The one thing you will learn about me very quickly is that I might be one of the biggest hockey fans you will ever meet. Well, I’d like you to learn that quickly but there is no hockey to talk about so how could you possibly read what I have to say about hockey, other than this post?
The puck was supposed to drop today on the 2012/2013 hockey season but once again, our arenas are dark and we sit in the corner waiting, wondering if hockey will make an appearance in the coming months. Yes, the players union and the owners are talking but nothing comes of it. Meanwhile, some of our superstars are over in Europe and every day I go online in hopes that I don’t hear about one of them suffering a crippling injury that would jeopardize their NHL season, should there actually ever be an NHL season.
ESPN was airing a KHL game the other night and I tried to get into it, I did but I just couldn’t. It didn’t feel right and it just ended up making me angry about the lockout. There’s been lots of articles written that we need a second hockey league to rival the NHL but that would either a) make me angry or b) just come off the way the WNBA does.
There is the silver lining, although in order to get to the silver lining, I have to wait months. Thank god there is football to hold me over but my football team is already in need of CPR so it might not hold me over long enough.
If the NHL lockout continues, through the end of 2012 and into 2013, at least I can look forward to what might be one of the greatest World Junior tournaments. It wouldn’t be the same as the KHL and I don’t think I would have the same reaction to it as I do the KHL. Besides, I do watch it every year. If you’ve ever watch the World Juniors (a tournament that takes place around Christmas) it is usually very exciting and showcases the future stars of the NHL. With most of the NHL’s young stars playing on their AHL clubs this season, a number of which are junior eligible, that tournament could showcase the current young stars (Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Gabriel Landeskog and Adam Henrique as an example) and the future of the NHL in the same tournament. OK, so it’s not much of a silver lining but it’s something.
So thank you NHL and the NHLPA. Thank you for ruining for me what is usually a day filled with such hope and anticipation.
