The Flyers and Penguins: one of many playoff brawls

While it’s hard to believe anything related to the lockout lately–rumor has it that the Pittsburgh Penguins will play the Philadelphia Flyers in a nationally televised matinee to open the season on Jan. 19th.

Assuming there is one.

Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has reported that if the league can come to compromise with the players union, this is the matchup that will jumpstart what looks to be a 48 game season.

Rossi said sources told him:

“Games would be played throughout the day as a part of a celebration of hockey across North America. Rivalry games would dominate Day 1 of the shortened season to placate the NHL’s national television partners in the United States and Canada.”

Indubitably, the NHL wants to give the fans what they want.  Not just the fact that it’s a hockey game, but it’s a ferociously barbaric rivalry that has spawned into NHL’s own “WWE SmackDown”.  With a handful of the highest profiled players and truculent emotions toward one another, fans are now just wondering when the games can begin?

Last time the fans saw these two teams was in the past Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, where tensions got high and goals were scored more than they should have.  From suspensions to penalty minutes, the anticipation for another backyard brawl is juicy.  This game, if assumed definite, could have the potential at being much more than just a beginning.

However, in actuality–we don’t know what’s going to happen.

Every week it seems as though meetings will be held, but nothing will be executed.  And sadly, fans are continually receiving false hope.  But if everything that was in this report ultimately pans out, wouldn’t it be a joyous occasion.  Hockey finally being resurrected would be an enduring accomplishment.

For now, fans are riding the pine–watching other hockey leagues.

The clock is ticking Gary.

Is there good news on the horizon?  The Penguins majority owner Ron Burkle supposedly armed with principles discussed with minority owner, Mario Lemieux took over the CBA bargaining negotiations on Tuesday in a meeting set up by Commissioner Bettman for six NHL owners and 18 NHL players to have discussions without his or NHLPA head Donald Fehr’s presence.    Players were reportedly lead by Penguins Captain Sidney Crosby who worked with Burkle to discuss what the next proposal had to include to get a deal done with several reports coming out of the meeting that the Penguin constituents were “a voice of reason” in the negotiations.

The Board of Governors, comprised of all NHL owners, met Wednesday afternoon for the first time since they decided upon locking the players out in early September.  The BOG meeting had been scheduled previously and it has been reported that the owners had this week circled to get a deal done for several reasons including  the paychecks missed by the players would not have to be reimbursed to this point and they could add additional games at the end of the season to make up revenue without paying the players additional funds and the ending of the college football season allowing for sun belt markets to be able to pull in steady attendance without competing with the big college football programs of the SEC.

The same group that met Tuesday, including Burkle and Crosby, are scheduled to continue negotiations tonight again without Bettman and Fehr where the NHLPA is supposedly to put forth a new proposal to try and end the lockout.

Additionally, it has been reported that Bettman said he wants the deal done by Friday and Nick Kyperos of TSN reported there are rumors circulating that coaches are touching base with players telling them to be prepared for training camp on Dec. 14^th.

Will it fall apart again in the 25^th hour?  It’s possible but for the first time in awhile there is some positive news that may allow fans to turn off the Voice and watch NHL hockey soon.

Keep your fingers crossed.

Feb. 9, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announces the 2013 Winter Classic game between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs during a press conference at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-US PRESSWIRE

Earlier today at the NHL League Office in New York City, the decision to cancel the upcoming NHL Winter Classic was finalized.  Originally scheduled to be held at the University of Michigan in “The Big House”, a 100,000+ capacity venue, a number of sources have reported that Michigan’s historic stadium will host the next Winter Classic event.

This is not just anothercasualty of the apocalyptic lockout, but rather could be the monumental turning point in negotiations, foreshadowing the 2012 season’s imminent cancellation.

There has been no discussion by NHL Suits or the NHLPA factually expressing that endgame; however, I fear the revenue that has been lost, the inexplicably lax attitudes taken by both sides in regards to reaching an agreement, and the subsequent nonexistent effort applied to physically sitting down and negotiating in the same room have provided us with enough evidence to assume the season will not be salvaged.

Along with calling off the Winter Classic, the Hockeytown Winter Festival and HBO’s 24/7 series, which follows both teams up to the Classic’s puck-drop, have also been cancelled.