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"These things gotta happen every five years or so, ten years. Helps to get rid of the bad blood. Been ten years since the last one. You know, you gotta stop them at the beginning. Like they should have stopped Hitler at Munich, they should never let him get away with that, they was just asking for trouble."
—Clemenza, from the Godfather
I won't pretend to know all the ins and outs of the labor impasse in the NHL.
I know enough to know that the 800 pound gorilla in the room is the contraction the league should probably undergo—as the most healthy, dispassionate way to solve the revenue sharing/profitability issues. And that probably won't happen, because the Gary Bettman NHL is a dysfunctional entity.
One where strikes and lockouts need to happen every five years or so. And both sides, as in the Godfather, need to go to the mattresses and let all the bad blood.
I also believe the owners feel a lockout is necessary—a shot across the bow of Donald Fehr and the players' union to remind them of the Golden Rule—he who has the gold rules.
And it's been my belief, as related to me by a couple of trusted sources, that NHL hockey will start around December 1st, just in time to ultimately get the Winter Classic in.
But now I turn it over to you, dear readers. What, in a broad sense, do you think is really going on here? And when exactly do you think we will see NHL play resume?
Share it on the message board.
All for now,
JJ
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • 
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