The NHL lockout finally ends!

After nearly 4 months, the NHL lockout is finally over. This week the players will report to training camp for six whole days and then BANG! the regular season. The highly abbreviated training camp shouldn't affect most players since a lot were playing in other leagues but look for guys to suffer from smaller but nagging injuries throughout the shortened season.

Here are the main topics of the deal:

• The NHLPA rolled back their share of of the hockey-related revenue from 57% to 50%.
• Player contracts will max out at 7 years, 8 if a player resigns with his current team.
• The players got $300 million of the "make whole" money.
• There is a lower salary cap but also a higher salary floor.
• The NHLPA got a pension plan.
• The current CBA deal will last 10 years with an opt out after 8 years.

If my memory serves me correctly, the NHLPA and Donald Fehr were willing to roll back their of the HRR a long time ago, their sticking point was the "make whole" theory. The NHLPA didn't want a long term CBA for 10 years so they negotiated a ten year deal that can be backed out of after 8 years (which means we will see this song & dance again in 2021). What I can't understand is why this took so long?  Why did I and other hockey fans have to sit through nights in October, November and December being forced to view unwatchable NBA games (the NBA doesn't really get interesting until after the NCAA Tournament and that's a fact!)? Heck, in some cases, not watch TV at all because there was no hockey.

Suffice to say I am a little ticked off about this. For the remainder of this season I will make a bit of a statement. It will consist of the following:

• No buying of NHL paraphernalia (though I lost my beloved Whalers wool cap but replacing it will have to wait).
• No purchasing of the NHL Center Ice package. Since 2007 I have been enjoying games on my computer while on the road. I will not pay for it this year. 
• I will try to not go to any games. Since moving to Chicago, I was looking forward to a Sabres v. Blackhawks game or going to see the Bruins when they come to town. Granted those teams won't be coming to town anyway with a shortened season but I just feel like the owners and the players DO NOT deserve my money (admittedly this could be tough, if a friend says, "hey Bencey I've tickets to Blackhawks/Kings game, you in?" I might be inclined to say yes.  
• I will not go out of my way to watch a game. If it's on regular TV then fine, but no heroic efforts.

It would be nice if the fans kind of staged their own lockout by not going to games for the 1st week or month or whatever in order to send a message of our own but I know that it's impossible.  It's doubtful that the NHL will do much of anything to curry favor with the people that allow them to stay in business but this is the way of the world.

After all that's said and done, I blame the owners. They could've settled this deal in time for the Winter Classic but they didn't. These are the guys that offer ridiculous contracts then complain about them later. I have a problem with billionaires going to the rank in file (in this case millionaires) to help them from themselves. Lastly I'd like to leave a link to the latest Nicholas J. Cotsonika piece from Yahoo Sports. He's a veteran hockey writer who has a grasp of the economic issues of the sport. It's where I go to learn a few things.

Thank you for your time and hope all is well.