On Frozen Pond by George Richards (@GeorgeRichards)
For the past four months, a handful of Florida Panthers have gone back in time, working out at the team's original practice rink in Lighthouse Point.
Although the ice is fine, the conditions at Glacier Ice Arena are threadbare compared to what NHL players have grown accustomed to.
Players had showers but no hot tub or whirlpool to help with minor injuries. They had an equipment manager, but old equipment. Instead of having a host of coaches on ice to keep things moving, the locked out Panthers hired local youth coach Vlad Cheremeta for motivation.
Those days are almost over as the Panthers are readying to move back to their multi-million dollar complex in Coral Springs later this week after the two sides came to an agreement to end the lengthy NHL lockout on Sunday.
"Everyone is excited about getting back to normal, getting back to hockey,'' forward Peter Mueller said. "We're ready to start the season off right. One of the good things about coming down here and spending time here was getting to know so many of the guys. We've built some chemistry and that's nice.''
Mueller never received new equipment from the Panthers before the NHL lockout went into affect on Sept. 16.
His black gloves, leftovers from his days with the Colorado Avalanche, have holes worn through the leather. The chin strap on his Colorado-issued helmet doesn't have much life left in it at all. And the smell coming from those gloves, Mueller says, is indescribable.
"It's going to be nice to finally get decked out in some Florida Panthers gear,'' Mueller said. "It will be nice to finally have some towels when we're done showering.''
Because the new collective bargaining agreement hasn't been signed by ownership nor the players, the Panthers who are in South Florida remain in practice facility limbo.
They packed up their stuff after Monday's workout not knowing where Tuesday's would be.
Even though many NHL players returned to their team's training facilities on Monday -- management from the Wild watched their players go through workouts in Minnesota -- Florida's players will practice at Glacier again on Tuesday.
"I'm more excited to see the trainers every day, crack some jokes with them,'' Tomas Kopecky said. "It's going to be fun to see everyone around the rink, the ushers on game day. We talk to them a lot. You don't appreciate the whole routine during the season until you lose it.''
The NHL's Board of Governors is expected to vote on ratifying the new CBA on Wednesday with the players thought to give their approval around the same time. Once the deal is signed, players will be free to return to their facilities and work with team personnel once more.
The Panthers are expected to open training camp at their $10-million Iceplex in Coral Springs on Friday with physicals and other testing. The first on-ice practice would be Saturday morning.
A 50 or 48-game schedule is expected to be released by the league once the CBA is ratified. The Panthers are said to be opening the 2013 season in Sunrise on Jan. 19.
"This was a long four months, but we've taken care of the business,'' Kopecky said. "Now it's time to play hockey.''
-- Stephen Weiss and Ed Jovanovski both said they were happy the lockout was close to being over and hoped fans would be quick to put the labor strife in the past.
"The game is bigger than all this,'' Weiss said. "This will all blow over. It's obviously not a positive thing for our sport right now but this is a great game with great people and players involved. It'll go on. It'll succeed and grow. Hopefully people come and support it because it's a great game.''
Said Jovanovski: "We apologize to the fans as far as how tough this is. We had a pretty successful year for this franchise and got some respectability back. .-.-. I hope they understand there is a business side to every sport. This had to be taken care of.''
Monday, January 7, 2013
Sunday, January 6, 2013
IT'S FINALLY OVER: NHL, NHLPA Reach Deal, Lockout Ends
The lockout seems to be over, folks!!! Details about schedules and all that later. Awesome news!!
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/flapanthers/
The NHL and its player association reached a deal on what is being reported as a 10-year deal on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement effectively ending a lockout that started on Sept. 16.
The deal was brokered after an all-night marathon bargaining session in New York; word came out that the lockout was over around 5 a.m.
A 48 or 50 game season should be announced sometime Sunday.
A start time for a seven or eight day training camp should also be announced.
I was told at Pompano Panthers practice on Friday that they expected to start in Coral Springs on Saturday.
Once the lockout is lifted, players will be allowed back into the complex. I would expect that our Friday practice was the last at Glacier and that players will be back in Coral Springs tomorrow morning -- trading in their NHLPA jerseys for Florida Panthers ones.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/flapanthers/
The NHL and its player association reached a deal on what is being reported as a 10-year deal on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement effectively ending a lockout that started on Sept. 16.
The deal was brokered after an all-night marathon bargaining session in New York; word came out that the lockout was over around 5 a.m.
A 48 or 50 game season should be announced sometime Sunday.
A start time for a seven or eight day training camp should also be announced.
I was told at Pompano Panthers practice on Friday that they expected to start in Coral Springs on Saturday.
Once the lockout is lifted, players will be allowed back into the complex. I would expect that our Friday practice was the last at Glacier and that players will be back in Coral Springs tomorrow morning -- trading in their NHLPA jerseys for Florida Panthers ones.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
NHLPA Looks Into Decertification to End NHL Lockout (with comments from José)
On Frozen Pond
by George Richards
TWITTER: @GeorgeRichards
Locked out hockey players working out in small ice rinks across North America do so wearing black or white jerseys with their union's letters -- NHLPA -- printed across the chest.
The National Hockey League Player's Association could be closer to breaking up and being decertified come Friday morning.
Following the lead of the players' associations from the NFL and NBA, the NHLPA's 700-plus members are expected to overwhelmingly vote to authorize its executive board to "file a disclaimer of interest" and decertify the union.
Decertifying would allow individual players to file antitrust lawsuits against the league in an attempt to end a lockout about to enter its fifth month. Players represented by the union cannot file suit against the league, hence the decertification.
It should be noted that even if the measure passes - as expected - the NHLPA won't necessarily be broken up. But it will be a much easier process if that becomes the course of action.
High-profile football players such as Tom Brady and Peyton Manning filed a class-action suit against the NFL soon after they were locked out and the NFLPA decertified.
Both the NFLPA and NBPA came back together not long after agreements were reached to officially negotiate with the league again.
The NFL lockout lasted four-plus offseason months after the NFLPA disbanded; the NBA lockout ended less than two weeks after the NBPA decertified. Both of those lockouts ended as league owners didn't want to lose a season -- or in the NFL's case, any meaningful games.
The NHLPA is most definitely taking a risk because NHL owners haven't shown they collectively care if there is a season or not.
The NHL, after all, is the only North American professional league to lose a season to labor strife (2004-05).
"We have been left in a position of last resort with what has gone down,'' Panthers defenseman Ed Jovanovski said. "I still have confidence in the system that something is going to get done. I've been through this before and had a little more patience. This is frustrating.''
Electronic voting by the NHLPA's members began on Sunday with a deadline of midnight Friday. Results of the voting -- some players have said 99 percent of the union will vote in favor of it -- should be available Friday morning.
The measure needs two-thirds approval to pass. If it does, the NHLPA -- led by former baseball union boss Donald Fehr and his brother Steve -- would have until Jan. 2 to file the disclaimer with the National Labor Relations Board.
The NHL is led by commissioner Gary Bettman -- an attorney by trade --and anticipates the measure passing and eventual decertification.
The league proactively filed a class action complaint in New York Federal Court saying it has every right to lockout players in order to negotiate a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The league also filed an unfair labor charge with the NLRB.
"Things worked out for the other leagues, but will it work out for us? Time will tell,'' Jovanovski said.
"You look back now and we're somewhere around 100 days. I didn't think it would take this long. I'm running out of things to do. It's nice being around your family, but we're athletes. We want to be out there on the ice.''
Through all the legal wrangling, time to save a portion of the 2012-13 season is running out.
On Wednesday, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told Toronto's 590-AM that a deal needs to get done soon as Bettman doesn't consider anything less than a 48-game schedule to be realistic.
A 48-game season was salvaged after the 1994-95 lockout although the 2004-05 season was completely cancelled in February of that year when a new CBA couldn't be agreed upon. That lockout didn't end until the summer of 2005.
The league is announced the cancellation of another swath of games on Friday as games through Jan. 14 are gone.
With an abbreviated scheduled, however, cancellation of games now really doesn't matter as a new schedule -- think East vs. East and West vs. West games only -- will need to be drawn up.
In 1994, the NHL ended its lockout on Jan. 11 with teams kicking off what would be a 48-game schedule a few days later. If this lockout were to end, players would begin reporting immediately -- although a short training camp wouldn't open for a few days.
by George Richards
TWITTER: @GeorgeRichards
Locked out hockey players working out in small ice rinks across North America do so wearing black or white jerseys with their union's letters -- NHLPA -- printed across the chest.
The National Hockey League Player's Association could be closer to breaking up and being decertified come Friday morning.
Following the lead of the players' associations from the NFL and NBA, the NHLPA's 700-plus members are expected to overwhelmingly vote to authorize its executive board to "file a disclaimer of interest" and decertify the union.
Decertifying would allow individual players to file antitrust lawsuits against the league in an attempt to end a lockout about to enter its fifth month. Players represented by the union cannot file suit against the league, hence the decertification.
It should be noted that even if the measure passes - as expected - the NHLPA won't necessarily be broken up. But it will be a much easier process if that becomes the course of action.
"Right now, anything different to make the process move forward has to be looked at as good news,'' Panthers goalie Jose Theodore said.
"We have tried pretty much everything so far. I think we have given up a lot and have always offered to talk. They are the ones who always want to take breaks and don't want to negotiate. If you see things aren't moving, you have nothing to lose. We're not playing. Things aren't going in the right direction.''
High-profile football players such as Tom Brady and Peyton Manning filed a class-action suit against the NFL soon after they were locked out and the NFLPA decertified.
Both the NFLPA and NBPA came back together not long after agreements were reached to officially negotiate with the league again.
The NFL lockout lasted four-plus offseason months after the NFLPA disbanded; the NBA lockout ended less than two weeks after the NBPA decertified. Both of those lockouts ended as league owners didn't want to lose a season -- or in the NFL's case, any meaningful games.
The NHLPA is most definitely taking a risk because NHL owners haven't shown they collectively care if there is a season or not.
The NHL, after all, is the only North American professional league to lose a season to labor strife (2004-05).
"We have been left in a position of last resort with what has gone down,'' Panthers defenseman Ed Jovanovski said. "I still have confidence in the system that something is going to get done. I've been through this before and had a little more patience. This is frustrating.''
Electronic voting by the NHLPA's members began on Sunday with a deadline of midnight Friday. Results of the voting -- some players have said 99 percent of the union will vote in favor of it -- should be available Friday morning.
The measure needs two-thirds approval to pass. If it does, the NHLPA -- led by former baseball union boss Donald Fehr and his brother Steve -- would have until Jan. 2 to file the disclaimer with the National Labor Relations Board.
The NHL is led by commissioner Gary Bettman -- an attorney by trade --and anticipates the measure passing and eventual decertification.
The league proactively filed a class action complaint in New York Federal Court saying it has every right to lockout players in order to negotiate a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The league also filed an unfair labor charge with the NLRB.
"Things worked out for the other leagues, but will it work out for us? Time will tell,'' Jovanovski said.
"You look back now and we're somewhere around 100 days. I didn't think it would take this long. I'm running out of things to do. It's nice being around your family, but we're athletes. We want to be out there on the ice.''
Through all the legal wrangling, time to save a portion of the 2012-13 season is running out.
On Wednesday, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told Toronto's 590-AM that a deal needs to get done soon as Bettman doesn't consider anything less than a 48-game schedule to be realistic.
A 48-game season was salvaged after the 1994-95 lockout although the 2004-05 season was completely cancelled in February of that year when a new CBA couldn't be agreed upon. That lockout didn't end until the summer of 2005.
The league is announced the cancellation of another swath of games on Friday as games through Jan. 14 are gone.
With an abbreviated scheduled, however, cancellation of games now really doesn't matter as a new schedule -- think East vs. East and West vs. West games only -- will need to be drawn up.
In 1994, the NHL ended its lockout on Jan. 11 with teams kicking off what would be a 48-game schedule a few days later. If this lockout were to end, players would begin reporting immediately -- although a short training camp wouldn't open for a few days.
"I didn't follow the NBA lockout but everyone is bringing it up now,'' Theodore said. "We have to try something new. After meeting with a lot of players and reps, I think this is the best option. We want to play, but we wanted to play in 2004 and that didn't happen. It takes two to Tango. I don't know if they want us on the ice as much as we want to be there.''
Friday, December 14, 2012
2nd Round of RDS' World Juniors Face-to-Face, José vs. Martin LaPointe
Voting started today for José's quarterfinal round matchup (vs. Martin LaPointe.)
Go vote and show your José support!!!
http://www.rds.ca/faceaface/
Go vote and show your José support!!!
http://www.rds.ca/faceaface/
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
José Switched Things Up at Practice Today
My friend, Angi, gave me the first heads up that José wasn't in goal during today's informal practice. He was playing center! The guys were short skaters, and they had the other two goalies there (Vokoun and Clem), so José stepped in. I actually bet it was fun for him to do something different for a change.
After Angi messaged me about the change, I saw George Richards of the Miami Herald tweet about it as well. And he included an outstanding photo.
His tweet:
George Richards@GeorgeRichards
#FlaPanthers are down some players so they have a new center at practice. Jose can pass it pretty well...#NHLockout
After Angi messaged me about the change, I saw George Richards of the Miami Herald tweet about it as well. And he included an outstanding photo.
His tweet:
George Richards
And then he made a little hockey card for José. I love it! We can actually see his face for a change! ;o) Although it's very odd to see him in skater's gear and not goalie gear...he looks much tinier.
And then someone else who was at practice tweeted:
Oscar@chunkynhl
Can anyone ID our new shooter?
Then Oscar tweeted a bit later:
"Yes that is Jose and register no goals no assist no points but definitely "A" for effort and lots of swagger"
"Yes that is Jose and register no goals no assist no points but definitely "A" for effort and lots of swagger"
Monday, December 10, 2012
José won his preliminary round in RDS' Face-to-Face Nos Champions Juniors feature
José came out on top in his preliminary round vs. Jimmy Waite.
Next he will face Marty LaPointe. I'll let you know when voting begins! There are other preliminary round match-ups to wait for.
Friday, December 7, 2012
Vote for José in RDS' poll for the best Canadian WJC Player of all time
RDS. is having an online survey/competition to see who readers feel is the best Canadian WJC player of all-time.
José is currently going up against Jimmy Waite. Vote now and vote often!!! :)
http://www.rds.ca/faceaface/
José is currently going up against Jimmy Waite. Vote now and vote often!!! :)
http://www.rds.ca/faceaface/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)