The issue of player salaries within the NHL has long been an issue. During its early days in the first half of the 20th century, the league subjected players to salary caps, but these were eventually done away with and forgotten about for several decades. This topic rose to the surface again in the 1970s when the NHL Players Association was created. The issue finally came to a head during the 1994-1995 season and resulted in a lockout and a portion of the season being cancelled. However, the problems solved at this time would only sedate the issue for about ten years. In 2004 a lockout resulted in the entire season being cancelled, which was the first time this has ever happened in a North American professional sports league. However, in the end, negotiations finally resulted in a salary cap agreement. A salary cap per team and per player was set based on revenues of the league. Read on …
If you’ve been trudging through the heat of summer, fantasizing about the cold of the ice rink and anxiously awaiting the start of hockey season, it’s almost time. NHL teams will begin season training camps in just over a month on September 12th. Teams will hit the ice for several weeks’ worth of grueling, exhausting pre-season practice and workouts. What goes on in this short preseason period can set the stage for the entire season. Just 9 days after training camps begin, the 2010-2011 preseason games will begin on September 21st. At 7:00 p.m. that night, hockey fans around the country will tune in for the first four games of the season. Columbus will play at Atlanta, Carolina will host Florida, New Jersey will travel to Philadelphia, and Toronto will takes on Ottawa with the home rink advantage. The excitement won’t end there, with 5 more games following throughout the evening. Read on …
Though outsiders are quick to bash this element of the game as ruthless or unnecessary, players and referees alike expect and tolerate a few blows under certain circumstances. Though at first glance it may appear to be a brutish bashing of skulls with no real purpose, there are actually a whole list of unspoken rules for an NHL fist fight. Most hockey fans feed off the excitement of team rivalries especially when it comes to blows on the ice, and players never fail to deliver. Each season we see our fair share of fights, but only a few are worth remembering, so we’ve come up with our pick of the top 5 fights of the 2009-2010 NHL season.
- Cam Janssen vs. Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond: These two turned what would otherwise be a low-profile game into one of the most watched matches of the season, well at least two and half minutes of it. One of the longer-lasting fights of the year, Janssen and Leblond went at it for almost 3 minutes and never seemed to tire, despite the constant blows and action for the duration of the fight. Read on …
The latest NHL hockey game from EA Sports is only about a month away from hitting stores creating what is expected to be the most impressive pro hockey game yet. Created for XBOX 360 and Playstation 3, gamers will have the chance to step onto the rink and join the excitement of this action-packed sport.
The real-time physics engine will create even more life-like plays. Based on actual puck and player reactions that occur within a game, you’ll be closer than ever before to the heart of the game. A new face-off system for the game will add to the authenticity of the match and you can even break your stick with a difficult slap shot. But just like in the real game, play must continue. Take a chance and choose your best move; hustle to the sidelines for a new stick, or if there’s no time, grab one from a teammate. Read on …
Years worth of post-season matchups and nail biting victories have brought the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals to blows on the rink. In addition to the team rivalry, there is also constant tension between the captains of the two teams. The leadership styles of Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and his Capitals counterpart Alexander Ovechkin vary significantly. Some fans would claim this is currently the best individual rivalry in the league as well. Wherever you draw your battle lines, if you have any interest in the Penguins-Washington history, you’ve got plenty in store this season as the two will battle it out on the first day of the New Year at Heinz Field. The Penguins will host this first game of 2011 in what is sure to be a memorable match up. This event is an annual game played in an outdoor arena, with seating capacity much greater than what NHL teams are accustomed to. Read on …