Puck

The shorter entry contracts is the owners way of trying to control player costs. As we saw with the Eberle and Hall contracts, amongst others, good young players are cashing in with that second contract. By reducing entry level contracts to 2 years, the owners are hoping to push escalating player costs back to the third contract instead of the second. It won't necessarily work as Hall managed to cash in with a year remaining on his entry level deal, but I think the intent is to attempt to control costs while allowing teams 3 contracts before a player hits UFA status. The thing is, the PA gained a lot of contractual rights in the last CBA by agreeing to the 24% rollback and salary cap. With this latest proposal, it still seems like the players are the ones giving up everything: their split goes down 7%, they go from no term limits to 5 years, UFA age goes up, etc. What do the players gain here? Nothing, from what I've seen - except the 82 game schedule for 2012-13 which is really a win-win for both sides, not just the PA.

Simmonds AND Courtier for PK and Kristo?! I don't know much about Kristo so I won't comment on him. And I think you overvalue Subban while undervaluing Courtier I posted because I want to talk about Simmonds. Since when is a top-6, 28-goal scoring, 50 point power winger with 114 PIM expendable? Simmonds plays all situations, he's only 24, he had 200 SOG and 140 hits last year. There's a reason why Philly locked him up. In a trade discussion between the Habs and Philly involving Subban, Simmonds would be the centerpiece going to Montreal, not a throw in. Just my two cents.

Oilers might be the worst team overall (total points) since the last lockout, but only one team hasn't made the playoffs in that span: Toronto Maple Leafs

@jammer2 - the tax base around the new arena may increase with new development and economic activity, but it'll be offset by depreciated real estate and sales in other locations. The population isn't increasing. So say there's a bar by the new rink. People start drinking there instead of wherever they did before. The old location(s) become vacant or less busy and assessments/tax revenue decrease. Katz knows better. He's just trying to squeeze every last concession out of the City. The damage he's done to his personal reputation is irreparable. The fans might forgive him IF the team wins a cup.

The Manitoba Moose franchise is owned by True North Sports, same owners as the Jets. Last year, the Canucks got a new affiliate: the Chicago Wolves, Atlanta's old farm team, and the Moose were relocated to St. John's, NFLD. So Parent never switched organizations. Not sure why he played so few games. He'll have a tough time finding an AHL contract, for sure.