<p>Just wondering if I was the only person around who was dreading that 11am press conference tomorrow. What do you guys think, well there be an NHL Season or are we doomed for another several months of lockout.</p>
<p><em>fingers crossed</em> that we won't be</p>
<p>my family members are season ticket holders to LA Kings games..and i'm not even a big sports person, but i actually MISS being dragged to the hockey games! :(</p>
<p>I've played hockey since the tender age of six and definitely miss being able to watch NHL games on the tube. Going with the last bit of news I've read, I'd be a bit surprised if the season does "survive" the press conference today as I would take a drastic compromise on the NHLPA's part or an offer on the side of NHL that would have been completely under the table (up to now, most of the NHL's offers have been publicized, even the lastest one offered yesterday afternoon). That all said, Bettman's a douche.</p>
<p>dammit...season cancelled... and i was hopin to come to the US for college and watch this games while having those huge beers and hot dogs...</p>
<p>i am devasted, now all i have is high school hockey. luckily our team should go far in the playoffs</p>
<p>I'm Russian, we live hockey, this is devastating. I wish I could go to Russia and watch Jagr play.</p>
<p><em>sigh</em> At least I have more money and can go to more Yankee games in the spring.</p>
<p>It'll be interesting to see what happenes at this point...</p>
<p>Personally I see one of two things happening.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>The league is going to reach an agreement before next season. If this happenes then it is important that they do have a draft and have Sidney Crosby land in a major market (New York, LA, and Chichgo all struggled so any of the three could land him). Crosby also needs to be as good as everybody says he is, the NHL does not need a good player or a so-called star player, if the league is going to survive they need a legendary player to start playing and producing legendary numbers. </p></li>
<li><p>The league does not get a deal done in time. This is the worst case, because if the NHL is not up and running by next season then I question if the league can ever recover. Also starting next year is the new WHA, which has said they will be presuing Crosby. I think if this lockout keeps going then you'll not only see many current NHL'ers flee to the WHA, but you may even see top prospects such as Crosby going to a WHA team instead of the NHL. With no NHL people may get used to the WHA, and then the NHL will have a very hard time coming back, and may never again be the premire hockey league in North America.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>What do you guys think?</p>
<p>i quit hockey a couple years ago, but still a die hard NHL fan... still it's for the best i'd rather have a full good season next year... then a crappy one this year with crappy guys filling in</p>
<p>The news is so depressing! I can't believed it's all over for this year. We have season tickets that we split with a friend and so we go to quite a few games. Hockey is probably my favorite sport... now I'll have to settle for... baseball... ewww!</p>
<p>I'm a diehard hockey fan. I'm not surprised that they ended up cancelling the season, you could see it coming even last season. The news still sucks though. Part of me was hoping that there would be a miracle and that the two sides will reach a compromise. Guess not. Now I heard Bettman is going back to his original stance on the salary cap. Please find a way to start next season on time! The NHL can't afford to have even less of a fan base.</p>
<p>I'm still skeptical about the supposed WHA comeback. They tried to start up at the beginning of what is now the cancelled season, but that was unsuccessful. I don't see how this time will be any different. Also, the WHA already tried to have Crosby come play in their league and he ended up declining. I doubt that the WHA could have what it takes to become more popular than the NHL.</p>
<p>Honestly any season they would of had this year would have been a joke, but part of me really wanted to see those games!</p>
<p>I love hockey.
<em>GO FLAMES GO</em> {a hometown girl at heart, and have been even when they had some bad seasons during the 90s}
Damn, last year was SO much fun! I want it all back. My school is on the Red Mile, and people would start honking their cars at 2pm (during English tests especially). Not to mention bonding with total strangers just because of their car flags...</p>
<p>I thought the Canucks could have beat the Flames had Cloutier decided not to choke for the 4th straight playoff year. Whatever, that was my exact guess anyway, Flames in 7, although kids at school disagreed, I was still right.</p>
<p>It's kinda nice not having hockey and being a kings fan! For the first time in a long time we don't have an injury problem!!!</p>
<p><em>sigh</em></p>
<p>would have been a major rebuilding year for the Caps anyway... our young guys will just get better in Europe. Can't wait to see Ovechkin in action (saw him at World Jrs... looks good!)</p>
<p>HOCKEY SUCKS!!!!! HAHAHAHA. On espn.com yesterday they had a poll regarding the nhl season saying "do you even care?". You know hockey has to be a $hitty sport when nascar is more popular. Hockey will never be a credible sport in this country, as it lacks the tradition of baseball and football and the intensity of the greatest sport ever created, basketball.</p>
<p>Don't knock what you don't understand.</p>
<p>
[quote]
i am devasted, now all i have is high school hockey. luckily our team should go far in the playoffs
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Where do you live? College hockey is a blast ... I think it is the best spectator sport there is (and I am a die hard basketball guy)</p>
<p>I go to Michigan, and notwithstanding what everyone says, the hockey games are overrated (even though we are ranked 3rd). It's basically just a bunch of people screaming profanities aka no class. Basketball is so much better like when we almost upset illinois...there's nothing like it in the world. Even though our fan section in bball is weak (compared to football and hockey), it's SO much more fun (well, football here is unlike anything anywhere, but yeah).</p>
<p>If you know what's going on, I think any big sports game is a blast. Even just being around all the other crazy fans is a huge rush to me. I've seen Michigan hockey games on TV and I just can't fathom how it isn't fun to be at one of the games. The crowd seems really into it and I love hearing their chants.</p>
<p>How is hockey just a bunch of people screaming profanities? Yeah, you hear that in a crowd, but even so, it hasn't been that prevalent in my experiences. And that's while living in New Jersey, people here get angry easily, lol. What about at basketball and football games, like people there don't swear? Besides, hockey isn't just about how the fans act. If you go by that logic, you could make a great case against basketball.</p>