NHL lockout looms closer

Carolina Hurricanes dressing room in practice facility - Peter Koutroumpis, PKS Consulting

The Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA) and the National Hockey League (NHL) is about to expire in just over two and a half hours.

Without a new agreement signed by that time, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has stated that the owners will lock out the players accordingly.

That is why many players have already taken their equipment and will have to endure not starting training camp as scheduled.

That was supposed to happen by next week.

It's still possible, but highly unlikely that a deal at the final minute will be made to avoid a lockout.

How long this will take is unknown - a few days, weeks, months, or more?

The players, and the fans who have been waiting all summer for the season to begin, may not have one to play or follow due to a lockout.

With the NHL bringing in approximately $3.3 billion dollars last year, an amount that it shared with the players, the owners are saying that they can't afford to do it again under the current structure of the CBA, and need a new agreement in place for business to continue.

Otherwise, the locks keep the players from coming in and the players are on their own - without a rink, dressing room, games to play, and a paycheck.

The players have said that they are willing to work to help make the game better financially and to grow it more, but not willing to make up for financial shortfalls and expenses that they are not in control of in running each team's business.

The middle ground exists and is somewhere to be found, but when that will happen is the key factor to consider.

Tick, tick tick.

Time to get to work on how to get back to work.

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1972 Summit Series serves as a valuable history lesson

Many of us not quite old enough to watch or listen to the events of the 1972 Summit Series between Team Canada and Team Russia rely on summaries provided in books as well as personal accounts from journalists, players and those who were there to describe what happened back then.

Online media provides a wealth of resources to share stories and memories of the historic events that took place 40 years ago.

A new book released recently by '72 Project creator Sean Mitton, highlights 72 of the best stories of Canadians who remembered where they were and what they were doing when Paul Henderson scored the winning goal for Team Canada to beat Team Russia in the eighth and final game.

The book adds a new and unique resource for hockey fans to draw from when celebrating the 40th anniversary of this history-making series of games in 2012.

Growing up in Canada, this series was, is, and always will provide a defining moment in history for Canadians to truly be proud of.

Memories of ’72 Summit Series originate in Raleigh

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 Paul Henderson describes how his goal saved a marriage - 72project.com

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Still working for an NHL season as Labor Day approaches

Chad LaRose misses at the Jimmy V Golf Classic - Jamie Kellner

Just as the National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA) and National Hockey League (NHL) have begun to increase the offer, counter-offer, counter-offer exchanges between one another during current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations, the players are working hard to get ready for the 2012-2013 season.

In Carolina, players in the area like Chad LaRose and Joe Corvo are working out locally while head coach Kirk Muller is looking forward to and hoping to hold his first training camp as a head coach.

All three managed to take time to participate in the recent Jimmy V Celebrity Golf Classic and mix and mingle with many Hurricanes fans in attendance.

If for some reason, a lockout takes place, a modified approach to prepare for a shortened season is one that Muller and others will have to take.

Joe Corvo sporting an aerodynamic cut - Jamie Kellner

For NHL fans throughout the league, here's hoping that a labor deal is struck at some point through the Labor Day weekend, if not shortly afterward.










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Semin, Staal apparently make Hurricanes a contender

Jordan Staal gets his jersey from Jim Rutherford - Peter Koutroumpis, PKS Consulting LLC

It seems that even Las Vegas thinks that the Carolina Hurricanes are better than 50-1 favorites - more like 25-1 now - to win the Stanley Cup in 2013.

It's amazing what offseason deals can do to change perceptions.

The team held two press conferences on Friday to discuss the recent signing of former Washington Capitals forward, Alexander Semin, and to introduce Jordan Staal to the local media.

Staal was acquired in a trade transacted just before the beginning of the recent NHL Entry Draft in Pittsburgh.

The young forward was in the area looking for places to live and for the first time since brother Eric, the Hurricanes captain, and he did an 'incognito' drive around during the early summer.

With many signings completed, the team still has some work to do and has been seeking to deal for a 'gritty' and sizeable forward with 'some hands' who can play alongside the team's scoring talent, and be able to deter opposing teams from taking liberties with such players accordingly.

There is much optimism and excitement in Raleigh as season ticket sales are at their highest point in a while according to the team's President and General Manager Jim Rutherford, and he intends to work with the team's corporate partners to help show their enthusiasm for the upcoming season as well.

It continues to be  hot summer in Raleigh heading into the month of August -  the beginning of 'hurricane' season.

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Contract updates from the Carolina Hurricanes

Jay Harrison - Chris Baird, Baird Photography

The Carolina Hurricanes have been busy over the past two weeks.

 UFA and RFA signings are setting the course for a competitive training camp. 

More one-year deals seems to indicate that the 'writing is on the wall' to 'get it in gear' and show head coach Kirk Muller that you are big enough and strong enough to play for the Hurricanes in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Short-term two-way deals also keep the purse strings tight, just in case you need to go shopping for a little something extra later on.

As the month of July is drawing to a close and even with Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) talks taking place between the NHL and the NHL Players Association (NHLPA), the mindset for all teams and players is to be ready for training camp.

Carolina fans should expect a competitive group to come back in top shape.

Just look at the roster which has increased its height and weight averages during the offseason.

It may not necessarily be 'rock'em, sock'em' hockey to start, but expect bodies to be flying at high speeds with some goals being scored in-between one way or the other.

The way the game was meant to be played.

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NHL free agency starts with a spark in Raleigh

With blistering temperatures heating up the entire Triangle area, the Carolina Hurricanes recently completed their Prospect Camp at Raleigh Center Ice in Raleigh, N.C.

As free agency opened, there was quite a lot of excitement surrounding the offseason moves that the Hurricanes were ready to make.

The team struck some deals while making unsuccessful bids on others (see Zach Parise and Ryan Suter).

The trade market is the place which the Hurricanes are currently browsing and may reap some new acquisitions in the near future.

Stay tuned. 

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Carolina Hurricanes prospects finish intense week

Carolina Hurricanes Prospect Camp - Peter Koutroumpis, PKS Consulting LLC

As Ron Francis, Carolina Hurricanes Vice President for Hockey Operations, described the wrap-up of the team's prospect camp at Raleigh Center Ice in Raleigh, N.C.  he started by stating, "I don't know if people understand how tough a week it is."

Francis continued on by noting the 2012 group's positive attitude that it maintained during a daily routine that started at 7 a.m. and didn't finish until 7 p.m. each night for four straight days.

"There's been no complaining, they're still smiling, they're still battling and working hard. "That shows us a lot of character there," Francis said.

Some of what these aspiring NHL players went through physically included running the stairs beginning on the floor of PNC Arena all the way to the roof, completing a five-mile bike test and then running sixteen 100-yard sprints, all before working out on the ice for an hour during the late afternoon.

"They all did really well," Francis stated.

All prospects will now go home and take the information and experience they gathered during the past four days to keep working hard with hopes of eventually earning an opportunity to show what they've got at training camp.

More Carolina Hurricanes news on Examiner.com:

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Olczyk brothers working hard to impress at Hurricanes camp

 

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Carolina Hurricanes prospects hit the ice

 

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