If you have a chance go see the Karlsson experience at the all star game. He really needs to work out, way to skinny to be in the NHL.  It's well worth the watch. He looked overwhelmed and brought his family along.  He was one of a few guys that bothered to get some ice time before the event. Other than a cup run it's probably going to be the best experience of his life.

I have watched a lot of hockey this year and found it strange that so many think we are the only quiet building in the league. Last night the Pittsburgh-Toronto game was indeed as quiet as Ottawa except when Pittsburgh scored. Hockey market fans with the exception of maybe Montreal and Toronto are attentive to what is going on in front of them. They react to good hits, good saves and goals. The rest of the time they like to sit and watch. When I go to a game my eyes are all over the ice watching plays develop, etc... We are not the only quiet fans and as much as Phoenix and Atlanta are poorly attended it is nice to see those who are there boo and cheer at the right times. Not so long ago they booed when an icing was whistled down.

Fully one third of the NHL is 9 million to 18 million from the cap ceiling. With so many veterans not getting signed this year or only offered base salary contracts in free agency it makes you wonder what the hell is going on with this league. It is understandable for teams like Edmonton and Colorado who are rebuilding and want the space in a few years to sign those rookies long term but the rest are "budget" teams that wont spend. This is dragging league revenues down as far as I'm concerned and there needs to be a serious attempt by Bettman to rectify the situation. It may not concern you what teams spend but it sure affect me when I have to watch a lousy under paid team come to Ottawa. Who does not dread paying good money to watch Atlanta. They wonder why games are not sold out for Carolina, I was not paying to watch that. I went to a Predators game one year and it was exciting watching the Sens score five but there was little competition in that game. Economically this league is a mess with a salary cap that does not reflect reality and serves only to give the illusion of growth. Hopefully rumors that Phoenix is finally sold and staying put means they will also start competing.

I had to stop listening to the post game on the radio tonight because people were going ballistic over the loss. Although I did not like the officiating and how many power plays the Leafs got to Ottawas, worse if you add up both games, you can't seriously expect these games to actually mean anything as to the future of the Sens. Some players you will see over the next two weeks are not even going to be in the organization come October. I really enjoyed just watching a game even though it was meaningless. A lot of these players just need to play on the bigger ice with knowledgeable fans watching and booing like they did in Toronto last night. They need to get over the noise so they can concentrate on their game. I can't imagine how nervous they must feel, this is after all a short time to show what you got and make an impression. I was not impressed with the hit on Shannon. I thought there was an elbow there. I will disagree with Gord Wilson who was disappointed with Karlson's game, I thought he showed confidence with the puck, he needs only to get his timing back and was fearless under pressure. I'm sure once he plays against NHL'ers instead of goons he'll be much better. Weircoch was good as well.

Every year we come into the season expecting great things from our team and every year there is some disappointment in some players. I think as fans we sometimes forget that it takes time for lines to get used to each other and players to adjust to new systems. One thing I noticed at Fanfest Practice this morning was Gonchar asking fellow players what the drill were. You could tell who the ones that knew  either from previous camps or from having played in Bingo. Like some who have observed this before Cowen looked a little lost, whether because of his lack of play over the summer or he might just been overwhelmed by the whole thing. There was definitely an offensive flavor to practice with emphasis on passing.

As an asside to the All Star game I heard Bettman speak of getting calls from Melnik himself concerning the spotty officiating of last year. This gives me hope that maybe this year things will get called the way they should as I'm hoping it was brought up in private meetings with Bettman before today's announcement. There is also the announcement that Winterlude will start early and be a major part of this event. What a chance this is to show off our sity and all that is good about it.

Our chance to see Bettman squirm in a major arbitration loss has not panned out. Kovalchuk is now a free agent and I can't see what team is going to pay 10 million a year for a one dimensional player, albeit a prolific scorer in an age where there are few at his level. I am actually shocked at this decision but the NHL found a way to convince the arbitrator to side with them. 

The other side of this of course is that with so many years at over ten million, the effect on escrow will be eliminated as this would have added million in real salary to the percentage that players are allowed to make in respect to total revenue. Now we wait again to see who gets this guy and at what price . Whomever signs him at 10 mil a year will have little left over to surround him with the talent necessary to win it all. Then again is he going to Russia?

As a hockey fan and there are many here just like me, aren't you sick and tired of the Phoenix Coyotes saga? Another setback to ownership erupted in Glendale last week. Apparently there are now three potential owners negotiating with the city for a new lease.  Ice Edge announced they had financing secured in June and it comes out they don't have it. This caused them to lose their exclusive negotiating rights.

Today I both heard and read that they only have 1800 season ticket renewals for next year. Enough already with the on again-off again reality of playing hockey in the desert. If you scan local newspapers, they are behind high school football in the news. In this very blog I have seen nothing new on the Phoenix front as far as the new ownership issues and there are hardly any responses to the articles that are posted except from Winnipeg fans wanting their team back. Unless someone actually puts up their own money, no bank or investors are going to go into something where you stand to lose 25 million a year unless you win the cup every season. They had a very successful season last year by hockey standards, finishing third in their confrence and yet they attracted flies.

There is no way NHL attendance figures for Phoenix were real as the team would not have lost that much money. Not sure if I've said this here before but the Sens radio guys said that there were maybe 5000 at the game Ottawa played there last year. I saw empty seats during the playoffs as well, despite one network managing to darken the lower level bowl for most of the game. This is making us look bad. Fans of other major sports think we are crazy to follow this never ending drama. I listen to four major American sports networks on the radio and on the internet and hockey is completely off the radar as foot ball season approaches .

A little known fact about the escrow is that it's based on the actual money going out to players, not the salary cap hit. So guys like Kovalchuk add to the actual money being paid out while minimum salary guys get exactly what their contracts says. So if the escrow is 25% and league revenues don't meet projected targets then owners get their money back from the escrow account. This has been the case for the last two seasons as the American economy goes down and the NHL loses sponsors not so willing to give them money as opposed to successful sports like football. Add taxes and agent fees and that does not leave much to build a life from after hockey. I guess they can be thankful they are playing a sport we all dream of but if their not careful they could end up broke and poor at the end of it.

Dan

I read that Murray was not at Fisher's wedding. I find that suspicious and then maybe I'm making a bigger deal of it. I certainly did not invite my boss to my wedding, mostly because he was an ... It still makes me nervous to think that he married someone that spends a lot of time in a city that has an NHL team. They also have salary cap room and are improving their product on the ice even though they are a budget team. I'm just saying that the possibility of Fisher moving would not be the first time a woman dictates a hockey players career. His will end much sooner than hers.

Dan