May 95% of Canadians, 5% of Americans, and 0% of Europeans rejoice! After 301 days and a lost season, the National Hockey League owners and their players union have finally come to an agreement on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Terms of the new CBA include; -- Salary cap with a range between $21 million to $39 million per team, including all player costs (benefits, insurance, etc). -- A 24% player salary rollback from contracts with time still left on them. Contracts from the lost season will not be honoured. -- Liberalized free agency, a more restricted entry level system, revamped salary arbitration, improved benefits and revenue-sharing. -- Age eligibility for unrestricted free agency at age 31 in 2005, 29 in 2006, 28 in 2007, 27 (or 7 years service) in 2008. -- Participation in the 2006 Turin Olympics. In addition, new rule changes are set to go into effect once the league resurfaces in October. Speculation suggests tag-up offsides, no touch icing, smaller goalie pads, bigger nets, fatter blue lines, goal lines moved back, and more. The rules will open the game up more, allowing for more goals and excitement. I'm optimistic about it all. Finally, now we have hockey this year. It was a tough off-season for me, and I'm very glad to have it back. For all NHL/NHLPA CBA news and features, visit TSN.ca.
FINALLY! -throws confetti- hmmm....new rule changes. I can't wait to see how that turns out. I am glad hockey is back. <3
I think the pay cap is going to highly affect the Red Wings, for some reason. I mean, I'm pretty sure we had a few players that got paid more than the new salary cap. EDIT: I'm also highly excited about hockey being back.
Oh definately. Teams like Toronto, Detroit, Philadelphia, New York Rangers, and Colorado are all going to have to do some major overhauls. It's going to be a crazy, crazy couple of weeks. Players getting bought out of their contracts, hundreds of free agents, the entry draft. It'll be very exciting. Toronto have 9 players signed at $26 million. That's without signing Alex Mogilny, Gary Roberts, Joe Nieuwendyk, and Tie Domi. There's no way they're going to sign those players, and about 10 others for under $13 million. I think they're going to have to buy Ed Belfour (who's now 40) out of his contract, and trade away Owen Nolan for some younger picks. What I'm most excited about is who's going to get the first pick in the entry draft so they can pick Sidney Crosby. What an amazing, amazing player. I can't wait to see what he can do. The way the draft lottery is going to be played out is that every team gets three balls. Every time you make the playoffs in the last 3 seasons, or every time you have win the number one pick in the last 4 entry drafts, you lose a ball. You're guaranteed to have one ball, though. Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Columbus, and the New York Rangers have 3 balls. (Full list). I can see Sidney in Pittsburgh with Lemieux. How amazing that'd be to see those two playing together! Although it'd be most preferable if Toronto gets the pick.
Yeah. And they still can't make the playoffs! Although it seems to have worked out in their favour with the draft picks.
Yeah. And they still can't make the playoffs! Although it seems to have worked out in their favour with the draft picks. [/b][/quote] They'll practically have to bring up all of the Hartford Wolf Pack.
. The way the draft lottery is going to be played out is that every team gets three balls. Every time you make the playoffs in the last 3 seasons, or every time you have win the number one pick in the last 4 entry drafts, you lose a ball. You're guaranteed to have one ball, though. Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Columbus, and the New York Rangers have 3 balls. (Full list). I can see Sidney in Pittsburgh with Lemieux. How amazing that'd be to see those two playing together! Although it'd be most preferable if Toronto gets the pick. [/b][/quote] Wow that is extremely confusing to me.
I've been a huge NHL fan for the longest amount of time, but I don't know that I'm a fan of most of the changes. Some are good, but I'm not sure I'll enjoy the NHL -- this coming from a diehard fan.
I'm incredibly excited about the tag-up offside rule. Basically, for those of you who don't know, here's what tag-up is; Any players inside the blueline before the puck gets thrown in must come back outside of the zone and re-enter for the play to continue. In this case, the only way an offside is called is if the puck is carried in while there are teammates inside the offensive zone blueline. Tag-up offsides allows plays to go along longer without annoying stoppages every 30 seconds. We play this way in houseleague and it's such an improvement over the usual offside. I really hope they eliminate the red line to open the game up fully. Those long passes from inside the defensive zone to a player streaking up the center of the ice would make the game so much more exciting, and again, the plays would be longer with less stoppages. I hope the goalies can be as well protected with the smaller equipment.
That's one of the new rules I like, actually. But I feel it's negated by no-touch icing... what the heck is up with that?
You're right. But I don't think it'll make that much of a difference as to negate the improvements the tag-up offside rule will bring. I mean, 95% of icing calls are blown down anyways because the opposing team just gets for it first, but now it's 100%. The main reason they're taking it out is because players are getting thrown head-first or feet-first into the end boards while racing for the puck and are suffering career-threatening injuries. Even hockey traditionist Don Cherry has been labouring for this for years.
Great news! I missed hockey so much, playing NHL 2005 on my ps2 wasn't quite a good substitute for the real thing on tv lol. All of the rule changes sound good, I played goal for 7 years so the pad size changes initially sounded evil but given the scores in most of the games I can understand why...I think FIFA is outscoring the NHL now lol. Go Wild!!!
Yah I'm really excited aobut this new agreement. First of all this is going to bring a new life for the edmonton Oilers. Since they were a team that spent 32 million last season on players saleries with the 24% rollback in effect that should put them at just over 24 million in salery. This will allow them to spend some money and get a number one centre that they have always been seeking since the loss of Doug Weight. This number one centre will help them develop players like Hemsky and help Dvorak put up the numbers that he can put up. Secondly, half those rule changes they have proposed are ridiculously dumb. They better not do anything with the nets for one. The key is to make the goalies equipment smaller. Tag up offsides will be good as the system they use right now is kinda stupid. They ahve the delayed system and half the time its delayed whne the puck goes in and the player is offside then when he clears they still end up calling an offside. No touch icing is dumb to i think, sure it can cause injuries but thats part of the game. Alot of times icing will get waved off and a play can happen out of it, or sometimes it will get beat out and a scoring chance can be created. All in all I can't wait for the season to start. Oh yah I'm gonna laugh when Crosby is the first overall pick and he fold under the pressure and turns out to be another Daigle.
I'm willing to put up $500 that that won't happen. He's not meant to be league leader in scoring in his first season, but he will make an impact and he will score 25+ goals and be leader in scoring if injuries don't hurt him. USAF.07: NHL 2004 > NHL 2005.
I'm willing to put up $500 that that won't happen. He's not meant to be league leader in scoring in his first season, but he will make an impact and he will score 25+ goals and be leader in scoring if injuries don't hurt him. USAF.07: NHL 2004 > NHL 2005. [/b][/quote] Yah I know that it probably won't happen but it has happened before. But yah if all goes well he should be cocered into the NHL like Joe Thornton or Vincent Lecalier did. He's not expected to put up huge numbers in his first season or two but gradually he will adjust and get used to the style of game and will be a top guy in a few years.