I am predicting a good amount of chaos if the NHLPA rejects these terms. De-registering Luongo’s contract could potentially have a lot of ramifications for Vancouver.

And the terms don’t seem all that bad really. It’s a little unfair that some contracts get grandfathered b/c the NHL didn’t act fast enough, but other than that it’s really pretty fair. Well expect for the whole “we’ve got you by the balls, if you try to squirm a way we’re keeping part of you with us” ultimatum.

Bettman gets a lot of grief doing a job at which it’s impossible to make everyone happy. But if you look at the league pre-lockout vs. post-lockout, I’d say he’s done a pretty good job of saving a failing league. The on-ice product now is better than it was then and the league as a whole is financially healthier.

Surprising and encouraging. The thing that disappoints me though is the fact that both the Deadthings’ million year contracts weren’t in that group of “play ball or we’ll void them” contracts.

My first thought: Is ‘devoid’ really the word he wants? Shouldn’t it just be ‘void’?

Second thought: I think the Devils just really wanted Hossa and this is all just a long-term plan to get him back on the market.

Third thought: I really need to wait for the coffee to kick in before I try to think.

Fourth thought: The league is actually doing something that might someday resemble an actual policy instead of just an ad hoc response to a bunch of screaming media/owners/-fans- (let’s not get too crazy here). I have no response to that because I have no experience with such things.

This might actually be a really good step forward, despite the fact that they are kind in the players’ faces about it (probably as a response to the Fehr hiring). I still don’t get why the owners whine so much about the contract amounts and lengths when they are the ones writing the contracts, but that’s another issue.

You know the rest of the league is looking at these guys and saying, “WHAT THE FUCK?!?! You just HAD to push it, didn’t you?? Nicely done, gentlemen. Now we’re all screwed. You owe us some fucking beers, I’m just sayin.”