Well. That’s that. No season. I was able to listen to the official announcement over the internet just as class started. Thankfully we were doing a lab because I was able to let my group do most of the work while my mind stood in shock and disappointment (sorry guys). Not that I was surprised but I think near the end, I had foolishly allowed myself some hope, “No, they can’t really cancel the season! The damage would be irreparable. Even those two aren’t that pigheaded.” I knew this would happen but that doesn’t make it hurt any less. We are guaranteed that we will not see hockey until September at the earliest. I am so sorry for fans of the Tampa Bay Lightning, who will have to wait to see their Stanley Cup banner raised to the rafters. I’m sorry for Steve Yzerman, who will probably never play again (just wait until that reality really sinks in, Wings fans). I am sorry for the new fans who were just becoming interested in this great game and who will probably move on to other sports, if they haven’t already.

It was “My Way or the Highway” for both sides and we fans got the highway.

Gary Bettman says he’s sorry but he has no idea what he’s done. Apology not accepted, Gary.

I will never forget his role in this. Ever. The same goes for Bob Goodenow. Those two should have gotten a deal done and they have effectively killed the league that I love. How the NHL will recover from this, I don’t know. It will be incredibly difficult and, quite frankly, I doubt Gary Bettman is the right man for the job. He will probably get his “cost certainty” but, with him at the healm, this league will go on another crash course, if his previous track record is any indication. Owners of the teams of the NHL, I beg of you to fire that man. Players of the NHL, replace Goodenow. I have no more to say for now, except to point you to the following links. The first two of which may cause extreme anger, beware. The third is a great response to the cancellation from one of the best hockey blogs out there.

The official statement made by Gary Bettman
Gary Bettman’s letter to the fans (PDF)
Jes Golbez’s response to the cancellation

I may say more sometime soon but for now I’m too numb (and emotional at the same time) to say any more. I leave you with a few lines from a song called “Thanks A Lot” (hence the title of this post) by Third Eye Blind:

The clock, it bleeds for you but you never got the time in right
I woke you up and I slit the throat of your confidence
And we laughed in the night and I felt alright

That describes the situation pretty well, I think (the “I” and “we” being Bob and Gary).

UPDATE:

I will mourn for a time but I will move on to more important things. I can at least be thankful that I no longer have to devote so much time to speculation. Now I can worry about other things and put hockey on the backburner. Bettman had better hope I, and others like me, keep the flame burning.

Tomorrow I will wear my jersey to classes with a black armband. And then I will move on. The posting will not stop but I don’t expect a whole lot of news for a while now. Both sides will retreat into their little holes and prepare for the next round of rigid-offer negotiations.

You know what the best part of all this is? The concessions each side made this week (on linkage for the NHL and on a cap for the NHLPA), have been retracted, having been made only for this special emergency. Now that there is no chance of a season, there is no need to compromise in order to get a deal done quickly. So wonderful.

UPDATE2:

I love this picture from TSN:

Too bad that wasn’t the typical reaction here in the US, if a poll by ESPN that said 69% of fans do not care is any indication.

UPDATE3:

ESPN’s Sportsnations has a survery here.

Here are the results as of my vote: (my selection in bold)

1) Do you consider yourself a hockey fan?

63.1% Yes
36.9% No

2) What is your reaction to the NHL canceling their season?

47.9% I couldn’t care less
36.6% I’ll miss it — but I’ll find something else to do
15.5% Devastated — now what am I going to do?

3) Who deserves the biggest share of the blame for the lost season?

68.8% Players
31.2% Owners

4) What is most likely to happen?

45.4% NHL eventually returns with a hard salary cap
37.3% NHL eventually returns with a soft salary cap (luxury tax/revenue sharing)
15.1% NHL ceases to exist
2.1% NHL eventually returns without a salary cap

5) Not counting baseball, basketball or football, what is your favorite professional sport?

49.9% Hockey
20.9% Golf
10.7% Soccer
9.9% Auto racing
8.6% Tennis

6) When do you think the lockout will end?

57.9% Before next season
19.4% Middle of next season
14.0% After next season
8.6% Before the draft (June)

7) Will the NHL play a full schedule next season?

64.1% Yes
35.9% No
How does the lost season impact the likelihood you would watch or attend a game next season?

46.0% About the same — What’s done is done
43.0% Less likely — And support all the greed?
11.0% More likely — I miss the game!

9) Would you watch/attend/follow NHL games if the league started next season with replacement players?

62.0% No
38.0% Yes

10) Could a rival hockey league be a success and take the NHL?s place?

51.9% No
48.1% Yes

11) How much have you followed other hockey leagues this season compared to past seasons?

57.7% I haven’t followed it
20.8% About the same
15.2% More
6.2% Less

12) Which league have you followed?

58.1% Haven’t followed any hockey
17.0% American Hockey League
15.9% NCAA
4.1% ECHL
3.0% Major junior
1.9% U.S. junior

UPDATE4:

Forbes.com says to “Blame Bettman,” a sentiment I wholly agree with, though it isn’t all his fault. The owners are just as much at fault for bringing him to the league. He is more their man, I think, than they are his. Still, it’s a good article and is a little more than the usual rhetoric we hear from ignorant fans everywhere (you know, “Buttman is an idoit”). This part here comes close to the problem of the owners, though it doesn’t come out and say it:

30 teams from 24 teams in the 1990s. Aside from the quick $80 million the owners got to divvy up when teams were sold, the expansion was a disaster. By putting franchises in places like Nashville and Atlanta–cities that think the Stanley Cup is some type of athletic supporter–Bettman destroyed the sport’s economics. (my emphasis)

Expansion wasn’t just to get the message out about hockey. It was about money and it’s just another point against the owners. The author’s final words echo my thoughts exactly:

If the NHL is ever to recover from the debacle created by Bettman, it must put in place a commissioner with hockey in his blood and tremendous integrity. Someone who the fans can identify with and trust. It needs someone who has enough guts to eliminate some teams in order to make the NHL stronger. Wayne Gretzky, anyone?

Wouldn’t that be a great end to the Gretzky Legend? There’s a comissioner I could live with, though there is something to Bettman’s being a businessman. Still, a hockey man should be the leader of the worlds foremost hockey league. Another foolish hope, true, because it makes too much sense but it’s a nice though, eh?

Anyway, Jason of the Predator’s Den wrote a letter to the owner of the Preds, Craig Leipold. Go read it. He speaks for all of us with what he says. Great job, Jason. Every owner should be getting letters like that from fans.

UPDATE5:

The Captain thinks there’s so still hope. He told The Hockey News:

“I don’t know if it’s necessarily tonight, tomorrow morning, Friday night or Saturday. I know the season has been cancelled, but it’s not too late to uncancel it.”

I don’t see it. If they talk before a month has passed, I will be shocked.

I got this in a newsletter e-mail from the NHLFA:

Mr. Robert Goodenow
Executive Director
National Hockey League Players’ Association
Toronto, Ontario

Dear Bob:

We attempted to reach out to you with yesterday’s offer of a team maximum
cap of $42.2MM ($40MM in salary and $2.2MM in benefits) which was not linked
to League-wide revenues. As Bill told Ted, “de-linking” a maximum team
salary cap from League revenues and total League-wide player compensation
has always been problematic for us, especially since we cannot now quantify
the damage to the League from the lockout. This presents the risk we will
pay out more than we can afford. As you know, if all 30 teams were to spend
to the maximum we proposed, and if the damage to our business is as we
discussed at our meetings in New York, then the League would continue to
lose money.

I know, as do you, that the “deal” we can make will only get worse for the
players if we cancel the season – whatever damage we have suffered to date
will pale in comparison to the damage from a cancelled season and we will
certainly not be able to afford what is presently on the table. Accordingly,
I am making one final effort to reach out to make a deal that will let us
play this season.

We are increasing our offer of yesterday by increasing the maximum
individual team cap to $44.7MM ($42.5MM in salary and $2.2MM in benefits).
This offer is not an invitation to begin negotiations – it’s too late for
that. This is our last effort to make a deal that’s fair to the players and
one that the Clubs (hopefully) can afford. We have no more flexibility and
there is no time for further negotiation.

If this offer is acceptable, please let me know by 11:00 A.M. tomorrow, in
advance of my scheduled press conference. Hopefully, the press conference
will not be necessary.

Sincerely,

Gary B. Bettman
Commissioner

Gary sent that off earlier this evening. Here is TSN’s current “living article” (to use a phrase Brian and I have coined in conversation – if you’ve ever checked TSN articles at different points in the day, you know what we’re talking about) discussing this final offer.

This is what our hope hinges on, an offer made with no room for any changes, if Bettman’s words here are to be believed.

I find it hard to believe Goodenow will swallow his pride and accept the offer but hopefully he will prove me wrong. This has gone on long enough.

We will know tomorrow. I don’t know about you guys but I’m praying that I’ll be surprised by what happens because I’m expecting bad news (as practical matter, defense mechanism, whatever).

UPDATE:

Well, four hours after Bettman made his ultimatum, the NHLPA made a counter-offer, despite being told by the League there would be no more negotiation. They proposed a team-by-team cap of $49 million, which is not exactly a meeting in the middle. Needless to say (but I’ll say it anyway), it was flatly rejected by the NHL. Here’s Goodenow’s fax to Bettman (from ESPN):

Dear Gary,

	Goodenow

Yesterday afternoon, Bill Daly presented us with an offer from the League that, for the first time, was not linked to League-wide revenues. We appreciated your willingness to adjust your position and we worked to respond in kind. By evening, we had fashioned and reached out to you with an offer from the PA that included, for the first time, a team maximum cap. This offer built upon the 24% rollback and other changes in favour of clubs, which were presented by the Players on December 9, 2004.

As you know, and as Ted told Bill, our offer of a team cap represented a radical step for the PA. We took this step because we too believe that our sport will be damaged greatly by the cancellation of this season and the continuation of the lockout through next season.

We wish that the NHL had offered a “no linkage” proposal before yesterday so that negotiations in that arena could have commenced sooner. However, we recognize that they did not and we agree that time is short.

In that spirit, and in a final attempt to reach an agreement, we are adjusting our offer of yesterday in two respects. First, we are reducing the maximum individual team cap to $49 million in salary, which does not include the $2.2 million per team in benefits due.

Second, we will adjust our exception provision so that it is available to teams only twice during the six year term and for up to only 10% over the limit of $49 million (to $53.9 million), at the tax rate of 150%. The exception provision is important so that a successful team does not have to arbitrarily dismantle its roster after it has achieved particular success or is in a unique phase of its player roster cycle.

I have attached a short summary of the main deal points discussed by Bill and Ted yesterday, as modified above.

I can be reached at the usual phone numbers.

Regards,
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
PLAYERS’ ASSOCIATION

Robert W. Goodenow
Executive Director & General Counsel

And here is Gary’s reply:

Dear Bob:

	Bettman

It was disappointing to receive the fax of your “final” offer.

We would have been prepared to propose and negotiate over a “de-linked” maximum team salary sooner, but the NHLPA had been consistent in stating that the players would never accept a salary cap. We only learned in the mediation process on Sunday that you would entertain such an offer, which is why we asked for a meeting yesterday and made the “de-linked” proposal.

If every team spent to the $49 million level you have proposed, total player compensation would exceed what we spent last season and, assuming for discussion purposes, there was no damage to the game, our player compensation costs would exceed 75% of revenues. We cannot afford your proposal.

Our offer of earlier today was a $75 million increase over the offer we made yesterday. I hope you will accept it, and that we can move forward and negotiate the myriad of other issues that need to be addressed.

Sincerely,
Gary B. Bettman
Commissioner

It’s not over yet but my optimism has not been helped, to say the least. Anything could happen now.

UPDATE2:

TSN gives us Goodenow’s reply to Bettman’s latest (above):

Dear Gary,

This is in reply to your most recent letter.

1. Your claim that the Clubs ”cannot afford” our proposal is based on your hypothetical fear of what would happen if every team spent to the $49 million level the Players have proposed. The notion that ”every Club” will spend at the $49 million level is contradicted by years of actual payroll experience under the old CBA system and by Exhibit 12 of your December 14 document (attached for your recollection), in which you projected 24 teams well below the $49 million level after the rollback. Further, this experience is based on an environment without revenue sharing, taxes on team payrolls and the numerous new system restrictions.

2. Based on your own calculations from Exhibit 12, over 21 Clubs are spending significantly less than your team payroll limit number of $42.5 million. I am at a loss to understand how you suggest your offer earlier today represents a $75 million dollar increase when it only impacts the spending of nine teams!

You will receive nothing further from us. (My emphasis)

Regards,

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE

PLAYERS ASSOCIATION

Robert W. Goodenow
Executive Director & General Counsel

Nothing further, eh, Bob? Wow. It’s hard for me to believe the season will be canceled because of a $6.5 million gap. TSN’s Bob McKenzie informs us that it’s much more than that, though:

If you multiply $6.5 million times 30 teams means we’re almost talking about $200 million. On top of that, the $49 million that the NHLPA proposed is a soft cap. They have two exceptions in six years that would allow teams to go 10% over the cap. So as far as the NHLPA is concerned, the real hard cap – at least twice – for each team would be $53.9 million. The NHL feels overextended at $42.5 million. That’s a big difference and it’s a difference that doesn’t look like it’s going to get breeched.

He doesn’t have any hope that there will be a season and I must confess I agree.

Tom Benjamin thinks all of this correspondence could be for show and that they’ve actually reached an agreement. I wish.

We’ll know at 11:00 AM ET. Be sure to check TSN, since I’ll be at work and then class. I believe this is the “living article” they are currently working on.

If you’re praying folk, as I am, shoot off some pleas for a miracle, why don’t you?

Hey you men out there, if you’re looking for a place to get flowers for your wife/girlfriend/mom but can’t find a place manly enough to preserve your image as a hockey-loving tough guy? Why not try out the NHL’s flower service?

Flowers.NHL.com will take care of all your flower needs. If you act now, you can still get your Florist Arranged selection to your valentine in time to prevent your sleeping on the couch tomorrow night. Just think, men, you get to impress the female in your life and provide the NHL with some much needed revenue. In fact, you’ll be responsible for giving the league the only money it’s likely to earn this year! You might even prolong the lockout! Is that a great deal or what?

If you don’t have someone to send a valentine, you might amuse yourself by trying to get into the NHLPA’s not-so-secret site, The Source. Try usernames like “Fedorov” and passwords like “TaraReidIsHOT.”

Or, if you’re not willing to risk legal action being taken against you for entering the NHLPA’s Holy of Holies, try sending a bouquet of flowers to Gary Bettman or Bob Goodenow. I recommend some orange lilies. Let them know how you feel about them!

Gary Bettman
National Hockey League
1251 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10018

Bob Goodenow
National Hockey League Player’s Association
777 Bay Street
Toronto, Ontario
Canada

Louis Sutter, patriarch of the famed Sutter family hockey dynasty, died Thursday at age 73 after an 18-month battle with diabetes. He watched a record six of seven sons play in the NHL: Brian, Darryl, Duane, Brent, Rich, and Ron. Gary was the eldest brother and although he “had the hardest slap shot,” according to Brian, an NHL career never panned out. Said to be the most talented of the brothers, he turned down a Tier II tryout to stay with his high-school sweetheart, and never got back on track with his hockey career.

All seven brothers were able to return to Viking, Alberta and say their goodbyes before their father died. Louis will be buried on Tuesday, a day after the NHL deadline to cancel the season. And no matter the result, the hockey world will converge on the small town to pay their respects.

Louis and Grace Sutter raised their sons in a modest 800-square-foot farm house on 1,400 acres. 477211 Range Road 120, Viking Alberta.

With Ron playing on the 2000-2001 Calgary Flames, it was the 25th consecutive year a Sutter brother was an NHL player. Family totals include 5,597 total games, 1,320 goals, 1,615 assists, and 7,224 PIM.

The arena in the small town of Viking, population 1200, holds the record of producing the most NHLers per capita:

Brian (October 7, 1956):

played for St Louis Blues (1976-1988)
coached St Louis Blues (1988-1992), Boston Bruins (1992-1995), Calgary Flames (1997-2000), Chicago Blackhawks (2001-present).

Darryl (August 19, 1958):

played for Chicago Blackhawks (1979-1987)
coached Chicago Blackhawks (assistant 1987-1988 and 1990-1992, head 1992-1995), San Jose Sharks (1997-2002), Calgary Flames (2002-present)

Duane (March 16, 1960):

played for New York Islanders (1979-1987), Chicago Blackhawks (1987-1990)
coached Florida Panthers (1996-1998 assistant, 2000-2002 head, 2002-2003 assistant)

Brent (June 10, 1962) :

played for New York Islanders (1980-1991), Chicago Blackhawks (1991-1998)

Rich (December 2, 1963):

played for Pittsburgh Penguins (1982-1983), Philadelphia Flyers (1983-1984), Pittsburgh Penguins (1984), Philadelphia Flyers (1984-1986), Vancouver Canucks (1986-1990), St Louis Blues (1990-1993), Chicago Blackhawks (1993-1995), Tampa Bay Lightning (1995), Toronto Maple Leafs (1995)

Ron (December 2, 1963) :

played for Philadelphia Flyers (1982-1991), St Louis Blues (1991-1993), Quebec Nordiques (1994), New York Islanders (1994-1995), Boston Bruins (1995-1996), San Jose Sharks (1996-2000), Calgary Flames (2000-2001)

“If I had to be adopted, I’d want to be a Sutter”

Pat Burns, New Jersey Devils head coach

The Sutter legacy is more than the shear numbers. It’s about a gritty blue-collar work ethic that their father instilled in them, and which they have exhibited in their playing and coaching careers. With all the bad press the NHL is getting these days and will get once the season is officially cancelled on Monday, the Sutter story is a refreshing tale of determination.

With years of celebrity, the family remains tight-knit and down-to-Earth. The brothers all married girls from their hometown, and their parents remained on the farm. The only change was that the farmhouse was furnished with a satellite dish so the parents could watch their sons play in the NHL.

And the future generation of Sutter’s is emerging. Brian’s son Shaun, 24, was drafted by Calgary in 1998, and is playing in the ECHL. Darryl‘s son Brett, 17, is in his second year in the WHL. Duane’s son Brodie plays peewee. Brent’s son Brandon, 15, is just breaking into the WHL. Rich and Ron also have young boys who may someday play hockey. And the legacy lives on.

UPDATE:

TSN article covering today’s funeral

After the recent signings of Kris Draper, Derian Hatcher, and Chris Chelios, the Motor City Mechanics are pursuing two other locked-out NHLers. Ottawa Senator Bryan Smolinski (MSU alum / lives in Detroit area) and Sean Avery (former Red Wing) are reportedly next in line to join the Mechanics.

Smolinski skated with the team on Tuesday and Avery is expected to meet with the team later this week. Mechanics president John Tull is eager to have any NHLers join his fourth tier minor league team:

“Our doors are open to any of these guys. We’re open to meeting with any of them about employment opportunities.”

Gritty Sean Avery was always a fan-favorite on the Wings, before being traded to the LA Kings (with Maxim Kuznetsov) for Mathieu Schneider. He played two games for Finland’s Lahti Pelicans, scoring three goals, before mysteriously returning to the states without notifying anyone, including his agent.

Smolinski has been a regular at workouts at Troy Sports Center, and has grown tired of skating laps and doing drills with other locked-out NHLers in the area.

Kris Draper has been unable to play with the Mechanics since, as a Canadian, he needs an H2B work visa. In addition, Draper and the Mechanics have yet to finish ironing out a contract. The team is talking to lawyers about his visa problem, and hopes to have it resolved soon, but it’s possible that it could keep Draper sidelined for the rest of the Mechanics’ season. As the legal struggle goes on, Draper will continue practicing with the team and assuming his in-suit position behind the bench during Mechanics games.

UPDATE (2/11):

TSN has confirmed the signings of Avery and Smolinksi. Avery has some sizzling quotes in the article about the lockout and NHLers in the UHL:

“If (a player) doesn’t want me to take his job he should work harder. Work harder until he’s good enough to make the NHL then I wont be able to take his job…In all businesses, there’s always changes. I’m here to earn a spot. I haven’t heard anything. If someone wants to talk to me about it, I’m sure they will. They know where to find me.”"

Ok…so why don’t you go back to high school hockey and tell those kids that? It’s a fourth tier league for a reason, Sean. Show a bit more respect for the kids. There are a lot of developing hockey players in the league and you’re going to take ice time away from them, so they have a reason to be flustered. And bitter UHL veterans are going to be bitter whether or not you say anything, so let them be. And it’s not like you’re moving on an even playing field, Sean. So don’t act like it’s anything but moving from college to fifth grade. Avery also commented on contraction:

“I think they can eliminate a lot of Europeans who are mediocre and are taking a lot of jobs.”

Looking to replace Don Cherry, Sean? Or just looking for a fight? (do I even have to answer that?) You’ve got some nerve to say that when you’re a mediocre player yourself (just North American), and only made the NHL because of expansion. Total hypocrisy. But what else could you expect from Avery? He also showed solidarity with the NHLPA:

“I think, when you look at it, the lockout is about guys like me. If I’m 24 and willing to sit out for two years, that’s an indication of where the union stands.”

That definitely is a strong statement and I think everyone is wondering just how solid the Union is. Smolinski took the politically correct path with his statements:

“Just a chance to play hockey again and bring some respect to the league and especially this team.”

Well said, Bryan.

UPDATE (Matt):

For those concerned about Mechanics players losing their jobs due to these signings, Motor City President John Tull announced

“Nobody loses their job with the addition of Hatcher, Chelios and Draper,” Mechanics “We are abiding by the United Hockey League rules which allows us to manage a 20 man active roster. We can play seven veterans in this league and we will continue to rotate those roster spots, therefore no one is losing their job.”

UHL players will lose ice time and the playing experience that comes with it but they’ll be able to play with some of the top players in the world and maybe they’ll learn a thing or two from them.

As mentioned by Eric McErlain of Off Wing Opinion, Dubi of the blog Ordinarily Least Square has taken the time to do what few, if any, have had the patience to do. He’s gone through Eklund’s archives and compared actual events to his predictions. The results shouldn’t surprise anyone who hasn’t been completely taken in by the guy. If there was any question of his being a fraud before, there isn’t any more. Good job, Dubi.