First of all, I'd like to point out that the Leafs are on a eight game winning streak. They have a chance to extend that to nine games if they can beat St. Louis next.

Here are some links to consider:

NHL governors must act this week to avert disaster
Deal with players should top agenda
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentSe...d=1044442959412


Seeking lockout heaven
Players eye stint in Europe in NHL shuts down in '04
Renberg, Tucker may head for Lulea in Swedish league
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentSe...d=1044442959412

i think the owners will lock them out for part of the year. if the nhl is smart, they will learn from baseball and avoid this. fans dont like strikes.

4 on 4 hockey is just lame. If thats what they plan on doing to improve scoring. I'll stop watching. Every other sport has at least 6 players on the field, ice or court. We don't need any less. The games will become too high scoring and it'll just be boring not to see solid defense.

They need to do the following to improve the goal scoring.

1. Stop having these dumb rules where the net comes off the morings and have nothing to do with the outcome of the goal. This happend to the isles the other night against the hawks.

2. Shove them damn whistles down the refs throats. I'm so sick and tired of hearing that the ref "Lost Sight of the Puck". There are just oto many damn goals that get waved off because of this stupid rule.

either wait till you can see the puck or wait 3 more secs to blow the whistle if the puck is near the crease if you can't see it.

i agree, learn from baseball and come to a deciscion. i think they will come to a conclusion before a strike will happen

It won't be a strike, it would be a lockout.

The players are perfectly happy with that status quo as they are making lots of coin.

If you believe the owners, on the other hand, the owners are losing $300 million per year (collectively).

I included the strike option in the poll only to see if it would attract any votes.

NO 4 on 4.

the first thing in my opinion that needs to happen is to eliminate the red line. which would cut down on icing drastically and there would be no more 2 line passes. that would up the offensive output a great deal over a season easily.

The owners just need to stop overpaying superstars on long term contracts. I'm thinking of Jagr's seven year deal at $11 million per season.

They really should just drop all make the max per year at $1 million for any player/coach, maybe then you won't have so many leaving for the money and can actually build a long lasting franchise in sports again.

Ok that will never happen, but I can wish for something

I would like to see a per team salary cap. High enough so that all the best players will still come ot this league, but low enough so that canada can get some of its teams back. Sadly, we're not as rich as carolina or tenesse but what do those hick states care about hockey!?!?

No clue... I really hope there is no stoppage, though, but it's not looking that way. Owners want a salary cap at a low figure ($30 million is the rumor), which the NHLPA doesn't want. There are other issues, such as various rules, but the salary cap is the biggest issue right now. If they can work that out, then I highly doubt there will be a labor stoppage.

Also: 4 on 4 hockey is not lame at all. 4 on 4 is an excellent situation, in my opinion, but I don't see it happening. It'd ruin some of the fundamentals of hockey and take away roster spots because there would obviously be less room for more players. And: Basketball only has a total of 10 players on the court, where hockey has 12, Stain.

If any rules are amended, it will probably be the off-sides rules and such. There may also be a larger crease for the goalie. There is also the possiblity of a bigger rink, like in the Olypmics, but that would probably cost too much money to change.

The Carolina Hurricane and the Nashville Predators both suck and are low-budget teams. I think every Canadian team has a higher payroll than both. I don't see your point... Care to explain? Kinda lost.

It seems that many smaller market US teams get a huge boost from the local government(s) when it comes to the building of arenas and when it comes to taxation.

Take the Ottawa Senators for example.

-10% of ticket prices go to the Ontario government (amusement tax).
-an additional C$2.34 per ticket goes towards paying back the province for their creation of a new highway interchange to service the Corel Centre (infrastructure surcharge tax)
-The Corel Centre pays an amazing C$700,000 per year in property taxes
-The Senators pay a 1.95% Employer Health Tax on salaries (about C$900,000/year)

http://www.oscc-ccso.net/media_en/feb25_2003.html

Actually, they get no boosts from the local government. That's why they don't have high payrolls...

The NHL should cut some of the teams out of the league, way to many teams.

And if they stop the league for a year i wouldn't miss it, just maybe the playoffs.

One of the ideas is to only have 1 ref like they used so many years ago. Players like the idea because they only have to "read" one person during the game. There'd be a lot more dirty stuff on ice too because there's only 1 person to watch.

I'm sure that they didn't have to pay for their interstate entrances or exits either. And I don't think that they pay C$700,000 in property taxes either (or the US equivilent).

youre sure? Canadian sports get no subsidies or tax breaks unlike the US, i think they get charged extra taxes here.

fred666 -- That is for the stadium itself, I do believe. Not the team or yearly costs.

The financial situation needs to change as well. The one problem I remember with the Expos in baseball is that the tickets have to be sold in Canadien dollars but the players have to be paid in US Dollars and the math doesn't always work. I think that also lends a bit to all the teams moving from Canada.

I do think, however, that there will be a strike/lockout and players will play in Europe for a while. If/When the NHL does come back it should have fewer teams. Some just don't have the market, but more so the talent is spread waaaaay to thin. The teams that should be eliminated are: Phoenix, Columbus, Nashville, Anaheim, Carolina, and Florida. That would leave the league with 24 teams. You could go smaller as well, but that might be too small. Split the league into East and West again, and have two 6 team divisions within.

East - Northeast (TOR, BOS, OTT, MON, BUF, NJ) East - Atlantic (PHI, NYR, NYI, PIT, TAM, WAS)
West - Central (DET, STL, CHI, MIN, DAL, ATL) West - Pacific (COL, VAN, CAL, EDM, LA, SJ)

Moved ATL from Eastern to Western Conf to balance them out. Playoff would be like football, with each division winner getting 1 or 2 seed and a bye, next 4 best record seeded accordingly. Round 1 best of 5, Round 2, 3 and Finals best of 7. While that means 50% of the league gets into the playoffs the other option only allows 33% and wouldn't generate enough money for the league.

Most Canadian teams don't get any public money for stadiums. Sometimes they even have to pay to get a new highway ramp installed.

Canadian teams pay much higher taxes (entertainment ticket taxes, property taxes, payroll taxes) and are thus at a competitive disadvantage.

You do realize those 6 markets are very active markets.

The Leauge is trying to make money and not lose anymore.

I think there will be a lockout, but not for the whole year. I'm with the owners on this one, there should be a cap. The ammount of money they make is rediculous and this way small market teams can afford to get the good players, the top talent wouldn't be spread to the few rich teams that can afford them. It would be such a great thing for the league and the sport. The 4 on 4 is a stupid idea. I would boycott hockey if they did that. I agree the red line should be removed, it really opens up the game. Also they should get rid of the touch icing and just blow the wistle when it crosses the line. Even though it's exiting to see races for the puck, too many players get injured needlessly. The league does have too many teams but it's not feasable to remove some now. Just no more expansion for a long time. Nashville, ect.. shouldn't have gotten a team in the first place. I dunno what the league was thinking there. It would be nice if the league was split up into east/west again. Teams like Vancouver have just the most insane travel schedual. And PUT DETROIT IN THE EAST, D@MMIT!!!

i sure hope there won't be a stopage, i love hockey and would hate to see the greed like we all saw in baseball... and IndianPimp99 i like nj in atlantic that is where they are

Yep, yep.

I don't think we need to take any teams away. Just don't add any for a while, then see how it goes.

Yes, please put Detroit in the east, let's see here, good teams in the east..

Hmm..
There are about 2 maybe

So it would pretty much be detroit, and then everyone else.
would be kind of pathetic
and it would go against some 100 odd years of hockey history, which would be no good

New Jersey, Philadelphia and I would hasten to add Toronto (although many would not).

If Detroit was placed in the east they would only by tied for 2nd with everyone else having at least two games in hand. The third ranked NJ Devils would have five games in hand.

The east is not as weak as it once was.

last year ottawa rocked as well, and they are east? or am i wrong?

yeah they are in the east

Ottawa is in the east but they have yet to become the dominant team that won the president's trophy last year.

Yeha i know, but they shoudl be doing well. So if htey can get back up to what they were doin last year they are anohter good team from the east.