The Icing Line Volume One
Welcome to Volume One of The Icing Line, a weekly column dedicated to the recent happenings of the NHL world.
Zach Parise and Ryan Suter are now both members of Minnesota Wild. Good for them…similar terms and contracts. They will be a huge part of the Wild foundation for the next thirteen years. Minnesota now has the unfamiliar position of having expectations placed on them, as these two are accused of tying up the free agency process for several days. Meanwhile, fans of the Penguins and Red Wings are preparing their torches and pitchforks for the dates the Wild come to town.
Contracts gone Wild, indeed!
Speaking of contracts, forward Jaromir Jagr has signed a one year deal with the Dallas Stars worth 4.5 million dollars. Worth every penny…Dallas has lacked a name brand for a while, and while Jagr may have lost a step or two from his Art Ross days, his name will still bring fans to the rink. The Stars will get their money’s worth in the surge of popularity alone.
The CBA is due to expire in September, and given what happened the last time, fans are nervous. It’s hard to say if their apprehension is based on fact; both the NHL and NHLPA know what’s at stake here. The league has grown, the revenues are going up, and the players are enjoying healthy paychecks. Would they risk losing the momentum they have gained in the last several years since the lockout? One would hope not. But we are talking millions of dollars here…money can make people do crazy things. Time will only tell on this one.
Speaking of time, that may be the one thing set to run out on the Phoenix Coyotes. Facing a lot of opposition, the Coyotes may find themselves packing their bags and leaving the desert if the NHL can’t find a way to salvage this. It’s a shame; hockey is a great game and deserves to be available to everyone. Bad ownership, bad teams, and bad press, have all conspired to make this a winless situation for NHL hockey in Phoenix. Is it too far gone to save? Most experts think so. Where would they go? Most signs seem to point to Quebec City. The Montreal/Quebec rivalry reborn would make most hockey fans forget about the Coyotes’ saga in a big hurry.
That’s it for the first edition of The Icing Line. Stay tuned to more great writing from the many talented writers at The Hockey Writers!
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