(Spoilers) The thread where CALIFORNIA LOOOOVE~!

[Toe]

It was really fun to watch the Senators lose last night. Clark MacArthur made an amazing pass to set up Kyle Turris in the first period, but Craig Anderson was not very good.

[Gabriel]

Flames moved Tim Jackman to Anaheim today for a sixth round pick in the upcoming draft.

Not a lot of return, but there was never going to be a bigger return for Jackman anyways. He peaked with his 10 goal season, and has been playing a less aggressive game recently. The move frees up a roster spot, which was used to bring up Blair Jones, who is leading the Heat in scoring.

[Pizza]

Putting up more points than Lebron is impressive, but I'm not sure that's going to translate to hockey.

[The Heartbreak Kid]

What the hell Buffalo!

You used to be better than this.

[Hewey]

God damn, what a game between Pittsburgh and the Islanders. Pittsburgh with another win, and Malkin finally scores! Tomorrow's game against Montreal should be great, they're usually very close games.

[Drock007]

Ducks beat The Lighting in OT with 5 seconds left and then are the first team to be the Coyotes at home in regulation, finally the Ducks are playing like themselves again even tho our top 4 defensemen are all hurt, we got a lot of injures now and are still getting it done

[Ruki]

So...what the hell is TSN going to do without hockey?

[Gabriel]

So...what the hell is TSN going to do without hockey?

Without the games, TSN will be fine if they re-invest in their already top of the line off-ice coverage. I would go as far as to say that TSN is leaps and bounds ahead of any other network in terms of NHL coverage, and if they continue to provide that, they'll be fine.

I was extremely worried about the new deal the NHL reached with CBC and Rogers, but in the NHL released statement, there is a bit that says that CBC and Rogers now have the rights to air all NHL games nationally throughout Canada. They cannot, however, air them in French. The TVA network has that exclusive agreement locked down.

What this means for me, and for other fans who don't live in their team's region, is that next year, we won't be blacked out from games anymore. I pay for all the Sportsnet channels, but I can only watch Canucks games because I live in BC. I hate the Canucks. Next year, all the games open up for me. This is a huge deal.

Of course, the play by play and commentary on CBC and Sportsnet is laughable in comparison to what TSN offers, but maybe a few guys will jump ship between now and the start of next year.

[caucasianheat]

Bob McKenzie pointed out that they didn't have any NHL games from 98-02 either, during which time they significantly ramped up coverage of hockey. So that's probably what will continue to happen. They still have the regional agreements for the Jets and Habs games going forward, so it's not totally the end. But there will probably be people crossing the parking lot to Sportsnet before long.

It's gross to think that, in lieu of actual hockey, they'll be adding even more hours of talking and potstirring over trivial player issues or constructed narratives.

Interestingly, CBC didn't have the cash to pony up and keep HNIC alive. It was only with Rogers taking them as a partner that they were able to figure into the deal. Rogers will have control over HNIC w/r/t advertising, on-air personnel, game selection, and pretty much everything else though it remains on CBC. Weird day.

[Sweet Holy Moses]

You know what this means? More Nick Kypreos!

[Ruki]

Kadri, the goalie killer.

And the Leafs are now falling apart.

[Hewey]

Pittsburgh was playing like crap, now they're starting to get it together, but that was a total BS call on that no goal, it should be 4-3 right now.

[Plubby]

We are so bad at the St Louis Blueses

[Gabriel]

So the lawsuit against the league has grown to over 200 players, apparently.

What I want to know, is how do they win this suit, when the players who are playing the game today, knowing the risks of fighting and hitting, don't want the game changed?

I think that's the NHL's ace in their sleeve. Former players can point to not having the same knowledge as we do today, but the NHL can counter with what I said above. The former players can point to being coerced into playing through injuries, but the NHL can counter that players today continue to do so. I think that the NHL has a very strong possibility of winning this case, or having it settled for much less than the NFL case, because the only thing that the former players can legitimately prove, is that medical knowledge wasn't as advanced as it is today.

I feel like, if they walk away with anything, it will be a chunk of money thrown at them by the NHL, so that they can get treatment for whatever ailments they are currently experiencing. I really don't see them walking away with upwards of $700 million dollars, like the NFL players did.

Also, a question that I have, because I haven't seen it addressed yet... is how much money are the former players looking for? Also, where will that money go, and for what purpose? Or, as many people have immediately and ignorantly jumped to, is this essentially just a cash grab by former players, who see an opportunity to better their lives at the expense of the game they would have previously done anything for?

What does EWB think?

[Plubby]

Wow, to grow from 10 to 200 in a day or two is remakable.

One of the initial ten players to join the claim actually played 8 years after they left the NHL. It's hard to prove that the NHL caused those injuries. One player continued to play without a helmet under the grandfathering provisions after they were made mandatory. As a player who maybe took all the precautions you'd just be looking at these people going "you're not HELPING us here!"

[Hewey]

Yeah baby! What a game! So glad I didn't stop watching after it was 4-1, Malkin was a beast tonight.

[RPS]

Right? Fucking Pittsburgh. You know how to play with my emotions.

[Hewey]

Yeah, I can't believe they started off so poorly. They haven't been able to get back into games after being down, so this was a much needed one. Just too many mistakes tonight, you can't fault Fleury tonight, or even Zatkoff on the first one. Now they need to win it on Friday and Saturday.

[Plubby]

Puck Fittsburgh.

Unless it's Sid doing ALL the scoring so then it helps my ESPN hockey challenge team.

[Draevyn]

Woohooo Pens! I need to get my Sid picture back on the wall at my new apartment. I thought they were done when Fleury got pulled but thankfully they were able to get back into the game. I really hate that Bennett and Martin are out though.