Silver Seven: The Big "What If"
Things look to finally be getting serious when it comes to negotiations between the players union and the league. Now that there is a (slight) chance for optimism, what if we DO get part of a season?
So after a midnight rendezvous between Steve Fehr and Bill Daly this weekend, cautious optimism was in the air for hockey fans everywhere. Now that there have been two successive days of long meetings without the usual he-said-she-said of bashing each other to the press, things are actually starting to look pretty good.
The NHL and NHLPA are scheduled to meet again this afternoon, and it really and truly feels like there are real negotiations happening for the first time in this whole process. What seemed impossible even just a week ago now seems really and truly plausible: we could see NHL hockey this season. Now, do I expect that we will be watching hockey this time next week? Absolutely not. The two sides (by all accounts) still have a long way to go. However, considering they are finally meeting and finally talking for more than 10 minutes at a time, as a hockey fan I am getting giddy.
What if we haven't seen the last of Daniel Alfredsson?
What if Marc Methot starts strong because he has already bonded with his teammates?
What if Kyle Turris has really benefitted from playing a prominent role on a team overseas and starts the season strong?
What if, in a shortened season, Paul MacLean can play Erik Karlsson even more minutes per game?
What if the chance to start the season in the AHL has given Jakob Silfverberg and Mika Zibanejad an appreciation and a hunger to play at the NHL level?
What if, most of all, I can finally write Nuggets that have nothing to do with a lockout?
Wouldn't that be something.
Sens Links:
- Bobby gives a summary of the B-Sens latest heartbreaker: a 1-0 shootout loss to the Penguins affiliate. [SSS]
- Amelia delivers another amazing article, this one about 5 issues facing the Senators. [SSS]
- Ken Warren writes about Robin Lehner and how he has emerged as a beast/leader for the Bingo Sens. This is the best news. [SensExtra]
- Luke Richardson was on the Team (as he is every Tuesday) and Nichols did his thing and transcribed. [6thSens]
- Ottawa Senators players are playing nothing but the waiting game. [SensExtra]
- Hockey Central has been talking about the Senators possibly being for sale. Bruce Garrioch debunks it, and the 6th Sens have the story. [6thSens]
League News:
- As stated above, the PA and the League are set to meet again this afternoon. Fingers crossed, everyone. [CBC]
Do you believe we will see NHL hockey in the 2012-2013 season?
| Yes | 35 |
| No | 17 |