Today would have been the opening night of the 2012-2013 NHL season. The players wanted to play, the fans wanted the players to play. The concession workers and other people who rely financially on the games wanted the fans to come to see the players who wanted to play.
Gary Bettman didn't want them to play. And he controls the keys to the NHL automobile. And no, we can't hot wire the league to get it started.
In most lockouts, you have a good idea of what they are fighting for. We really don't know what the NHL is fighting for. Really. Well, Bettman is fighting for financial concessions to keep afloat team such as Phoenix and Columbus.
The players were willing to play while the new contract was negotiated. Bettman wanted a lockout from the start.
We don't like Donald Fehr. We were worried that Fehr would screw this up. Things are so one-sided Fehr hasn't had a chance to screw up.
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This lockout affects the U.S. and Canadian broadcasters, though not nearly as equally. NBC had two games on its schedule through January 1. If the season returns in time for the Winter Classic, NBC only loses the game the day after U.S. Thanksgiving.
NBC Sports Network loses its opening night doubleheader and its early in the week games. The NHL Network loses its games as well, then again, I can't remember the last time I watched the NHL Network. Sure not watching it for lockout updates.
If the games in 2012 are cancelled, we would lose 4 NBC Sports Network telecasts. Two of Toronto's games (November 7, Pittsburgh and December 3, Buffalo) and two Montréal games (November 20, @ New Jersey and December 17, Buffalo) would be gone.
The NHL Network has 11 Canadian games on its schedule in 2012. 6 of those 11 are early Hockey Night in Canada games. The most amusing matchup was Vancouver at Ottawa on U.S. Thanksgiving Day. Having an all-Canadian matchup live on the NHL Network would have been something for which to be thankful.
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This lockout could not come at a worse time for the CBC. Sure TSN is losing games and the local Rogers Sportsnet outlets will suffer. But those channels have plenty of sports to cover and are more flexible to carry minor league hockey.
During the last lockout, the CBC showed hockey-related movies hosted by Ron McLean and Don Cherry. This time around, the CBC is showing classic hockey games.
You get a chance to vote online; U.S. ISPs are eligible. Games air at 8 pm local time/8:30 pm in Newfoundland and Labrador. At least "The National" will air on Saturday nights on CBC.
With the budget cuts, CBC has fewer shows and a lot less money, especially since not having real games will mean even less money to replace holes in the schedule. The first non-Saturday night slot, other than tonight, that would need to be filled doesn't come until New Year's Eve.
As the renamed A Rouge Point reminds us, CBC was in better shape during the last lockout and let go Chris Cuthbert. This was before the budget cuts and the CBC still carried the CFL.
With a Canadian team in the Winter Classic, the CBC needs the Winter Classic more than in any other season. Speaking of which …
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Wayne Gretzky predicted that the lockout would last no later than January 1, just in time for the Winter Classic. Well, maybe not this year.
Wouldn't you know that the one year a Canadian team made the U.S. Winter Classic, we have a lockout. Some experts predict that Bettman wouldn't want to lose a Winter Classic. Even though the game would be an awesome spectacle, you have to figure that Bettman would be much more worried if it was Boston and Philadelphia.
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This is the schedule as it would have been had the season started on time. If seeing this makes you mad or sad, this means you still care. If you don't care, we know Gary Bettman has a lot to do with why this is true.
October 27 Toronto @ Philadelphia (CBC/NHLN)
November 1 Boston @ Toronto (CBC/NHLN)
November 7 Pittsburgh @ Toronto (NBCSN)
November 9 New Jersey @ Toronto (TSN/NHLN)
November 10 Edmonton @ Pittsburgh (NHLN)/Toronto @ Washington (CBC/NHLN)
November 20 Montréal @ New Jersey (NBCSN)
November 22 Vancouver @ Ottawa (NHLN)
December 3 Buffalo @ Toronto (NBCSN)
December 8 Dallas @ Edmonton (NHLN)/Boston @ Toronto (CBC/NHLN)
December 15 Toronto @ Vancouver (CBC/NHLN)
December 17 Buffalo @ Montréal (NBCSN)
December 20 Vancouver @ Minnesota (NHLN)
December 22 Montréal @ Toronto (CBC/NHLN)
January 1 Toronto @ Detroit (CBC/NBC)
January 12 Vancouver @ Toronto (CBC/NHLN)
January 19 Calgary @ Philadelphia (NHLN)/Boston @ Montréal (CBC/NHLN)
January 30 Montréal @ Detroit (NBCSN)
February 16 Ottawa @ Toronto (CBC/NHLN)
February 23 Pittsburgh @ Montréal (CBC/NHLN)
March 2 Philadelphia @ Toronto (CBC/NHLN)
March 4 Montréal @ Boston (NBCSN)
March 9 Pittsburgh @ Toronto (CBC/NHLN)
March 16 NY Rangers @ Toronto (CBC/NHLN)
March 23 Vancouver @ Los Angeles (NHLN)/Boston @ Toronto (CBC/NHLN)
March 27 Montréal @ Boston (NBCSN)
March 30 Toronto @ Ottawa (CBC/NHLN)
April 6 Edmonton @ Los Angeles (NHLN)/NY Rangers @ Toronto (CBC/NHLN)
April 8 Buffalo @ Toronto (NBCSN)
April 12 Montréal @ Carolina (NHLN)
photo credit: CBC
Try the Engraved on a Nation documentary about the Grey Cup! There is a link from tsn.ca/cfl - "Engraved on a Nation website". From there, click "The Docs" to find "The 13th Man". Click "View Details". That takes you to the page that allows you to watch it. There are supposed to be seven more forthcoming shows. Other than that, there's always the CHL on NHL Net to help you with your hockey fix.
Posted by: Tim | October 11, 2012 at 09:48 AM
Spending more time with the CFL would be a better reward than waiting for Bettman to care about the league he runs. Thanks for the tip.
Posted by: Chad | October 11, 2012 at 04:38 PM