In The Crease

Hockey night in Buffalo, U.S.A

Sabres fans will be happy to know that while Empire Sports Network is gone, Mike Robitaille will be back on the air this fall covering the Sabres.

When Empire went off the air in March, Western New York lost more than just a sports network — it lost a part of Buffalo sports culture. But if you're a hockey fan (and I'm guessing you are if you're reading this), the bigger loss was Empire's hockey coverage, specifically the Sabres post-game show, Hockey Hotline. For over a decade, fans from WNY and around the country could call in and sound off on each Sabres game for over an hour. Robitaille's colorful commentary and analysis were the backbone of HH. But while Robitaille will return, Hockey Hotline will not according to The Buffalo News:

"The Buffalo Sabres' TV plans for their first season on the Madison Square Garden Network include a post-game show with a new name, a different cast and a different agenda than "Hockey Hotline" had on the defunct Empire Sports Network.

Kevin Sylvester, the former WGR-AM morning host, will host "The Shootout." Mike Robitaille, the "HH" regular who worked with Josh Mora (now in Chicago) two seasons ago, returns with a former Sabre to be named later. If Rob Ray retires, he would be an obvious option.

Larry Quinn, the Sabres' managing partner, said the show will be live at HSBC Arena after home games and will include more in-depth features and more thorough analysis than offered by "HH." The show's call-in component won't be as large as it was on "HH."

Hmm, "The Shootout?" Like Sharpshooters? What was wrong with the name "Hockey Hotline?" Assuming rights to the name do not belong to Adelphia, I feel the name change either has to do with Quinn wanting to deemphasize the fan call-in portion, or Quinn wanting to just make it his own. I don't think the format change was needed, as HH was one of Empire's highest-rated programs and arguably the best post-game show in the NHL. In the article, Robitaille explained why he thought the change was made:

' "There is a lot to talk about this year, more than any other season," Robitaille said. "There will be more time to evaluate the game and teach the public the best we can. It might be difficult for people to grasp a lot of rule changes." '

I'm not familiar with Sylvester's work, but he'll be hard-pressed to live up to Brian Blessing or Josh Mora's standard. Seriously, though, I'm doing cartwheels now that a part of the Buffalo hockey culture I love will return in October!

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Last week, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Comcast made a two-year, over $100 million deal to nationally broadcast NHL games for the next two seasons. Games would be shown on Outdoor Life Network, a move by Comcast to expand OLN and sway sports viewers away from ESPN. Still, long-time NHL partner ESPN reportedly gets the right to match any offer that Comcast makes. And while I don't appreciate the sub-par coverage of hockey on the deuce, the Los Angeles Times's Mike Penner makes some interesting points on why it's best for the NHL to stick with ESPN:

"Ice hockey, the quintessential indoor sport, on the Outdoor Life Network?

That makes as much sense as having more NHL franchises south of Kentucky than in Canada, but that's the NHL.

Of course, the Outdoor Life Network prefers to cloak itself behind its initials, OLN, a handle that became popular among cycling enthusiasts, who came to know the channel as the Only Lance Network. The NHL on OLN? It does have a ring. Say it fast enough and no one will have the chance to make any more outdoor hockey jokes. ...

For the NHL, the incentive is obvious. For better or worse, ESPN is the leading brand name in American sports television. In today's media culture, the ESPN logo has a legitimizing effect on any activity — even non-sports — it chooses to air. Look what the network has done for poker, fishing and competitive eating.

Without its long-standing ESPN rubber stamp, the NHL risks becoming more of a niche sport tucked away on a niche network.

But ESPN also needs the NHL. What kind of "Worldwide Leader in Sports" allows the sport of Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe and Bobby Hull to leave the building, quit the family, vacate the premises without a fight?

Keeping the NHL makes economic as well as promotional sense for ESPN, which has had a virtual monopoly in the national cable sports market ever since it squashed Fox's challenge. Let the NHL slip away to OLN and ESPN will essentially assist in birthing a new cable rival."

Currently, 61 million households receive OLN, while 71-plus million get ESPN. I just can't picture hockey moving off of a household name to OLN, a channel I've rarely watched. And I don't think a new start on OLN gives the NHL a better place in the broadcasting marketplace. Even though hockey on ESPN was not perfect, it's important that the NHL stays there if it ever hopes to re-solidify its roots in the American sports landscape.

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AROUND THE LEAGUE:

-Redden to be shopped?: The Ottawa Sun reports GM John Muckler is in a tough position, wondering whether he'll have to part with star defenseman Wade Redden due to cap economics. Ottawa's long had a team of fast, skillful youngsters that helped the Senators finish near the top in the East almost every year. But with the lowered age of free agency and star players demanding more money, it seems Ottawa won't be able to afford to keep their roster intact for much longer.

-Crosby-mania just beginning: Just days removed from his appearance on The Tonight Show, Sidney Crosby's star-studded tour hit Pittsburgh according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

"Mario Lemieux didn't get this kind of reception in his first moments in Pittsburgh. Neither did Ben Roethlisberger or any other athlete in the 20 years between the time those two were drafted by local teams.

But when Sidney Crosby rode down an escalator to the baggage claim area of Pittsburgh International Airport just after 7 p.m. yesterday [Wednesday], his white polo shirt reflected the glare of a host of television cameras. When he reached the bottom and was escorted into a back corner for a brief interview session, Crosby was mobbed by reporters, photographers and a few dozen fans who had gotten wind of his arrival or were just lucky enough to be there and figured out what was going on."

Now with the addition of solid goaltending in the form of Jocelyn Thibault, the Penguins are definitely shaping up to be a favorite to make the playoffs in the East. And with the possibilities of Mario Lemieux, Crosby and Ziggy Palffy up front, along with Thibault in net, it's a good chance the Penguins could upset a eastern powerhouse in the first round.

Heeeere's Sidney!

While I'm not too excited about the Sabres defense this fall, every day that passes brings us closer to the start of the NHL season. And this season is the debut of (drumroll) Sidney Crosby. He's already been crowned as hockey's savior, but now he's starting the "rounds" -- last night, Crosby was a guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. This is big. I can't even remember the last time (maybe when a player brought the Stanley Cup with him) that a hockey player was on a major U.S. late-night show.

And he represented the sport well. Dressed in a sharp, pinstriped suit and very well-spoken, Crosby was mature and impressive, especially for a 17-year-old. If Crosby lives up to anything near his expectations, it's no doubt in my mind that he'll be a great ambassador for the game in the U.S., much the way Wayne Gretzky was. Nothing sells a game like a superstar, or even a superstar in the making (see: LeBron James).

The funniest part of the segment was when Crosby told Leno that he's never been to Pittsburgh, but that he was going next week. Leno then showed a cheesy, chamber of commerce promo video of Pittsburgh circa 1970. Children ran down the hills to the background of an announcer proclaiming, "America's great renaissance city."

Crosby also recalled pelting his mom's dryer with pucks, practicing his shot growing up in Nova Scotia. Leno brought a dryer on to stage for a little reenactment. Crosby missed the first three shots, but then landed the second two. He was poised; everything was lighthearted and fun. I'm cheering for him, as long as he doesn't score too many goals against the Sabres.

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Darcy Regier finally signed a player on Thursday. Ex-Dallas Star Teppo Numminen joins the Sabres back end. I'm a little concerned about his age (37), since I think James Patrick already has the old man role covered. But Numminen does add experience to the group of youngsters.

Still, one signing does not let Regier off the hook. On WGR this morning, he indicated that most of the free agent defensemen had already been taken. He's looking at trades to possibly add a player or two. Does that mean the Sabres are not interested in Roman Hamrlik? I'm guessing Hamrlik either wants too much money or a long-term deal, two things that would scare Regier away. I love how the Sabres let go of Alexei Zhitnik, only to be on the hunt for veteran defensemen. He was right here, baby. Played in the organization nine and half years, knew the system and was a cornerstone of the Sabres defense. It's still killing me.

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Bob Dicesare of The Buffalo News had a thoroughly depressing column today:

"The Sabres miscalculated, and they miscalculated badly. They should have signed Satan to the qualifying offer of $3.8 million and then, if they were so inclined, dangled him as trade bait. They should have realized that the value of players who can skate and shoot had expanded, or at least held fast, now that the league is welcoming back the days when the Yvan Cournoyers sizzled up and down the wing unimpeded. Which overlaps with Regier's playing days, by the way.

It seemed like a bargain when Satan was available to the Sabres at a 24 percent discount from the season last played. It stood to reason that players of his ilk would be coveted in a league that is determined to rid itself of obstruction once and for all, a league that expanded the offensive zone by 4 feet from goal line to blue line, thereby increasing the demand for skill players, particularly those with a knack for producing on the power play.

The Sabres were holding onto something special in Satan, and their response was to let him flee, and to do so, worst of all, without securing a return."

Dicesare makes a good point here. Although Regier claims there was no trade interest prior to free agency, I've got to believe teams assumed that Buffalo wasn't going to tender him a qualifying offer. Especially near the end of last season, Satan seemed to really fit with the power play and the new, more offensive system the Sabres were playing. Yes, I know there were scoreless streaks. But Satan wanted to stay and he was an asset that could have been packaged with another player (Marty Biron, anyone?) to get another defenseman.

But the biggest hit Dicesare made was on Regier. It's deserved, in my opinion:

"A trend has emerged, and it's not the stuff of which Stanley Cup dreams are made. Regier painted himself into a corner with goaltender Dominik Hasek and dealt him away for a song. He realized a meager return after the Michael Peca holdout, neither Tim Connolly nor Taylor Pyatt having produced to a level anywhere near commensurate with Peca's abilities. They held tight to defenseman Alexei Zhitnik through the trade deadline of the season last played, even though the writing was right there on the wall. If the NHL won its labor war, if the Sabres could backtrack to a payroll more to their liking, then a workhorse defenseman like Zhitnik was going to price them away on the open market. It was inconceivable the franchise could have competed for his services while electing to operate, in this case, some 25 percent beneath the salary-cap ceiling. What's clear is the Sabres have squandered four premium assets, which is no way to build a small-market contender."

NOTE: I'm leaving for California tomorrow, but I'll try to update the blog as much as possible. Until then, GO SABRES!

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