Thank goodness for the lockout. At least the Panthers will have time to heal. Kris Versteeg said in New York he was two months away from skating after offseason hip surgery, and with Erik Gudbranson's shoulder injury that will have him sidelined into January, a lockout doesn't seem so bad. But who am I kidding?

I know it may seem inconceivable to many who are Hockeybuzz loyalists, but Panther fans are also destroyed by this lockout and the obvious stupidity from both sides (mostly the owners). Just when things were getting good for the Panthers and nowhere to go but up, a work stoppage is now in the way of further progress.

Apparently neither side truly knows the pain the fans are experiencing, and certainly don't care. The players play for the fans(but we're finding out it's more and more for themselves), and the owners provide the fans with the hopefully reasonable and affordable access to watch said players. "Reasonable" is a term the owners have decided to redefine, and that definition is MYOPIC.

The owners have no ability to look away from their greedy hands as well as eliminate the biggest problem in this process...Gary Bettman. Arguably one of the worst commissioners in sports history continues his wrath of stubborness, stupidity, and arrogance that boggles the mind for the objective person.

I wonder if Bettman knows that the boos here hears EVERYWHERE he goes are sincere and warranted. Recently I heard a 30-year-old, 5'2", 110 lb. female say if she saw Bettman in person she'd punch him the face. That wouldn't be hard since they are the same size, but is that really the emotion that any sports commissioner wants to pull out of their respective fans? She is not alone. I know I get angry when I see Bettman's face or hear him speak, and his owners are forcing a needless lockout over a deal the owners agreed to in 2005. It truly is insanity. Apparently the NHL got too successful for it's own good. How dare it work!

Since 1992, the NFL has lost 0 games due to labor strife, the NBA 504, MLB 938, and the NHL a whopping 1,698. 1,698! How is that possible? Look no further than Bettman, who has found a way to squash success and morale like no other.

There is no doubt both sides have an argument, and I'm not going to go so far as to say the owners are completely at fault here, but the spokesperson/commissioner of the league--the figurehead--the pawn--is as dopey as he is cunning. Everything is calculated, yet often under the guise of helplessness. It's maddening to the fans that are much more intelligent than he and the owners understand about this situation.

Bettman is 60 years old. Let's hope this next CBA is at least a 20 year agreement so we will not have to do this again, and again, and again. But who am I kidding? This is who the NHL is. This is a group of wealthy that can't get out of their own way, or realize after the fact they need a little more. The cycle is depressing, but hey, Versteeg and Gudbranson can heal! Take your time, boys! I love it! Sigh...

Twitter @DanSpiegel

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