The problem is the Fehr boys are all about litigation...they did it in baseball and all they want is litigation and care nothing for the sport or the short careers of the players...the players hired these guys, what did they expect??I dont see a season only because the Fehr boys are what they are...the ironic thing in all of this is the players will eventually get less than what they are offered now cause owners can be owners their whole lives while players are done by 40...

The problem is the Fehr boys are all about litigation...they did it in baseball and all they want is litigation and care nothing for the sport or the short careers of the players...the players hired these guys, what did they expect??I dont see a season only because the Fehr boys are what they are...the ironic thing in all of this is the players will eventually get less than what they are offered now cause owners can be owners their whole lives while players are done by 40...
- oil90

40? don't think so. The average NHL career is 5-6 years. The average age of players in the NHL is 26-28 years old.

source: http://www.quanthockey.co...utions/CareerLengthGP.php

But I thought any time info was leaked it was bad?

I'm fine watching the hockey classics CBC shows every Saturday. I don't even need this season to ever start.

They don't have a deal in place!

That alone, at best, is a week away _IF_ they are anywhere near a deal at this point, plus time for player vote and owners approval...

So bast case/guess scenario, you are likely down to 2 weeks to get everything done, including some bastardized version of a training camp.

And if you think they can make a new schedule, figure out how to balance division, conference, opposing conference games, while minimizing travel time and expenses takes 1 day, you have no clue how the real world works.

There is ZERO chance Black Friday is a realistic target date.
- JDJ

The process of putting together a schedule can take place before a CBA deal is consummated. It's computer generated. Not that difficult. They could be, and I'll emphasize could be, working on that right now. Or they could also start doing all that needs to be done, when it's looks like they're close to a deal.

I still believe there is more of a likelihood the season gets cancelled than a deal in place so games start on Black Friday.
- JDJ

Agreed. Given all the optimism that pops out every time something is said and how it's been subsequently torn to pieces, I've consistently expected the worst.

They are not going to play an 82 game schedule.
- JDJ

Also agreed. Adding a month at the end was doable - even if it meant compressing the schedule some more. Adding what would be 6+ weeks? You can't compress the schedule that much, and dragging the season out toward May and then having the playoffs go close to June 30 is a real problem.

The process of putting together a schedule can take place before a CBA deal is consummated. It's computer generated. Not that difficult. They could be, and I'll emphasize could be, working on that right now. Or they could also start doing all that needs to be done, when it's looks like they're close to a deal.
- MJL

If the NHL starts feeling optimistic that a CBA is imminent then they will probably start creating a new schedule straight away, even if a deal is not complete. It shouldn't take that long.

I'm fine watching the hockey classics CBC shows every Saturday. I don't even need this season to ever start.
- daeth

Well ur a weirdo then. No one wants to watch replays.

They are not going to play an 82 game schedule.

So unless they want an unbalanced schedule, they need to recreate the schedule to account for number of games for division, conference, and opposing conference.

Otherwise, solely as a plausible example, you could have 1 team in a division have say 10 games against division rivals and another team in the same division having 7 left. Hardly balanced.

Likely they will try to use the existing schedule as a basis, but it will have to be heavily modified.
- JDJ

Valid point. It's possible they could play into July and leave the schedule as is with an extra game added in every few weeks to make up for it.

Bettman has said there is no way they would play in July. They want to be done by the end of June at the latest.

Valid point. It's possible they could play into July and leave the schedule as is with an extra game added in every few weeks to make up for it.
- GregMorris

Can't play into July, it would push everything back on top of the beginning of next season.

They are not going to play an 82 game schedule.

So unless they want an unbalanced schedule, they need to recreate the schedule to account for number of games for division, conference, and opposing conference.

Otherwise, solely as a plausible example, you could have 1 team in a division have say 10 games against division rivals and another team in the same division having 7 left. Hardly balanced.

Likely they will try to use the existing schedule as a basis, but it will have to be heavily modified.
- JDJ

the nhl was willing to start a season on november the 2nd, if a deal could be reached by the 25th of october.

if the nhl figured they could start a season on a weeks notice, i'm pretty sure your timeline doesn't mean anything.

ill give you credit eck you remain so positivee. MeI doubt it happens and still feel no season.. something will blow this up
- Popcorn Kid

Does it really matter?? These guys don't really give a flyin' fart what the fans think. [/img]

the nhl was willing to start a season on november the 2nd, if a deal could be reached by the 25th of october.

if the nhl figured they could start a season on a weeks notice, i'm pretty sure your timeline doesn't mean anything.
- joel878

Wow.

The NHL was planning on an 82 game schedule for a Nov 2nd start date by leaving existing games as they were and inserting missed games where they could into the schedule (and possibly extend the season 2 weeks).

There is a ZERO chance for 82 games now.

So a new schedule needs to be made that takes into account division games, conference games, and games against the other conference (if any).

They just can't start playing on the existing schedule as if nothing has changed.

the nhl was willing to start a season on november the 2nd, if a deal could be reached by the 25th of october.

if the nhl figured they could start a season on a weeks notice, i'm pretty sure your timeline doesn't mean anything.
- joel878

The sked won't just continue.

The Sabres 4 games vs. Philly have all been cancelled to this point. If Philly doesn't get to play Buffalo and the teams in the Flyers division do, it wouldn't be fair to Philly assuming the Sabres suck as expected.

They'll have to draw up a new sked to make it more balanced.

The sked won't just continue.

The Sabres 4 games vs. Philly have all been cancelled to this point. If Philly doesn't get to play Buffalo and the teams in the Flyers division do, it wouldn't be fair to Philly assuming the Sabres suck as expected.

They'll have to draw up a new sked to make it more balanced.
- Losman

I don't buy that. Playoffs is all that matters. They are still playing NHL caliber teams so what does it matter?

They can do whatever the heck they want. I've officially locked the NHL out of my life for the upcoming season should it occur. Canceled my Center Ice package, rebooked the guys winter sports trip from a hockey venue to a city with Basketball and Football (N.O.L.A.). The lousy and greedy owners and players alike aren't getting one plug hard earned nickel from this cowboy, and I'm getting more and more disgusted by these losers by the day. As a guy on the radio said yesterday,... it's hard to win back a disgusted customer, and he's right. I don't tend to spend my money on things or in places that disgust me. They are gonna have to do something pretty special to win this fan back, but they'll have to wait for next year....

I'm glad they're willing to go with 70, I was thinking around 60-65 if after Thanksgiving. Hopefully they keep the Rangers opening in LA, I was looking forward to that.

I don't buy that. Playoffs is all that matters. They are still playing NHL caliber teams so what does it matter?
- Arctic_AARDVARK

Because if Buffalo, for example, does not get to play Philly 4 times, and gets to play say... The Islanders 4 times, while the rest of the teams int he division still have to play Philly - that is unbalanced.

Also, the NHL wants to ensure that lost games such a BOS / MTL, TOR / OTT, Philly / PITT, etc... are back on the schedule, as much as possible.

So expect to see a new balanced schedule where each team plays a balanced number of games against division opponents, the other 10 conference rivals, and potentially (if the season is long enough) games against the other conference.

They can do whatever the heck they want. I've officially locked the NHL out of my life for the upcoming season should it occur. Canceled my Center Ice package, rebooked the guys winter sports trip from a hockey venue to a city with Basketball and Football (N.O.L.A.). The lousy and greedy owners and players alike aren't getting one plug hard earned nickel from this cowboy, and I'm getting more and more disgusted by these losers by the day. As a guy on the radio said yesterday,... it's hard to win back a disgusted customer, and he's right. I don't tend to spend my money on things or in places that disgust me. They are gonna have to do something pretty special to win this fan back, but they'll have to wait for next year....
- scubasteve

Then why are you posting.

Wow.

The NHL was planning on an 82 game schedule for a Nov 2nd start date by leaving existing games as they were and inserting missed games where they could into the schedule (and possibly extend the season 2 weeks).

There is a ZERO chance for 82 games now.

So a new schedule needs to be made that takes into account division games, conference games, and games against the other conference (if any).

They just can't start playing on the existing schedule as if nothing has changed.
- JDJ

are we really under the impression that shortening a season's schedule by 12 games is going to take 19 days? wow.

any other differences? you listed off a bunch of other non-factors to. care to elaborate on how those are any different than before?

The sked won't just continue.

The Sabres 4 games vs. Philly have all been cancelled to this point. If Philly doesn't get to play Buffalo and the teams in the Flyers division do, it wouldn't be fair to Philly assuming the Sabres suck as expected.

They'll have to draw up a new sked to make it more balanced.
- Losman

for sure they will, but that's not going to change the nhl's capability to start a season a week after an agreement, having a 19 day cushion. having to draw up a new schedule isn't going to massively postpone hockey starting anymore than it already would ahve..

are we really under the impression that shortening a season's schedule by 12 games is going to take 19 days? wow.

any other differences? you listed off a bunch of other non-factors to. care to elaborate on how those are any different than before?
- joel878

Are you really that dense?

It must be an act...

Then why are you posting.
- JDJ

Um, because my two cents worth of venting here in no way ends up in the pocket of an owner or player. I'm still a fan of the game. Juniors, minor hockey, my own beer league. I just won't support billionaire and millionaire wusses and their fight over who gets yours and my hard earned dollars. Guess I didn't see the clause on this site that said I had to be a paying NHL customer to post here.

Um, because my two cents worth of venting here in no way ends up in the pocket of an owner or player. I'm still a fan of the game. Juniors, minor hockey, my own beer league. I just won't support billionaire and millionaire wusses and their fight over who gets yours and my hard earned dollars. Guess I didn't see the clause on this site that said I had to be a paying NHL customer to post here.
- scubasteve