Game On: NHL and NHLPA reach Tentative Deal

[Mephiston Hunter]

go leafs go

roxon.

[DoTheFandango]

I DONT CARE.

Go Bruins.

[Troll King]

The deal was made official today with the Owners voting unanimously in favour after the NHLPA voted nearly 90% for the CBA.

The draft lottery was also held today with all 30 spots up for grabs. Winning the first overall pick, likely to be the Phenom Sidney Crosby, is the Pittsburgh Penguins. Just imagine Crosby skating alongside Mario Lemieux: this whole Penguins season will be about passing the torch. The big losers in the draft are probably the Florida Panthers, a struggling non-playoff team winding up at 29th overall. Other winners are the Montreal Canadians jumping to 5th and the Ottawa Senators and Canucks also cracking into the top 10 at 9 and 10 respectively. Other losers would be the Edmonton Oilers at 25 and the NY Rangers dropping to 16. If it's any consolation, for this year's draft, they will reverse the draft order for each round so Pittsburgh will pick last in the second round and then first again in the third. It's supposed to be a deep draft this year, even after Crosby, but this lottery draft marks the true beginning of the oddest off-season period in sports history.

Here's the official lottery draft order (pending the affects of previous and future trades).

1 Pittsburgh Penguins
2 Anaheim Mighty Ducks
3 Carolina Hurricanes
4 Minnesota Wild
5 Montreal Canadiens
6 Columbus Blue Jackets
7 Chicago Blackhawks
8 Atlanta Thrashers
9 Ottawa Senators
10 Vancouver Canucks
11 Los Angeles Kings
12 San Jose Sharks
13 Buffalo Sabres
14 Washington Capitals
15 New York Islanders
16 New York Rangers
17 Phoenix Coyotes
18 Nashville Predators
19 Detroit Red Wings
20 Philadelphia Flyers
21 Toronto Maple Leafs
22 Bostin Bruins
23 New Jersey Devils
24 St. Louis Blues
25 Edmonton Oilers
26 Calgary Flames
27 Colorado Avalanche
28 Dallas Stars
29 Florida Panthers
30 Tampa Bay Lightning

[Jason]

oh yeah, penguin power

i can't wait to see a game :]

[Hero*]

Does anyone know if Tampa Bay was randomly selected as 30, or is it just because they won the cup they got 30. Well, the Penguins should be happy that their getting Crosby, what a good player. (He'll be their next mario lemieux) (spelling)

[Troll King]

It was all done randomly. All teams had one to three balls in the lottery depending on whether they made the playoffs recently and whether or not they already had a recent first overall pick. TSN's analysts were commenting on how this random draw had a bit of a conscience, putting the defending champs last and giving the franchise that probably needs it the most, the Penguins, the first overall pick.

[PredatoR_FNM]

I know there was thread for it but I couldnt see it, so.. :

Rule changes which WILL be done:
http://www.nhl.com/nhlhq/cba/rules_changes072205.html

Red line will be removed and there will be new limits for goaltenders etc.

[froedrick]

Go habs go

[Sleepy Weasel]

oh yeah, penguin power

i can't wait to see a game :]

I'll be going to quite a number of games for sure. The first game is going to be so great.

[Jason]

sidney crosby

say it with me sleepy

SIDNEY CROSBY

this fucking kid better live up to the hype

hell, he better rise above and beyond the hype and be the next lemieux to the three hundred and fixty sixth power

but yeah, i can't wait to see a game or two or four

oh and by the way, i'm getting free pirates tickets for donating blood at work tomorrow

you should totally come

[Exotic]

hes not gonna get more than 55 points this season keekeek

IMO, i dont think the penguins are gonna select him 1st




A look at NHL rules changes, effective with the start of the 2005-06 season:

SHOOTOUT: Following a scoreless five-minute overtime, three players from each team participate in a shootout. Each team takes three shots. The team with the most goals after those six shots wins. If still tied, the shootout will advance to a sudden death format. If a game is decided by a shootout, the final score will give the winning team one more goal than its opponent, based on the score at the end of overtime.

LINES: Two-line passes are now legal as the center red line will be ignored for offsides purposes.

- The blue lines will be moved closer together to create an additional four feet in each of the offensive zones. That reduces the size of the neutral zone to 50 feet from 54 feet.

- Goal lines will be moved two feet, to 11 feet from the end boards.

- The width of the blue lines and red line was unchanged.

- The tag-up offsides rule returns, allowing play to continue if offensive players who preceded the puck into the zone return to the blue line and tag it.

GOALIES: The dimensions of goaltender equipment will be reduced by approximately 11 percent. In addition to a one-inch reduction (to 11 inches) in the width of leg pads, the blocking glove, upper-body protector, pants and jersey also will be reduced in size.

- Goalies using oversized equipment will be given a two-game suspension. Their teams will be fined $25,000 fine and the trainer will be docked $1,000.

- Goalies may play the puck behind the goal line only in a trapezoid-shaped area defined by lines that begin six feet from either goal post and extend diagonally to points 28 feet apart at the end boards.

ICING: A team that ices the puck can't make a line change before the ensuing faceoff.

- Touch icing remains in effect but linesmen will be given more discretion to wave off infractions if they are deemed the result of a long, attempted pass.

INSTIGATION PENALTIES: A player who instigates a fight in the final five minutes of a game will receive a game misconduct and an automatic one-game suspension. The length of suspension would double for each additional incident. The player's coach will be fined $10,000, a penalty that would double for each recurrence.

OFFICIATING: Zero tolerance on interference, hooking and holding-obstruction.

- Goalies who play the puck behind the goal line but outside the designated puck-handling area will be called for delay of game. Goaltenders will be penalized for delay of game if they freeze the puck unnecessarily.

- Any player who shoots the puck directly over the glass in his defending zone will be penalized for delay of game. Previously only goalies were penalized for the infraction.

UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT: The league will review and assess fines to players who dive, embellish a fall or a reaction, or who fake injury in an attempt to draw penalties. The first such incident will bring on a warning letter; the second will result in a $1,000 fine; the third will result in a $2,000 fine; and the fourth will result in a one-game suspension.

- Public complaints or derogatory comments toward the game also will result in fines.

[Troll King]

The Pens would be crazy not to pick Crosby. Tickets started flying the moment it was announced that the Pens won the draft lottery and anyone but Crosby would be a horrible business move. Besides, Mario Lemieux likes Crosby and wants to play with along side him. If that's not enough, if Crosby doesn't eventually match the hype it wouldn't matter; the hype itself could get the ball rolling to give the Pens a new arena.

[Exotic]

didnt they also get a good draft pick last year? him crosby and lemiuex should be on one line

[Troll King]

Malkin's another centre like Crosby though, and I'm not sure if they want either rookie to begin their NHL careers out of position. I don't think Malkin has committed to playing in the NHL this season yet, though it would seem more likely for him to want to if Crosby will be there.

[Jeenyuss]

Crosby can play on both wings, actually, and yeah Crosby, Malkin and Fleury are all really good prospects they picked up in the last 3 years. I'm glad that the Pens got Crosby, seeing as how they needed it pretty badly. I know some guy on the Pens AHL team who's supposed to move up soon also.

go sens go