Stop Draggin' My Heart Around

It took nearly four months and countless false starts and setbacks and legal standoffs, but the NHL and NHL Players Association finally (albeit tentatively) agreed on a collective bargaining agreement early this morning. The deal still has to be ratified by both sides, but it means there will be a 48- or 52-game season starting in the next couple of weeks. Which, to this hockey fan anyway, is better than no hockey at all this season, the fate that fans suffered in 2004-05 when the entire season was wiped out by legal strife. The previous lockout in 1994-95 was similarly resolved in January and resulted in a 48-game season.

No doubt the league and its teams and players will be doing a massive amount of ass-kissing to get back in the fans' good graces again. It'll be interesting to see just how many fans come back. Certainly in the large markets (Toronto, Montreal, New York, Detroit, Chicago, Boston), the arenas will be packed, but I wonder how many folks in places like Phoenix, Florida and Anaheim will flock back to see their teams.

Once the deal is official, teams will be able to make moves to get ready for the season, which some reports have said will start around Jan. 19. Although many players went to Europe to play until the lockout was resolved, many more just stayed home and trained on their own or with local teams. I'm guessing a new stat to track will be the number of groin and hamstring pulls in the first week of the new season; there will be many of them. You can't just go from relative inactivity to NHL action in the matter of a few weeks without your body paying the price in some fashion.

The new CBA is a 10-year deal, splits hockey-related revenue on a 50-50 basis between players and owners (as opposed to the previous 57-43 split), the salary cap next season will grow to $64 million and there will be increased revenue sharing.

I've been pretty down on both sides as this thing dragged on, but especially the league and owners. Ultimately, I'm a hockey fan and this is the best hockey there is, so I'm glad they're back. Am I pissed about what went on the last several months? Damn right. But I'm ready to see some hockey. Of course, the down side of that is I'm a Toronto Maple Leafs fan, so I'm bound to be disappointed yet again...but I'm used to that. Drop the puck!