Bettman and Fehr Not Talking Yet

OTTAWA -- Although Gary Bettman and Donald Fehr will meet next week, both sides say it does not signal the beginning of collective bargaining. With hockey fans anxiously hoping next season won't be in jeopardy, the kickoff of formal CBA talks still has no agreed start date.

"I don't know yet, there will obviously be some preliminary discussions to set things up and talk about things," Fehr, executive director of the NHL Players' Association, told assembled media Saturday. "Obviously, my preference will be when we get to the real significant sessions to do it at a point in time, which is rather more likely to have players present easily than less. But we'll know sometime in the next few weeks how that's going to play out."

The league reiterated again Saturday that it is ready whenever the players' union wants to sit down and talk. http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/7513724/gary-bettman-donald-fehr-no-start-date-cba-talks-yet

Shacks' Take: I'm scared.  I'm very scared.  Donald Fehr is the most antagonistic labour leader in the history of sport.  He was never interested in  a working partnership in baseball, only in squeezing every penny out of the owners.  Baseball is the only North American pro-sport without a salary cap because of Fehr.  Great if you're a Red Sox or Yankee fan bad for almost every one else.  Ask Blue Jay fans what they think of  competing in their division.  I hope for the best in these negotiations, you would think the NHL knows it's not popular enough to withstand a long strike.   I think Fehr cares little for what's best for the game, only how to shake those extra nickels out of the owner's pockets. With the owners insisting the current system is killing small markets and Fehrs total disregard for helping grow smaller markets, this could get ugly 

Bettman Still Supports Shootout

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The NHL emerged from the lockout with a new look, including a bold new way to determine a winner for each regular-season game.  Plenty of skepticism from the purist wing of the sport surrounded the introduction of the shootout. Grumbling about using a skills competition -- akin to a home run derby after 10 innings of a tied baseball game -- to settle the score after 65 minutes probably will never go away.

The shootout, though, has won over some of the initial doubters. With the current collective bargaining agreement set to expire this summer, the opportunity exists to make another round of significant rule changes, but commissioner Gary Bettman made it sound as if this tiebreaker is here to stay. http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=386468

Shacks Take: I am one of those hockey purists they speak of.  I hate the instigator rule, I think Don Cherry is usually right although his meanderings are getting worse as the years pass and I was awfully skeptical of the shootout.  Turns out, I don't hate it.  I don't love it.  If it went away tomorrow, I wouldn't pine for the good old days of shootout hockey but I don't advocate its banishment either.  It's a fun little piece of eye candy that has little or nothing to do with actual hockey, although I still sorta cringe at the thought of a team missing the playoffs because their trick shooters weren't as good as another team's trick shooters but these are the rules so if its costing your team, get better at them.  That said, if they ever contemplate these for the playoffs this will become a football only blog.   

Bruins GM Shoots Down Thomas Trade Rumors

Tim Thomas isn't going anywhere.  Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli shot down any trade rumours on Monday, saying there were no plans to move his star goaltender.  "Not trading him," Chiarelli said in an e-mail to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun. "I have not talked to anyone and I don't plan to." http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=386437

Shacks' Take: This rumor seemed pretty stupid to start, trade the reigning Conn Smythe and Vezina winner? Really? I'm aware Tuuka Rask is playing lights out, however its not about the regular season, it's about winning the shiny silver chalice at the end.  Thomas has proven he can do it and his team looks even better this year.  I think the Bruins will ride the Thomas train as far as it will take them.  Even if the Bruins were thinking of trading Thomas, would they announce it publically?  'Ya, Tim's on the block.  We don't like him after that White House thing.' So thank you, Pierre LeBrun for this brilliant reporting.

Schneider to Face Blackhawks

Apparently Cory Schneider just starts the big games. Just over three weeks after he was the surprise starter in Boston against the Bruins, Schneider will start again tonight when the Vancouver Canucks play host to their top Western Conference rivals, the Chicago Blackhawks.  Schneider said he got an advance heads-up from coach Alain Vigneault before the all-star break that he would likely face the Hawks.http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Canucks+notebook+Schneider+face+Blackhawks/6074899/story.html#ixzz1l3FBmyXZ

Shacks' Take: If you've read my earlier articles on the Canucks (which no one has) you'd know I think this is a go for broke year for the Canucks as Schneider will likely have a new address next year and you can't trust Luongo on the road in hostile environments.  Obviously, Canuck management has their own reservations about starting Lui in these places as well.  I think the right move this year is to play Schneids on the road in the playoffs against the Hawks or Bruins so he might s well get used to it now.  I never thought I'd see AV acknowledge this hole in Luongo's game but with Schneider's two most recent starts in Boston & Chicago, I think the writing is on the wall.

Bolland Backing Away From ‘Sister’ Comments

Dave Bolland backed down like a gir… no, we can't stoop to the misogynist depths some players and other meatheads do when calling the Sedin twins the sisters or the twinkies or Henrika and Daniella.

And on Monday Bolland wouldn't stoop either, back-peddling from remarks he made on Chicago radio station WGN in December like New York Giants free-safety Antrel Rolle will be back-peddling on Sunday. http://blogs.theprovince.com/2012/01/30/bolland-retreats-from-december-slags-regarding-sedins-canucks-vancouver/

Shacks' Take:  During a fun interview in December, Bolland made a bunch of derogatory comments about the Canucks, Vancouver and especially the Sedins.  Now he's trying to minimize the media scrutiny that comes with making controversial comments.  I say, 'too bad!'  Look the Canucks and Hawks hate each other and we all like it that way.  Two of the best rivalries in hockey right now are Canucks vs. Hawks & Canucks vs. Bruins.  Why? Because they hate each other.   Everyone wants to see the next game to see what will happen next.  So why this pretense of respect and mutual admiration.  To hell with that!  I want Rowdy Roddy Piper Style trash talk from both teams.   Maybe Alex Burrows can do a little Macho Man and tell us about the reign of terror if he gets Bolland in the corner...Ooooh yeah!  Brent Seabrook can do his best Hulk Hogan and ask Sedin, 'Whatcha gonna do when these pythons wrap around you?' Screw political correctness, let's push this rivalry into an old school trash talking hate fest.