A desperate comeback: if you still care about the NHL, consider yourself warned: a new deal—and a drastically changed league—are afoot

Sporting News, The, June 24, 2005 by Kara Yorio

It's coming--like Christmas, only sooner. Those hardworking negotiators have been spending more than their previous six hours a day at the negotiating table. Progress is being made, and although the NHL and its players association could hit a roadblock, it appears a new deal could be reached within the next month. Maybe even this week.

Then what?

Player movement gone wild. A new collective bargaining agreement will determine whether the 2004-05 contracts will be pushed to 2005-06. If not, the already huge list of free agents will get a whole lot bigger.

Then there's the draft. It's likely all teams will be included in a weighted lottery, with the 2003-04 standings determining which teams have the best shot at the No. 1 pick. It's a major issue because there is an enormous prize at stake: Quebec phenom Sidney Crosby.

Poor Crosby. He stands to lose some memories to this lockout, as the draft very well could happen on a conference call. No fans chanting his name, no walk to the stage for a handshake, hat and jersey. But he is the best prospect since Mario Lemieux--the fate of the franchise that gets him will change immediately.

And what about last year's NHL-ready draftees, Alexander Ovechkin (Capitals) and Evgeni Malkin (Penguins)? It would be nice to see them play. When they finally do, they'll be stepping into a changed world--in more ways than just monetarily.

See a different game ... There will be changes on the ice meant to generate more offense. Thankfully, it won't be because of another rules crackdown that would last all of three weeks. Goaltender equipment will be smaller. Tag-up offsides is likely to return. Regular-season ties almost certainly will be history, replaced by shootouts after an overtime period. No red line and wider blue lines that increase the size of the neutral zone are possibilities. These changes are going forward, so hockey purists would do well to start coming around to them.

... if you can find it. In the U.S., if you don't have cable or don't live near a team with a local cable deal, there's no way to watch regularly now that ESPN let its deal with the league lapse in this Year of Negotiating Dangerously for Gary Bettman.

What about that NBC deal, you say? That will bring fans seven regular-season games starting in January, six Stanley Cup playoff games--all on Saturday afternoons--and Games 3-7 of the Stanley Cup finals. Whew. Clear your schedule.

Out of sight, out of mind; out of a fan's mind, separated from his money. The NHL will learn that the hard way.

At least there will be hockey again.