I suppose the $35M minimum is to appease the players … though I still can’t see how a minimum needs to be included ;)
The owners getting off the hard cap is a must for the players to accept anything, it seems.
But I maintain I will ONLY be happy - and guardedly optimistic - if the new deal allows hockey to easily and healthily survive in the markets where it matters the most to the fans - and those markets tend to be small markets.
I’d prefer it if this came about by moving some teams out of the markets that have no fan appreciation into the markets that do … or if there was contraction (I think it’s a necessity, since you can’t turn back the clock and stop expansion at 24 teams) … however, that’s a pipe dream …
If the new deal is going to allow teams like Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Buffalo, and, sadly, even Montreal to keep floundering under huge burdens, (and helping teams that are going nowhere off the ice to survive), then I will be even more pissed off than I am now (and I’m sure you can tell I’m pretty bitter!) … and I can’t see the NHL continuing on if that’s the case.
Admittedly, I do miss being able to easily watch hockey. And I know once mid-April rolls around, I’ll feel a huge emptiness what with lack of playoffs. (It already hurts to think of!) But any deal that they do sign has GOT to be the right one. This isn’t such a big deal to the Rangers as it is to the Flames … know what I mean?
(btw, I’m all for blaming the Rangers ;) … how much was Gretz hyped when he played for them? I think it was in '97 they almost made it to the Final … how was that down there?)