-back-of-his-head, prolific and clutch point-scorer. He pops out of nowhere to break opposing team's hearts and send goaltenders crying to the locker room. But Forsberg -- not an Av? Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun:

"In Sweden, hockey fans already are fantasizing about a Mats Sundin-Forsberg union, though there also are rumours that Forsberg and fellow unrestricted free agent and Vancouver Canucks captain Markus Naslund will shop themselves as a package.

Forsberg's future with Colorado has been in doubt. To keep Joe Sakic and Rob Blake and restock the Avs -- Sakic and Blake were invited to a team news conference yesterday as a signal they're staying -- Forsberg would have to be sacrificed, with Alex Tanguay possibly moving to centre.

Forsberg has told friends that he prefers to stay in Denver but if that club's hefty payroll has no wiggle room under the $39-million US salary cap, he wants to go to a competitive team in a big hockey market."

Okay, so the thought of a Forsberg-Sundin or Forsberg-Naslund tandem is appealing. But isn't that the sole reason we even have one of those kooky all-star games every non-Olympic year? To see crazy combinations like that? Call me stuck in 1996, but Forsberg should stay with the Avs or play in Europe. He flies with Joe Sakic, Milan Hejduk and Alex Tanguay. It just won't be the same to see him don the Maple Leaf.

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"Satan's days are numbered" -- that's the great headline The Buffalo News ran today, reporting that Miroslav Satan has probably played his last game in the City of Good Neighbors:

"The Sabres' leading scorer in six of his seven full seasons here is a restricted free agent who would make nearly $4 million this season, about 14 percent of the team's target payroll, and become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

The Sabres will either decline to tender a qualifying offer or retain his rights for the purposes of trading them away for as little as a draft pick.

About the only scenario in which Satan would return is if he became an unrestricted free agent and decided to renegotiate a contract with the Sabres for significantly less money rather than move on. That's unlikely."

So even in the new-era NHL where parity is supposedly the name of the game, the Sabres can't afford to keep Satan. I hope that's not the sole reason that they're rumored to be shopping around Satan, probably for a draft pick.

Satan was often a moody, streaky scorer. But his numbers can't be brushed off lightly. The Sabres had a solid scoring line of Jochen Hecht, Daniel Briere and JP Dumont for a good part of the 2003-04 season. But it's a good -- not great -- scoring line. And none of them will ever score 40+ goals like Satan did. And with the new rules, Buffalo will need to add more scoring touch. So go ahead Darcy Regier, part ways with Satan. I won't cry. But I will if you don't get a consistent, scoring forward to replace him.

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I was never a big fan of NHL2Night, but ESPN's John Buccigross always was a beacon of light next to mullet-for-life-club member Barry Melrose. His column on ESPN.com offers some advice to the Pittsburgh Penguins:

"Attention, Pittsburgh Penguins: Please consult me before designing your new arena. You have a baseball park beyond compare, so expect and demand the same for the house The Kid built. Here's a few of my 1,000 ideas:

1. It should hold no more than 17,000. The smaller the better. It doesn't matter how big a football stadium is, but baseball parks and hockey rinks are meant for a more intimate setting. See Fenway Park, PNC Park, Wrigley Field, Boston Garden, etc.

2. Reserve a section behind one of the nets made especially for a band. I'm talking college pep band. Invite a different college or high school band to every game. Bring a college vibe to the arena.

3. Iron City Ice Girls. PLEASE. This is very important.

4. Build a huge outdoor ice skating area on the shaded side of the arena and call it The Craig Patrick Backyard Rink. The outdoor rink should have a statue depicting Patrick helping a young child to skate. Charge $5, keep $2.50 for facility maintenance and give $2.50 to Children's Hospital. Keep a running total of money contributed under the statue in perpetuity.

5. Whatever you call the barn, don't use the word "Arena" or "Center." They are cold, lifeless words. Give me a Lemieux Gardens. For the other 995 ideas, hit my cell."

Buccigross has some great points here about the possibilities of Pittsburgh's new arena. Please -- no enormous, sloping ARENA, where cheers of "Let's Go Pens" would drown out before hitting the nosebleeds. And make it an auditorium, forum or (maybe even) gardens -- not an arena or center. Make it a great place for hockey -- and that means no gimmicky ice girls, Buccigross. Just a place fit for King Crosby.

Teams go back to school

Why is it so quiet on the buyout front? Try learning a 600-page document in a few days. GMs, coaches, agents and players are busing studying the new CBA, leaving little time for player movement. What was supposed to be mass frenzy is currently a slow crawl. Sabres' coach Lindy Ruff is hitting the books, according to Tim Graham of The Buffalo News:

"The NHL on Friday announced several rule changes that will send coaches back to their dry-erase boards. Between the start of Sabres training camp Sept. 13 and opening night Oct. 5, Ruff will be adjusting his methods.

"It's a great unknown," Ruff said. "What is going to happen?"

It's anyone's guess until players get on the ice under the new guidelines. Ruff estimated about 20 percent of his system has become outdated.

"I think 80 percent of it will stay the same, but you're taking almost a quarter of what you play and saying, "We gotta adjust this now,' " he said.

"There's going to be homework. I want our coaches to be creative. Let's come up with a whole bunch of ideas, and let's eliminate by trial and error." '

It'll be interesting to see if coaches around the league actually change their game plan. Devils GM Lou Lamoriello said he wouldn't change his defensive-minded strategy for New Jersey on MSG last week. However, I bet we'll see many coaches adjusting mid-season, especially with the numerous rule changes. Later in the article, Ruff even said that coaches might have a shootout-only goaltender on the bench. Will coaches push larger, slower players to the bottom of the lineup due to a new, more open format that allows for quickness and speed to flourish?

Still, the Philadelphia Flyers -- as expected -- bought out John Leclair and Tony Amonte. TSN.ca has a Daily Transaction Log to track all of the player movement.

Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News broke down likely moves from each team. About Buffalo:

"The Sabres could be dumping goalie Martin Biron. They really want to re-sign defenseman Alexei Zhitnik, a player who is in demand. The Sabres want to bolster their defense and goaltending."

A goaltender teeter-totter instead of a carousel in Buffalo? That just wouldn't be as much fun! Really, is Sabres GM Darcy Regier really going to dump Biron after he and Ruff praise him every spring for his "growth and development"? It would be terrific if Regier could bring in a solid, veteran goaltender to share the duty with Mika Noronen or Ryan Miller. I just don't see these kids learning from each other -- their collective mental toughness is softer than Charmin.

But yes, Darcy, get on Zhitnik RIGHT NOW. Defense wins championships -- or at least a trip to the Finals -- every now and then.

Other interesting rumors include many players going to back to their old teams for less money, or moving back to play in their home city. Kulfan rumored that Chris Osgood could return to the Wings, while Curtis Joseph could become a Blue again. Kulfan also said the Oilers could be interested in Doug Weight, while the Stars might pick up Derian Hatcher once the Wings unload his salary. Minnesota might even seek the return of an original North Star, Mike Modano.

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CROSBY WATCH: The Associated Press noted ticket-buyers and players flocking to be near the 17-year-old phenom:

"Sidney Crosby has yet to don a Penguins' No. 87 jersey but already the 17-year-phenom has changed everything about hockey in Pittsburgh.

The NHL's worst team when the league last played a regular-season game in 2004, the Penguins can now look upon the playoffs as a realistic goal this season. And ticket sales, which sagged after years of near-capacity crowds in the league's oldest and least fan-friendly arena, picked up substantially minutes after Pittsburgh won the No. 1 pick Friday in the NHL draft lottery.

The Penguins sold scores of season-ticket packages Friday night to fans from 10 states and Canada, even though ticket-buyers had to wait 45 minutes on hold just to get an operator.

Other phones are ringing, too. With hundreds of players about to be dumped on the free agent market Aug. 1, some had their agents call general manager Craig Patrick.

They are eager for the chance to play alongside Lemieux, Crosby and Mark Recchi, in front of goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, to get back to the player-friendly venue which lost stars such as Jaromir Jagr, Ron Francis, Alex Kovalev and Martin Straka not because they wanted to leave, but because the Penguins couldn't afford them.

Thanks to a salary cap that will shrink the gap between the Penguins' payroll and that of the upper-tier teams from $55 million US in 2003-04 to about $10 million in 2005-06, the Penguins can compete again on the open market for top-tier players." '

Gosh, that must be nice.

March of the Penguins

So it's official: the Pittsburgh Penguins snagged golden boy Sidney Crosby. Three balls did pay off, but not for the Buffalo Sabres who received -- ironically -- the 13th spot in the draft. 13 ... yea, not the luckiest number.

When it came down to the last two picks (and holding my breath long enough to suffocate), I guess I was leaning my wishes toward Brian Burke and the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. But the Steel City won out in the end, with its second number one draft pick in three years. Crosby will join the Penguins franchise, one that had for years lived in a bottomless pit, reinvigorating a team that includes Mario Lemieux (nice linemate), Mark Recchi and goaltender Marc Andre-Fleury. In a few seconds the team transformed from a checkmark on most team's schedules to a feared competitor.

Still, would have been "better" for Crosby to land in a bigger NHL market to promote the game instead of a dying franchise like Pittsburgh? Time will tell.

Congratulations to all Pittsburgh fans. On this historical day, you marched away with the most to look forward to on Oct. 5.

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Speaking of Oct. 5 (opening night -- all 30 teams will be in action), one of the most interesting things to come out of the announcement of the CBA ratification was the changes in the schedule (NHL.com):

• Each club will play eight games against each of its four division rivals (32 total).
• Each club will play four games against each of the 10 non-division clubs in its conference (40 total).
• Each club will play 10 inter-conference games, hosting one game each against all five clubs from a designated division and traveling for one game each against all five clubs from a different division. For the 2005-06 season, Northeast Division clubs will host the Pacific Division and visit the Northwest; Atlantic Division clubs will host the Northwest and visit the Central; and Southeast Division clubs will host the Central and visit the Pacific. Division vs. division assignments will rotate annually.

I don't really like this. First, the Sabres will not play the Detroit Red Wings this year, which means I can't see them play unless I drive to an Eastern Conference city. And playing division rivals eight times? Great if your team is an easier division, such as the Central or Southeast. But not so great if everyone in your division made the playoffs last season except your favorite team (Buffalo, Northeast Division).

Still, I'm glad every team will play the majority of the teams in the league and that they kept 82 games on the schedule. I think it's important that they didn't wipe out inter-conference games completely. As a fan, I like seeing the rest of the league. Granted, I won't miss not playing Nashville this season.

I just feel bad for the Pacific division, who will have to watch Crosby on TV.

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It's going to take some time for the media, players, GMs, coaches and fans to wrap their minds around the 600+ page CBA document. But in the meanwhile, here's a few links to sort through the madness:

NHL CBA FAQ: Great collection of questions (shootout? revenue sharing?) asked and answered on NHL.com.

Draft lottery results and NHL rule changes on TSN.ca

Sidney Crosby timeline on SLAM! Sports

Do you remember ... ?

When word came today that the Friday's NHL press conference and draft lottery would be televised on U.S. television I was first, shocked, and then memories flooded in.

Hockey. On TV. On multiple stations. And so many choices:

MSG -- Hockey's Back: Starting at 3 p.m. EDT, MSG will show both the press conference and draft lottery. Then, at 9 p.m., MSG will host a roundtable with John Davidson, Sam Rosen, Doc Emrick and Stan Fischler.

Comcast SportsNet (Chicago, Mid-Atlantic and Philadelphia) & Altitude Sports Network -- Press conference at 3 p.m. EDT and subsequent draft lottery.

ESPNEWS will also show cut-ins of TSN's coverage of the draft lottery. TSN's coverage spans from 2-7 p.m EDT.

Doesn't it remind you of the old days, flipping between games? Trying to catch the best intermission interviews, spellbounding saves and last-minute game-winners? Ah, yes. It's only a matter of time.

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It was no suprise that the players ratified the CBA today in Toronto. The majority of players -- 87 percent -- are sane individuals (CP). They know that while this might not be the best deal, it's not going to get any better right now. And sitting out another year will do nothing for their careers, especially the 40+ crew. Photo courtesy of AP.

What was extremely disturbing was seeing Gary Bettman and Bob Goodenow -- omg! -- shake hands and sit side-by-side. ESPN columnist Scott Burnside couldn't believe it either:

"The two, appearing at a joint news conference for the first time since the Salt Lake City Olympics in 2002, practically killed each other with kindness Thursday as they came together to announce the ratification of a new collective bargaining agreement by the players.

Please. Thank you. I agree. You're quite right. No, you first. I insist.

As for the fact the two have been at each other's throats in boardrooms and across bargaining tables for more than a decade? Completely blown out of proportion, they insisted -- a media fairy tale.

"I think there's been too much made about a fragmented relationship. It tends, I suppose, to make for interesting reading and telling," Bettman told reporters during a news conference that was broadcast live nationally in hockey-starved Canada. "But Bob and I have always had a professional relationship. On a personal level we've never had a problem dealing with each other. And I don't suspect there'll be any change in that.

"I have no doubt that labor and management can work together for the benefit of the game and the fans in an unprecedented way," Bettman added.

"I agree totally," Goodenow chimed in, and it was a wonder he didn't throw his arm over Bettman's shoulder to make the point."

I almost wanted to puke just then. Really, I hate them both equally. Goodenow is the grinch who stole our NHL season and Bettman was the annoying little dog, tagging along and dragging fans through the mud. Not to mention Bettman's tenure has driven the league to the brink of existence.

Oh well. Tomorrow, we'll get another goofy grin from Bettman and a deep sigh from Goodenow. They can put on the happy faces all they want. But tomorrow is only the beginning of a rocky road to opening night. Hey, at least it's a start!

Thank goodness for Friday

It's only Wednesday, but I all I can think about is Friday. Friday is the truly the beginning of it all -- the return of the NHL, the draft lottery, and Sidney Crosby's career as a Buffalo Sabre. Okay, the last part was wishful thinking, but hey, it could happen!

People like Toronto Sun columnist Bill Lankhof are jealous of Buffalo's three-ball chance at scoring Crosby:

"The New York Rangers, Columbus, Pittsburgh or Buffalo have the best chance of winning the draft lottery for Sidney Crosby.

So , he's either going to The City That Never Sleeps or some place where he'll be the biggest thing next to:

a) the intramural college flag football championship;

b) a controversy over who'll be the Steelers' third-string quarterback, or;

c) the arrival of a new fire truck in Lackawanna."

A fire truck? Honestly?

After the players ratify the CBA tomorrow, the spotlight turns on Friday's board of governors meeting. The meeting will include a vote on the CBA and new rule changes, and yes, the much anticipated "who's-the-luckiest-team-in-the-NHL" show, broadcast live on NHL.com.

And if you live in Canada, you get to enjoy five hours of SportsCentre Special: Game On, airing Friday on TSN from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. EDT! Me, the poor American fan? I'll be sitting near my computer, awaiting the 4 p.m. lottery and praying a lot.

So while Friday gets the whole thing rolling, Saturday is truly when the craziness begins. GMs, agents and players will be scrambling: a six-day window for player buyouts (that don't count against the cap) and a nine-day period for teams to negotiate exclusively with their unrestricted free agents. And then -- boom -- free agency starts Aug. 1, promising to be one of the most explosive free agent seasons ever.

If you're crying because your team is one of those grossly overpaid franchises (see Philadelphia, Detroit) and you know some fan favorites will be hitting the road for -- gasp! -- Atlanta or Calgary, be comforted to know that my favorite team, the Buffalo Sabres, is in fine shape. Well, besides a certain goaltender merry-go-round and Alexei Zhitnik's unrestricted free agency status. Tim Graham (The Buffalo News):

"The Sabres, unlike some other NHL clubs, have an abundance of players. A few changes aside, they will look much like the team that finished the 2003-04 season with only 16 regulation losses in their last 47 games.

...

Buffalo has as many as nine players under contract for the upcoming season and holds the rights to at least 15 restricted free agents. Defensemen Alexei Zhitnik and James Patrick are the only two unrestricted free agents."

That means Buffalo only has $9,149,000 of the cap taken up, plenty left to sign important restricted free agents such as Daniel Briere and JP Dumont. But just because Sabres fans won't see a huge shake-up in the roster, is that really a good thing? Jay McKee thinks so (Buffalo News):

"I think our team is in one of the best situations possible. We have a group of young, talented players ready to step up," said defenseman Jay McKee, the Sabres' NHL Players' Association representative, who will be in Toronto for Thursday's union ratification meeting. ...

"Now, in a cap world, the playing field is on an even level. We won't be going into Colorado or Toronto against teams spending so much more money." '

Hmm... will it be enough? I'm not convinced that Sabres GM Darcy Regier is ready to shell out the bucks for streaky/moody forward Miro Satan. And what if Alexei Zhitnik goes elsewhere? That puts a lot of pressure on Dmitri Kalinin and the young defense core to protect either Marty Biron, Mika Noronen, or Ryan Miller. Yea, that terrific threesome -- again.

Regier is faced with the same challenge he has been faced with the past couple of years -- is it worth protecting his "promising and growing" group of young Sabres rather than adding some proven veterans to the mix? And I'm not talking about James Patrick. What about bringing in some free agents from the outside? I don't think I can take another year of "Biron is maturing" or "superstar-in-the-making Connolly" will return from his concussion to what, lead the fourth line in scoring?

I just hope Regier keeps reminding himself that this is the same team that has missed the playoffs three consecutive seasons -- last season by six points. To ensure that it's really a level playing field next season, Regier must bring in a few new faces to solidify Buffalo's chance at a playoff spot. See you Saturday, Darcy!

Spread the good news

I've had a few of those really excited moments lately, the ones only a starved hockey fan gets around this time of year. You know -- you hear "Start Me Up" playing on the radio, dig up your favorite hockey team's t-shirt to wear out on the town, or start praying for those cold winter nights. Ah, yes. If you're truly obsessed, you probably even have at least a few games on tape -- ones you could watch, say, if you get desperate. (Please leave a certain game from June of 1999 on the shelf. It's really not that bad.)

I'm guilty of those moments and more. I heard the mention of "your official station for Red Wings hockey" on 1270 AM and blasted my car stereo. And I don't even like the Wings. I busted out the NHL apparel and even began humming the Hockey Night in Canada jingle. And the draft isn't even until the 30th. It's official -- I'm a diehard hockey fan. And if you're like me, it's our duty to bring this game back with a bang and share our passion with new fans.

Seeing the possibilities? Now comes the tough part: popular and NHL -- the two words just don't mix. Right? At least in the U.S., where fans aren't "Canadian enough" to appreciate the game. ESPN's Terry Frei on broadening the fan base:

"... the sport's most fervent proponents, whether in the seats or the front offices, in Canada, Sweden or the U.S., ditch this proprietary, "our sport" mind-set. Potential new fans -- yes, especially in the U.S. -- have been turned off when they encounter the attitude that they should have to pass a rules and a history test to be allowed to buy a ticket for an NHL game, or that they must swear allegiance to hockey above all other sports to be considered a true fan.

The NHL has remained a niche and cult sport in the U.S. in part because some fans don't want to go through what sometimes can seem to be like a fraternity initiation to be accepted. And, yes, the fans in the nontraditional markets tire of being belittled in the double-standard judgments: Empty seats in Boston are because the history-drenched Bruins stink and consumers are smart; but empty seats in Florida for a rotten Panthers team are because the fans are "bad" and it's an unworthy market."

Geez, I think I even might have been guilty of this. Living near Hockeytown all my life, I assumed people around me liked hockey. And I also assumed that when I traveled to other cities in the U.S. -- be it New York or Chicago -- that people didn't. And those fans in nontraditional markets like Florida and Texas? Just transplanted northerners that left for jobs or retirement. And how could kids that have never even seen snow appreciate a game played on ice? Maybe a lot of us -- including the majority of the hockey media in Canada -- just think it's not genetically possible for Americans to embrace hockey the same way they do football. Frei on the media:

"... many high- and low-profile members of the U.S. media, even in large markets where the NHL is a major attraction, cease serving up their rationalizations for continuing ignorance about, and inattention to, hockey.

... I'm sick of the "Chicago" rationalization, the one that went (at least in the old days): "There are only 18,000 people in Chicago who care about hockey, and they're all at the Chicago Stadium." Hockey interest is more widespread than that, and it gets ridiculous when columnists in major markets are writing more about bad NBA teams drawing, oh, 6,000 a game than NHL powerhouses selling out. Why? Because there's "more interest" in the NBA.

Maybe there is.

In Boise."

The local media outlets in Detroit definitely give Red Wings top billing on every occasion. But it's not so in other cities, especially on the national level where a great overtime goal or head-turning save gets buried beneath football, basketball, golf, even off-season baseball rumors. And forget any coverage if your favorite team isn't New York, Colorado, Philadelphia or Detroit -- especially if you're a fan of a team north of the border. There's been entire seasons without an Edmonton or Vancouver game on ESPN/ESPN2 -- even when Vancouver was near the top of the league.

But is it the media's "duty" to create fans? No. But do they fuel an ongoing war with Canada's best import? Yes. All of the time. And please, I don't think people started emailing ESPN begging to see more of the strongest man competition.

There's a bunch of reasons you can point to the lack of success the league has had the United States. The lockout hasn't helped that image and the lack of a national TV deal will probably make it suffer further. So that's why I call on you. Frei one last time:

"... I've also experienced the enjoyment of witnessing transformations in both individual fans and entire markets, when grandmothers who didn't know the color of the blue line a few years ago now are asking why the hell that clown is on the point, when mothers are driving vanloads of kids to the rink for USA Hockey-affiliated leagues and programs, and when -- just to cite one example -- a national championship collegiate hockey program in Denver increasingly is drawing from an in-state talent pool. Don't give up, and not only because the new partnership between owners and players is tied to percentage of revenues and dollars can come because of interest in the non-NHL markets, as well. Don't give up, and not only because minor-league pro hockey has spread to unlikely outposts in the U.S. (how about those Laredo Bucks?), and even there it can become more than a cheap-ticket, beer-and-fights phenomenon."

I hope you're as excited about the return of professional hockey as I am. Bust out the t-shirts, car flags, bumper stickers and pom-pons. Cry when your team doesn't get Sidney Crosby in two weeks. Host "Hockey Night in Canada" parties in the fall. Just promise me you'll spread the good news.

John Rigas broke my heart, but October might save it

For most Sabres fans and Western New Yorkers, the name John Rigas and Adelphia still get met with anger and sadness, a reminder of the man who swooped in to "save" the Sabres in 1998 and then, just five years later, leave the team in bankruptcy and on the verge of extinction.

Jerry Sullivan's (The Buffalo News) column from April 2002:

"I feel a profound sadness for the people of Buffalo, who have absorbed so many economic hits in recent years and desperately wanted - no, needed - to believe that Rigas and Adelphia were the real thing. Rigas filled that most basic human need. He gave them hope. But once again, they've discovered that their capacity for belief is exceeded only by the ability of their appointed to disappoint them. Under Rigas, the Sabres went to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in 24 years. Adelphia's stock price soared to an all-time high during that playoff run. When it was over, Rigas promised to deliver the tools to finish the job. Before long, there was the promise of a high-rise corporate headquarters on the waterfront.

I bought into it, too. Four years ago, I spent a week talking to Rigas and his friends and family. The result was a First Sunday Magazine piece entitled "The Most Popular Person In Buffalo." The subhead was "John Rigas Reminds Us How to Dream." The story chronicled Rigas' rise from a son of Greek immigrants to founder of one of the largest cable TV companies in America. He was a product of the Depression, a self-made billionaire with small-town roots. I called him a fitting symbol for Buffalo's revival, "the new hope, not only of the city's sports fans, but of those people dreaming of a new, more vibrant downtown." Tim Rigas, the son and Sabres' chief executive, said the family wanted to "stretch our imagination" to explore the possibilities of downtown Buffalo. Meanwhile, as we know, they were stretching themselves financially to a perilous degree. Today, they find themselves banished from the board of directors of their own company, disgraced and facing possible criminal charges. In Buffalo, they've become yet another false hope, another example of money and influence gone awry.

...

Once, he had a magic touch in his fingers. Now there is the residue of oversized dreams, crumbling into dust."

Thankfully, the Sabres were rescued by new owner Tom Golisano. But Adelphia's revitalization of the riverfront never happened -- the jobs and massive devlopment never came. The team lost Michael Peca and Dominik Hasek and missed the playoffs three straight seasons. And WNY sports fans lost both EMPIRE -- the regional sports network -- and WNSA -- sports talk radio. So while WNY didn't lose hockey, it lost a lot of its soul. And the sports coverage in WNY is still up in the air, according to Alan Pergament of The Buffalo News:

"The only things certain about the Buffalo Sabres broadcast plans this coming season are that Rick Jeanneret will return as play-by-play man and Jim Lorentz as analyst and the games will be carried on MSG and WGR-AM.

"I haven't really had a chance to finalize anything beyond Rick and Jim," said Larry Quinn, the Buffalo Sabres' managing partner. That means the futures of reporter Danny Gare and post-game analyst Mike Robitaille are up in the air.

"I don't want to say anything about anybody," said Quinn. "Everything is up for grabs right now. It doesn't mean we're going to change anything." '

After losing EMPIRE and WNSA -- my only lifeline as an out-of-town Buffalo sports fan -- I can't even imagine what the coverage will be like in the fall. Is it really Sabres hockey without Mike Robitaille cracking jokes on Hockey Hotline after every game? That hour post-game show was better than the game itself on many occasions. Robitaille's banter with Brian Blessing and then Josh Mora was absolutely priceless. Robitaille has that old, rough-and-tough hockey feel that can't be replicated by one of MSG's cookie-cutter sports hosts.

Even if Larry Quinn (don't you just have loads of confidence in him?) manages to secure a decent pre- and post-game show for the Sabres, it can never be the same. I doubt there will ever be a return to an exclusive WNY sports network. And forget about afternoons listening to Sharpshooters with Robitaille and Jim Kelley, a pregame show with Mora, fantastic game coverage by EMPIRE, interviews by Danny Gare, and then the best postgame in the North America (I can verify this, buying Center Ice the past four years).

Looking back, the link between Adelphia and its stations -- EMPIRE and WNSA -- seem almost like a blessing. Now fans are left with WGR -- far from the quality seen in the heydays of EMPIRE and WNSA. Even with Howard Simon and Mike Schopp, who both worked at WNSA/EMPIRE, WGR is and always will be a distant second in honest, intelligent sports talk.

Another WNY sports disappointment. But what is truly great is that I can actually post about this now -- because there will be a return of Sabres hockey in the fall. And this will be a Sabres franchise able to compete on a more level playing field, with a solid owner, and a dedicated city of sports fans.

The "new" NHL

Okay, so we know that we'll be feeling lockout repercussions for some time. The NHL will never be the same. Speculating on one possible change, Eric Francis writes in the Calgary Sun:

"Given the fact the Flames can now theoretically throw the same amount of money at a free agent as any other team, players will be more apt to choose Cowtown over most rival cities.

The same Alberta Advantage that has made Calgary one of the most desirable cities in Canada to live in, will likely see the team continue to flourish and grow much like the rest of the city.

"I think there will be more free agents who are attracted to Calgary," said Jarome Iginla, when asked how Cowtown will fare in the NHL's new marketplace. "It's easier for small markets to compete in free agency because the salaries won't be as high as they were before the 24% salary rollbacks."

Faced with choosing between a handful of teams offering roughly the same money, free agents will now look much closer at the cost of living and lifestyle issues that make Calgary much more favourable than most other cities."

Interesting. With the swell of free agents and a semi-return to salary parity, will players be more likely to judge possible teams on things like cost of living, the city, and the team itself?

Can't say I'm swayed that easily. I think most players will still focus on which team pays the most and which has the best chance of winning. But if it comes down to taking $750,000 to play in Edmonton or $800,000 to play in Nashville, which one would you take?

Initially, I think there will be a lot of movement, with player contracts being bought out and thus players shifting from team to team. However, if the cap in the NHL plays out anything like in the NFL (not that the two are really similar), we should eventually see player movement decrease, especially deadline deals. Teams won't be able to afford to "pick up a player" for a short playoff run.

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All is not well in Chicago. I'm sure I'm not the first to say that Chicago is a baseball town. Or a football town. And the AHL's Chicago Wolves are more popular than the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks. But did you know it was this bad: According to a poll by the Chicago Tribune on ChicagoSports.com, 54% of Chicagoans can't name a single Blackhawk player. And only 20.6% could name one or two.

Oh but it gets worse. Tribune columnist Rick Morrissey:

"The last time I wrote about the NHL, the response from readers was stunning. That's because there was no response. None. Zippo. A shutout.

The Blackhawks recently named a new general manager, Dale Tallon, and I wrote that there seemed to be actual hope hovering over our local shot-and-a-save outfit.

You responded with no discernable vital signs. A column about a Cubs middle reliever who likes to make balloon animals can bring 100 e-mails. A column about the Hawks and a new beginning brought zero.

And, yet, here I go, getting right back up on that Zamboni, risking life and self-image to write about a league that apparently has the mass appeal and relevancy of 14th-Century Incan religious carvings."

Ouch.

Front page tells all

The news of an agreement isn't the only intriguing piece of NHL/PA happenings this week. The way the news covered the news is even more intriguing. Here's Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun:

"It's still a great question, but without any real answer. To understand the staggered state of this new NHL, all you have is juxtapose sports networks in two countries yesterday.

In Canada, the all-day television coverage began around noon and ended around midnight. It was all lockout all the time.

On American television, it was a few minutes on hockey and we take you to more Terrell Owens rumours. The popular ESPN program PTI began with the following words: "Sadly enough, we're starting our show with hockey." '

Can't say I saw PTI yesterday, but I was pretty satisfied with seeing the top three moments of the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals on ESPNEWS. The major media outlets in the U.S. harped on the league even before the lockout, so why would they give up their favorite goat now? Just add it to the list of 99 problems facing the league in the coming months.

Okay, enough with the negativity. Even though the Washington Post, Boston Globe, and New York Times failed to run the story on the front page (but props to both the Globe and NYT for having teasers), a lot of newspapers ran with it as their lead story and image. 

Right: Detroit Free Press, Columbus Dispatch, San Jose Mercury News, The Detroit News; bottom: Toronto Sun, all courtesy of Newseum.

While I have to applaud the papers that still like hockey (note that two were in "Hockeytown"), I still think Canada's eight-page pullouts and non-stop coverage takes the cake. I think the Toronto Sun summed up a fan's emotions best.

Cover the story any way you want to, ESPN. The fact is, there's still people out there who would rather watch the NHL than college baseball or the the World Series of Poker.