Wondering

You wonder why some CIS freshman is taking human growth hormone. You wonder why anyone would think the Tomas Kaberle story is going to just go away now because the veteran defenceman wants it to. You wonder if this is the year the Lions (York or Detroit) don't completely stink.

You also wonder:

--If there's still a chance the Bettman administration will take action against the New Jersey Devils for trying to circumvent the league's salary cap. The fact the league got a CBA concession from the union and now wants to put the entire issue of so-called "back-diving" contracts to be makes you think that the Devils will get away with this one. Then again, the fact the Leafs got fined a half-million bucks and docked a fourth rounder for screwing around with Jonas Frogren's contract - Jonas Frogren!! - makes you think they won't let the Devils walk.

The board of governors meets on the 14th of this month. The commish has until the 17th to announce any team discipline on this.

--If there's any real chance the NHLPA will do the right thing and release the results of their investigation into last year's disgraceful firing of Paul Kelly. These guys have become more secretive than The Vatican. But as long as there's any suggestion that Donald Fehr was in any way involved in the back rooms, it behooves the union to make it clear exactly what Fehr did or did not have to do with Kelly's ouster before hiring him as the NHLPA's new executive director (while he writes a book on baseball, of course.)

--If the good people of Quebec City understand it is pure folly to build a new arena in hopes that the NHL will someday give the city a franchise. 

Without some sort of guarantee or semi-guarantee from the league, building a rink just sets up Quebec City to be more leverage existing NHL owners can use against their cities when it comes time to negotiate a new lease or force it to commit taxpayer dollars towards a new arena. 

This is what happened to Hamilton. It certainly worked that way for Kansas City when the Pittsburgh Penguins wanted a new arena.

Everybody wants another team in Canada. It would be terrific to see the Nordiques live again. But doing it this way just sets up Quebec City to get used.

Comments

[Ian]

On the new Colisee: it's not just QC that's getting screwed, it's the Canadian taxpayer. The only way the arena gets built is if the federal gov't (read: us) chips in 180 million to cover the funding shortfall, in an era of cost-cutting no less; Canadians getting screwed by the NHL and their vote-buying government.

[KD]

Damien, you're half-right about Quebec city. Sure, if they build an arena, other teams will use it as leverage, as in the examples you cited. However, I don't think they're building it in hopes of getting an NHL team, at least not entirely. Now that there's federal money involved, I can't help but wonder how much of the motivation is buying votes for the Tories as opposed to bringing an NHL franchise to Quebec City. Call me cynical, but that's my two cents (in this case, quite literally - that's probably my share of the Federal government's contribution).

[ostrich_eater]

What I wonder is how long teams like the Leafs and Rangers will continue to prop up Florida, Atlanta, Nashville, Pheonix, Tampa and Carolina when there are legitamate rich people out there who want to own NHL franchises and will locate a team in an area in which it would be profitable. When the real owners would stand to make more money every year, I want to know what reason Bettman gives them that makes them ignore the fact that they are leaving hundreds of millions of dollars on the table. Realistically, a second Toronto team would probably be no worse than the third most profitable franchise in the League, hell, you have to figure that by replacing four of those teams with quebec, winnepeg, Hamilton and Toronto you could potentially double league reveniews. So basically all I want to know is what is the League's rational for propping up the duds?

[Stephen B]

If by the Tomas Kaberle "story" you mean the ongoing question of his status with the team -- will he be traded? when? etc -- i agree, it won't be going away. If you mean things like all these reports on his relationship with Ron Wilson, based on his father's comments, well, it doesn't look to me like there's much there. Both men are professionals. The stories seem like sportswriters desperately grasping for something to write about in the last weeks before training camp.

[mark]

Re Kaberle: What I wonder is who will be leaving town first Wilson or Kaberle. My money is on Wilson. If things don't look a whole lot better by Christmas time I think he'll be gone. And, given that the Leafs management failed to upgrade at centre or in net or in penalty killing (at least on paper) it's a very real probability that there will not be much improvement. Add that to Ronnie's stellar personality and reputuation as a players coach (sarcasm) and I say bye bye Ronnie.

[KD]

"Ostrich_eater" says that with 4 Canadian teams replacing sun-belt teams, the league could double its revenues. I'm not sure whether doubling is accurate, but let's assume it is. He then asks what the NHL's rationale would be for propping up the duds. Believe it or not, it's profits. By keeping revenues artificially low, the salary cap is lower, since it's set as a percentage of revenues. If revenues and the cap were raised by 25%, for example, teams like the Leafs and Rangers would have an extra $15 million to spend on players, and you know they would. Their revenues would be more or less the same, but their expenses would be higher, and their profits therefore lower. If the team won't increase its revenue, even if the league as a whole does, then they're not going to support a plan that will see their profitabilty decrease, even if it is good for the game and for the fans.

[Matt B]

Mark: the Leafs DID upgrade on the penalty kill, it just happened on Jan 31. Once we traded Stajan, Toskala et al, the penalty kill was much better, and certainly not last in the NHL during that time. Armstrong and Versteeg both play PK minutes and I bet they are much more willing than Stajan to block shots.

Re: Quebec. Damien is right they will get screwed. But, and this is a big but, if the potential new owner of a QC team says they will put up a certain amount of money for the arena too, then it becomes more realistic. The NHL is fine with messing with governments but less so with rich people.

[Linda Hokanson]

I wonder when Don Fehr will allow the report on the firing of Paul Kelly to be released so we can actually find out what happened. I have a feeling never as he wouldn't want the public to know of his involvement in it. I also have a feeling that this is the reenactment of Alan Eagleson (a man who wore many hats and verbally abused the players at every opportunity) and if so the present day players are in for a rude awakening.

Linda H

[mark]

Matt B... on Chicago (who has a bit more depth at forward) Versteeg was on the PK. In Toronto he's on the PP, not the PK. As for Armstrong, he's a serviceable player, but I don't see him being a difference maker. The jury is still out on goaltending. But, to my point, unless there is significant improvement out of the gate this year, Wilson is gone. Ronnie's best hope is for Beauchevin and Komiserik to start strong instead of the horrendous start they had last year.