When the Canadiens skate out to the strains of an inevitably emotional and well-produced opening audio/video montage befitting a Stanley Cup champion on Saturday night, you can be sure some of the team's best recent draft picks will be leading the way.
Carey Price will hit the ice first, defying the laws of physics by having the team both behind him and on his shoulders. Max Pacioretty will bring his new, bigger, more wrecking-ball-like body to the fray. It's still up in the air whether P.K.Subban will tell his agent to suck it up and make a deal. Either way, the real question is: Will 2012 number-three-overall pick Alex Galchenyuk join the boys as they take on this abbreviated season?
Having seen quite a bit of the young hopeful during his OHL season with Sarnia, and at the World Junior championships, he looks like he has the skills to be an NHLer before too long. He already has a big-league body. He's got sweet hands and a clever hockey mind. He's captain in Sarnia because he's got a drive to win and the ability to lead others by his work ethic. At Habs camp, he's been lauded as "coachable," "smart," "skilled," and "looking good." Whether those accolades add up to confidence-building or an actual indication of his NHL readiness is still up for debate at this moment.
Looking at the Canadiens lineup, there's an obvious second-line wing hole that needs a sizable, goal-scoring player. Tomas Plekanec cannot go another season with a revolving barn door of Clydesdales. He's earned better than that, and getting the chance to centre Galchenyuk in his NHL debut is definitely better. Also, the Habs lineup generally needs more goal-scoring punch, and any chance to bring in a natural sniper would certainly be welcome.
On the other hand, Galchenyuk is 18 with a teenager's inexperience. It's a delicate situation in Montreal, especially during a shortened season, in that nobody wants to expose a future cornerstone to pressure and expectation he might not be ready to handle. Yet, nobody wants to deny the kid his chance to make the team on his own merit either.
Michel Therrien would have liked to have exhibition games in which to judge whether Galchenyuk can translate those nice skills to games against NHL players. Without those trial games, it's tougher, but Therrien has nothing to lose by giving the kid a chance for the five games before his first contract year kicks in. The problem comes after those five games, when the Habs have to decide whether he's better off on a steep learning curve in Montreal, with all its attendant confidence issues and inevitable mistakes, or burning up junior with little developmental reward. Perhaps the right place for him would be Hamilton, but the CHL/AHL eligibility rules prevent that.
In the end, it will come down to what Marc Bergevin envisions in his master plan for the Habs. If he thinks the team can make a playoff run to which Galchenyuk can contribute, he'll be more likely to keep the kid on the roster and burn up a year of his entry-level deal. If he thinks the team isn't ready for a serious playoff challenge, he'll be tempted to send Galchenyuk back to junior rather than waste a contract year in a losing cause. If nothing else, we can tell a lot about what management really thinks of the lineup by the decision made after the fifth game of the season.
In any case, Galchenyuk is the most exciting offensive prospect the Habs have had in many years. With any luck, the organization will recognize his potential, without being blinded into rushing him if he's not ready. That said, if he's close to NHL capability, I'd rather see him gain pro experience and get to know the players he'll be working with for the foreseeable future than spend another year in junior. Even if the Habs are losing this year, he can learn a lot more in Montreal. If they're winning, he could be the player who makes a difference. People worry that rushing a player into the league before he's ready can have long-term negative effects on him and his development. That's certainly true for later draft picks. When a guy has as much skill and is as smart as Galchenyuk, though, the potential for him to adapt quickly is enormous. In his case, he'd also avoid the pitfall many young players face in dealing with limited playing time and weak linemates. If he sticks, Galchenyuk will play on the second line and the power play. He'll get his development time.
I hope he stays. Habs fans have been stuck with frustrating, dump and chase hockey for too long. We deserve some excitement and fun. I think Galchenyuk is good enough to bring both.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Holdout
As the days of the abbreviated NHL training camps slip away, it's becoming more likely that the Canadiens will open their season on Saturday night without P.K.Subban in the lineup. The 2007 second-round pick would be starting his third full year with the club if not for a stalemate between his agent, Don Meehan, and Habs' G.M. Marc Bergevin.
Without the benefit of a fly's eye view from a handy wall in Bergevin's office, it would appear one of two things is happening. Either Bergevin is trying to seriously low ball Subban because of the looming cap crunch he's facing next year, or Subban believes he is entitled to a greater payday than he perhaps deserves.
If Bergevin is balking for fear of next year's payroll, there are ways to save money other than alienating a talented young player who could be a cornerstone of the organization for many years to come. The team is entitled to another buyout before next season, and after that, some big contracts (Markov, Kaberle, Gionta) run out. Unless Subban and Meehan are asking for really big money and/or term, there's little reason for Bergevin to drag out negotiations for cap reasons. If the two sides are close, there's a solution available.
If, however, Subban is expecting a big payday on a second contract, there may be a larger issue. Of the NHL defencemen who are his contemporaries and who signed mega-money long-term deals while still RFA, most are demonstrably better than Subban. For example, Erik Karlsson's 7-year, 6.5-million per year contract with Ottawa makes him the tenth highest-paid D in the league. He also has a 78-point season and a Norris Trophy to his credit. Drew Doughty has an 8-year deal with the Kings, with a 7-million cap hit, placing him fourth in the league among defencemen. Doughty's name is on the Stanley Cup, he's got an Olympic gold medal, he was drafted second overall and became a Norris finalist. Tyler Myers, another first-rounder, has a 5.5-million cap hit in Buffalo for 7 seasons. He's a former NHL rookie of the year and in his worst season points-wise, he had one point less than Subban did in his best year. None of these comparisons are meant to diminish the value, ability or potential of Subban, but those three players are the only defencemen under 25 with cap hits bigger than 4-million dollars.
Looking at an in-house comparison, Subban's should perhaps expect to follow the path of teammate Carey Price. Price came to the team as the Canadiens' highest draft pick since Petr Svoboda in 1984. His subsequent performances at the World Juniors and in the Bulldogs' Calder Cup championship launched his star and built expectations. Price, like Subban, had some bumpy moments in Montreal, culminating with losing the starting job during the 2010 playoff run. Still, there was never a question in the minds of management that the team's future was linked to Price's success. Subban also came to town with high expectations and has had some stretches of living up to them, and other periods of slow production and public controversy. Both young players are very important parts of the team's future.
Price's second contract was for two years, with a cap hit of 2.75-million. That gave the team a two-year break on paying big money, while Price had a chance to prove himself and cash in on his third deal, which he did last summer. A lot of people who don't get to sit inside contract negotiations might say if it's good enough for Carey Price, it should be good enough for P.K.Subban. That may be logical, but of course nobody really knows the circumstances. It's just a comparison worth mentioning.
At this point, nobody really doubts Subban and the Canadiens will come to a deal. Bergevin has already confirmed he won't be trading the player and as an RFA, Subban's options are limited. The big problem with the situation right now is its timing. Coming off a horrible team season and long summer, followed by the five-month league lockout, the Canadiens are facing a packed schedule in which every point carries huge significance. Playing even one game without a complete lineup reduces their chances of success. When the missing player is a top-four defenceman who eats minutes, the loss hurts a little more, as does the fact that he's missing for business reasons, not hockey reasons. Subban's missing camp is one thing, but when he starts sitting out games that count, the goodwill of fans and even teammates will eventually sour.We all know hockey is a business, but fans have had quite enough of the business of hockey at this point.
P.K.Subban is a good hockey player. He's got potential to be a great hockey player. Right now, he's got to stop and think...very hard...about whether he can recognize the difference. He's not great yet, and probably won't end up getting paid as though he is, no matter how long he sits home without a contract. The hope is that he and his agent can put things in perspective before Saturday.
Without the benefit of a fly's eye view from a handy wall in Bergevin's office, it would appear one of two things is happening. Either Bergevin is trying to seriously low ball Subban because of the looming cap crunch he's facing next year, or Subban believes he is entitled to a greater payday than he perhaps deserves.
If Bergevin is balking for fear of next year's payroll, there are ways to save money other than alienating a talented young player who could be a cornerstone of the organization for many years to come. The team is entitled to another buyout before next season, and after that, some big contracts (Markov, Kaberle, Gionta) run out. Unless Subban and Meehan are asking for really big money and/or term, there's little reason for Bergevin to drag out negotiations for cap reasons. If the two sides are close, there's a solution available.
If, however, Subban is expecting a big payday on a second contract, there may be a larger issue. Of the NHL defencemen who are his contemporaries and who signed mega-money long-term deals while still RFA, most are demonstrably better than Subban. For example, Erik Karlsson's 7-year, 6.5-million per year contract with Ottawa makes him the tenth highest-paid D in the league. He also has a 78-point season and a Norris Trophy to his credit. Drew Doughty has an 8-year deal with the Kings, with a 7-million cap hit, placing him fourth in the league among defencemen. Doughty's name is on the Stanley Cup, he's got an Olympic gold medal, he was drafted second overall and became a Norris finalist. Tyler Myers, another first-rounder, has a 5.5-million cap hit in Buffalo for 7 seasons. He's a former NHL rookie of the year and in his worst season points-wise, he had one point less than Subban did in his best year. None of these comparisons are meant to diminish the value, ability or potential of Subban, but those three players are the only defencemen under 25 with cap hits bigger than 4-million dollars.
Looking at an in-house comparison, Subban's should perhaps expect to follow the path of teammate Carey Price. Price came to the team as the Canadiens' highest draft pick since Petr Svoboda in 1984. His subsequent performances at the World Juniors and in the Bulldogs' Calder Cup championship launched his star and built expectations. Price, like Subban, had some bumpy moments in Montreal, culminating with losing the starting job during the 2010 playoff run. Still, there was never a question in the minds of management that the team's future was linked to Price's success. Subban also came to town with high expectations and has had some stretches of living up to them, and other periods of slow production and public controversy. Both young players are very important parts of the team's future.
Price's second contract was for two years, with a cap hit of 2.75-million. That gave the team a two-year break on paying big money, while Price had a chance to prove himself and cash in on his third deal, which he did last summer. A lot of people who don't get to sit inside contract negotiations might say if it's good enough for Carey Price, it should be good enough for P.K.Subban. That may be logical, but of course nobody really knows the circumstances. It's just a comparison worth mentioning.
At this point, nobody really doubts Subban and the Canadiens will come to a deal. Bergevin has already confirmed he won't be trading the player and as an RFA, Subban's options are limited. The big problem with the situation right now is its timing. Coming off a horrible team season and long summer, followed by the five-month league lockout, the Canadiens are facing a packed schedule in which every point carries huge significance. Playing even one game without a complete lineup reduces their chances of success. When the missing player is a top-four defenceman who eats minutes, the loss hurts a little more, as does the fact that he's missing for business reasons, not hockey reasons. Subban's missing camp is one thing, but when he starts sitting out games that count, the goodwill of fans and even teammates will eventually sour.We all know hockey is a business, but fans have had quite enough of the business of hockey at this point.
P.K.Subban is a good hockey player. He's got potential to be a great hockey player. Right now, he's got to stop and think...very hard...about whether he can recognize the difference. He's not great yet, and probably won't end up getting paid as though he is, no matter how long he sits home without a contract. The hope is that he and his agent can put things in perspective before Saturday.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Men at Work
The scene: Brossard, first day of Habs training camp, dressing room
Brian Gionta: Guys! It's so great to have everyone back together, finally. Last year really sucked, but I think we'll be better this season, even if it's short. I'm feeling great. Marky's back. Prusty and Armdog will be kicking some ass. Everybody's in good shape. It's been a weird few months, though, not seeing most of you guys for so long. So, what have you all been doing to keep busy?
Carey Price: The usual. Roping some calves, oiling my boots, hanging in the sweat lodge, counting my new money. Designed 27 new masks. You know, same old, same old. You should hear about Gorgie, though.
Gionta: Yeah, what did you do, Gorgie?
Josh Gorges: Huh? Well, I played this game against Washington, and Mike Green wound up for a slapper. I didn't even think about it, just got in front of it and stopped it with my head. You should see my helmet!
Silence for a beat
Price: Um, Gorgie? That was two years ago.
Gorges: Seriously? That would explain why this girl keeps texting me about our wedding.
Price: Yeeaahh. You should maybe get that checked. What about you, Pleky?
Tomas Plekanec: I had the best hockey season of my life. My hero was always Jagr, and I got to centre him back home. I was top of the league in scoring with Jagr on my wing. It was amazing.
Rene Bourque: What are you trying to say Pleky?
Plekanec: Seriously, Bourkie? I'm not calling you out. Most people just don't have the moves like Jagr. What did you do, Davey?
David Desharnais: Well, I went to Switzerland for a while. It was pretty fun. You get an apartment and a car along with your pay. My numbers were great too. Helped that I played against Diaz and Weber. Ha ha!
Max Pacioretty: I tried Switzerland too, but it just didn't work out. So I came home and spent the last few months pushing heavy stuff around.
Gorges: What kind of stuff?
Pacioretty: Mostly a giant metal sled. Sometimes an effigy of Chara. Sometimes my wallet.
Colby Armstrong: Well, I'm just glad we're back to work. Even when I tried to take Koivu's head off that time, I still liked the Habs. This is really a kid's dream come true. If I score Saturday night, I'm gonna thank the leafs for paying for half the goal.
Erik Cole: If you do, I'll give you one of my new hats. I got into fashion during the lockout, and now I'm thinking I might want to do it full-time. I like how you can be political and send a message, and still look good at the same time. I feel like clothes are what I was meant to do. Hockey's getting so heartless and businessy. Whaddya think, Gomer? You want to get into fashion with me? Gomer? Hey, anybody see Gomer?
Blank looks as players glance around, then collectively shrug
Cole: Oh well, I'm sure he's around here somewhere. Hey Marky! How's the knee feeling?
Andrei Markov: It's a long time I didn't practice with the team. I love the game. I work hard to be beck soon.
Cole: Ah, Marky, didn't you just play a bunch of games in Russia?
Markov: Yeah, but nobody there ask me about the knee. I learn answers to say when people say knee, so I practice.
Alexei Emelin: По крайней мере, ваше колено не делает тревоги в аэропорту кольцо. Попробуйте имеющих пластины в вашем лице некоторое время. Тогда глупые ублюдки хотят, чтобы вы бороться. Черт.
Markov: Вы не знаете глупый пока вы были здесь в течение многих лет. Репортеры знаю только шесть вопросов к вам.
Emelin: Тренер имеет booger висит у него из носа.
Markov: (switching to English) Alex says he is very heppy to be beck also.
Door opens, P.K.Subban enters, looking furtively around
Subban: Hey guys. I was never here, okay? I just came to pick up some mail. Mike Richards and Timmy Thomas get pissy when you don't sign the pictures they want. Then you get all the drama...
Gionta: P.K.! When will we see you back in the room for real?
Subban: Everything will happen when it's supposed to happen, Gio. I'm pretty zen about it.
Gionta: Well, we can sure use you. Hope you get a deal done soon. Who's gonna low-five Pricey?
Travis Moen: Hey, P.K., a bunch of us were playing some exhibition hockey to fill the time. What were you up to?
Subban: (takes a big breath, starts to speak, then shakes his head, grins and says) Nothing worth taking about, my friend. Nothing at all. Okay. I'm outta here. Beat the leafs!
General roar of approval as players head out to take the ice for the first official post-lockout practice.
Peter Budaj: (entering and looking around in confusion) Guys? Hellooo! Where did everybody go? The lockout's over, right? Right?
Brian Gionta: Guys! It's so great to have everyone back together, finally. Last year really sucked, but I think we'll be better this season, even if it's short. I'm feeling great. Marky's back. Prusty and Armdog will be kicking some ass. Everybody's in good shape. It's been a weird few months, though, not seeing most of you guys for so long. So, what have you all been doing to keep busy?
Carey Price: The usual. Roping some calves, oiling my boots, hanging in the sweat lodge, counting my new money. Designed 27 new masks. You know, same old, same old. You should hear about Gorgie, though.
Gionta: Yeah, what did you do, Gorgie?
Josh Gorges: Huh? Well, I played this game against Washington, and Mike Green wound up for a slapper. I didn't even think about it, just got in front of it and stopped it with my head. You should see my helmet!
Silence for a beat
Price: Um, Gorgie? That was two years ago.
Gorges: Seriously? That would explain why this girl keeps texting me about our wedding.
Price: Yeeaahh. You should maybe get that checked. What about you, Pleky?
Tomas Plekanec: I had the best hockey season of my life. My hero was always Jagr, and I got to centre him back home. I was top of the league in scoring with Jagr on my wing. It was amazing.
Rene Bourque: What are you trying to say Pleky?
Plekanec: Seriously, Bourkie? I'm not calling you out. Most people just don't have the moves like Jagr. What did you do, Davey?
David Desharnais: Well, I went to Switzerland for a while. It was pretty fun. You get an apartment and a car along with your pay. My numbers were great too. Helped that I played against Diaz and Weber. Ha ha!
Max Pacioretty: I tried Switzerland too, but it just didn't work out. So I came home and spent the last few months pushing heavy stuff around.
Gorges: What kind of stuff?
Pacioretty: Mostly a giant metal sled. Sometimes an effigy of Chara. Sometimes my wallet.
Colby Armstrong: Well, I'm just glad we're back to work. Even when I tried to take Koivu's head off that time, I still liked the Habs. This is really a kid's dream come true. If I score Saturday night, I'm gonna thank the leafs for paying for half the goal.
Erik Cole: If you do, I'll give you one of my new hats. I got into fashion during the lockout, and now I'm thinking I might want to do it full-time. I like how you can be political and send a message, and still look good at the same time. I feel like clothes are what I was meant to do. Hockey's getting so heartless and businessy. Whaddya think, Gomer? You want to get into fashion with me? Gomer? Hey, anybody see Gomer?
Blank looks as players glance around, then collectively shrug
Cole: Oh well, I'm sure he's around here somewhere. Hey Marky! How's the knee feeling?
Andrei Markov: It's a long time I didn't practice with the team. I love the game. I work hard to be beck soon.
Cole: Ah, Marky, didn't you just play a bunch of games in Russia?
Markov: Yeah, but nobody there ask me about the knee. I learn answers to say when people say knee, so I practice.
Alexei Emelin: По крайней мере, ваше колено не делает тревоги в аэропорту кольцо. Попробуйте имеющих пластины в вашем лице некоторое время. Тогда глупые ублюдки хотят, чтобы вы бороться. Черт.
Markov: Вы не знаете глупый пока вы были здесь в течение многих лет. Репортеры знаю только шесть вопросов к вам.
Emelin: Тренер имеет booger висит у него из носа.
Markov: (switching to English) Alex says he is very heppy to be beck also.
Door opens, P.K.Subban enters, looking furtively around
Subban: Hey guys. I was never here, okay? I just came to pick up some mail. Mike Richards and Timmy Thomas get pissy when you don't sign the pictures they want. Then you get all the drama...
Gionta: P.K.! When will we see you back in the room for real?
Subban: Everything will happen when it's supposed to happen, Gio. I'm pretty zen about it.
Gionta: Well, we can sure use you. Hope you get a deal done soon. Who's gonna low-five Pricey?
Travis Moen: Hey, P.K., a bunch of us were playing some exhibition hockey to fill the time. What were you up to?
Subban: (takes a big breath, starts to speak, then shakes his head, grins and says) Nothing worth taking about, my friend. Nothing at all. Okay. I'm outta here. Beat the leafs!
General roar of approval as players head out to take the ice for the first official post-lockout practice.
Peter Budaj: (entering and looking around in confusion) Guys? Hellooo! Where did everybody go? The lockout's over, right? Right?
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Dear Mr.Molson, Now That the Lockout's Over...
A friend of mine, a fellow Habs fan, called me on Sunday morning to talk about the end of the lockout. He ended up breaking the news because I had so distanced myself from the ongoing foolishness between the NHL and the NHLPA that I had stopped checking for updates first thing every morning. I have to admit, the news was rather anticlimactic. It was good to hear we'll no longer be subjected to basketball highlights interrupted only by the minutiae of compliance buyouts, sources of hockey-related revenue and pension plan details every time we turn on the sports news. On the other hand, my primary response to the end of the lockout was, "Oh well, back to losing sleep on game nights."
That's the funny thing. I'm angry at the NHL owners for making the lockout happen. I'm not exactly thrilled with the way some of the players behaved during it. Yet, I know I will still watch the Canadiens when their games start again. Now, however, it's a bit different than it was in years past. Now, if they're down 5-0 to the Rangers, I'll probably shut the game off and grab an extra hour of sleep rather than stick it out in the hope of a miraculous comeback. If they do manage to come back, I can find out about it in the morning and be happy. If they don't, I won't be quite as bothered by the score as I would have been five years ago.
I will be just as excited to see a Tomas Plekanec shorthanded breakaway as I've always been. I'll still laugh when Carey Price stones someone in a shootout and strikes a pose, or when Eric Cole high-fives the ref. I'll still be interested in how Marc Bergevin handles the team, what P.K.Subban's deal will be (I'd give him $3.5 for two years and his long-term deal after that), and whether Andrei Markov can return to form. I won't be buying NHL merchandise, though. I made a promise to myself not to contribute to the money the two sides will be fighting over in eight or ten years time when this new deal ends and another lockout looms.
That brings me back to the friend who told me the lockout was over. He and I and a group of other like-minded people from various parts of North America try to get to Montreal once a year to catch a game at the Bell Centre. We pay for plane tickets, hotels, meals out, seats with 100% mark-ups (after we fail to be chosen in the group sales lottery), concessions and, usually, some sort of souvenir. It's a costly weekend, but for us, the thrill of hearing the roof blow off the place when the Habs score in OT is worth it. There's nothing like being transported by the game so you're jumping up and down but don't remember leaving your seat. We have come to love this team for many reasons and it's that common love of the Canadiens that brought us together in the first place. Sticking to my guns about not supporting hockey-related revenue won't be difficult, with the sole exception of this yearly visit. It would take a significant gesture of apology from the Canadiens for their role in the lockout and disregard for fans to bring us back. That's why I wrote to Geoff Molson.
I told him about our disappointment in the way fans were at the bottom of the priority list during the lockout. I explained how we come from all over and spend a lot of money to celebrate the Habs every year. I asked him, if he has any power at all, not to allow a lame "Thank you, fans" campaign with nothing behind the words. I suggested he offer the first three home games free of charge, complete with free concessions, and that children be allowed in for free for the rest of the season. That, I told him, would show the fans who support his team and fill his coffers every year the Canadiens are genuine in their desire to make things right with them. Of course, in my new hockey cynicism, I realized my suggestion is extremely unlikely to happen and expected my email to disappear into the ether along with the first half of the NHL season.
So, the next day, I got an answer from Geoff Molson.He thanked me for my letter and for my and my friends' support of the team. He said he understands the fans' frustrations and that we're not alone in that. He hopes the new management and new players on the team will make the games more exciting this year. And he hopes I and my friends come back to the Bell Centre this season, with thanks for our spending on games in the past. He was very gracious and has probably been sending a lot of these kinds of emailed replies to angry fans in the last few days.
In the end, though, Geoff Molson did not say the Canadiens will do anything to make this up to fans. He apologized, but apologies are words and, as we learned last time around, words are cheap. Seats in the Bell Centre and a pint of warm Molson's are not.
While it was kind of Mr.Molson to respond to my concerns, his answer has not affected my ambivalence about returning to the Bell Centre. I'll watch the games and I'll support the Canadiens in spirit because the habit of a lifetime is hard to break, but when it comes to putting my money where my heart is, I'm just not sure. Maybe friendship in the Habs will trump the reluctance to contribute to the NHL's almighty bottom line. Maybe, if the team's ownership isn't prepared to make it worth our while to attend games, the players on the ice will. One thing I'm sure about is, even if the Bell Centre is full every night, as it likely will be, the fans are coming back a little more warily with a little less enthusiasm or patience. That, and nine months without NHL hockey, makes them, if they're like me, a whole lot more willing to tune out and walk away if this team proves it isn't worth the price of admission.
That's the funny thing. I'm angry at the NHL owners for making the lockout happen. I'm not exactly thrilled with the way some of the players behaved during it. Yet, I know I will still watch the Canadiens when their games start again. Now, however, it's a bit different than it was in years past. Now, if they're down 5-0 to the Rangers, I'll probably shut the game off and grab an extra hour of sleep rather than stick it out in the hope of a miraculous comeback. If they do manage to come back, I can find out about it in the morning and be happy. If they don't, I won't be quite as bothered by the score as I would have been five years ago.
I will be just as excited to see a Tomas Plekanec shorthanded breakaway as I've always been. I'll still laugh when Carey Price stones someone in a shootout and strikes a pose, or when Eric Cole high-fives the ref. I'll still be interested in how Marc Bergevin handles the team, what P.K.Subban's deal will be (I'd give him $3.5 for two years and his long-term deal after that), and whether Andrei Markov can return to form. I won't be buying NHL merchandise, though. I made a promise to myself not to contribute to the money the two sides will be fighting over in eight or ten years time when this new deal ends and another lockout looms.
That brings me back to the friend who told me the lockout was over. He and I and a group of other like-minded people from various parts of North America try to get to Montreal once a year to catch a game at the Bell Centre. We pay for plane tickets, hotels, meals out, seats with 100% mark-ups (after we fail to be chosen in the group sales lottery), concessions and, usually, some sort of souvenir. It's a costly weekend, but for us, the thrill of hearing the roof blow off the place when the Habs score in OT is worth it. There's nothing like being transported by the game so you're jumping up and down but don't remember leaving your seat. We have come to love this team for many reasons and it's that common love of the Canadiens that brought us together in the first place. Sticking to my guns about not supporting hockey-related revenue won't be difficult, with the sole exception of this yearly visit. It would take a significant gesture of apology from the Canadiens for their role in the lockout and disregard for fans to bring us back. That's why I wrote to Geoff Molson.
I told him about our disappointment in the way fans were at the bottom of the priority list during the lockout. I explained how we come from all over and spend a lot of money to celebrate the Habs every year. I asked him, if he has any power at all, not to allow a lame "Thank you, fans" campaign with nothing behind the words. I suggested he offer the first three home games free of charge, complete with free concessions, and that children be allowed in for free for the rest of the season. That, I told him, would show the fans who support his team and fill his coffers every year the Canadiens are genuine in their desire to make things right with them. Of course, in my new hockey cynicism, I realized my suggestion is extremely unlikely to happen and expected my email to disappear into the ether along with the first half of the NHL season.
So, the next day, I got an answer from Geoff Molson.He thanked me for my letter and for my and my friends' support of the team. He said he understands the fans' frustrations and that we're not alone in that. He hopes the new management and new players on the team will make the games more exciting this year. And he hopes I and my friends come back to the Bell Centre this season, with thanks for our spending on games in the past. He was very gracious and has probably been sending a lot of these kinds of emailed replies to angry fans in the last few days.
In the end, though, Geoff Molson did not say the Canadiens will do anything to make this up to fans. He apologized, but apologies are words and, as we learned last time around, words are cheap. Seats in the Bell Centre and a pint of warm Molson's are not.
While it was kind of Mr.Molson to respond to my concerns, his answer has not affected my ambivalence about returning to the Bell Centre. I'll watch the games and I'll support the Canadiens in spirit because the habit of a lifetime is hard to break, but when it comes to putting my money where my heart is, I'm just not sure. Maybe friendship in the Habs will trump the reluctance to contribute to the NHL's almighty bottom line. Maybe, if the team's ownership isn't prepared to make it worth our while to attend games, the players on the ice will. One thing I'm sure about is, even if the Bell Centre is full every night, as it likely will be, the fans are coming back a little more warily with a little less enthusiasm or patience. That, and nine months without NHL hockey, makes them, if they're like me, a whole lot more willing to tune out and walk away if this team proves it isn't worth the price of admission.
Monday, November 12, 2012
A Lockout Top Ten
I don't know about you, but all the negativity surrounding the NHL lockout is really starting to get me down. It's unnatural that there should be no Canadiens hockey in November. The pointless posturing by both the owners and the NHLPA inspires every bad-mood feeling from frustration to outright boiling anger. So, as we roll toward Christmas with no NHL hockey in sight, maybe it's time to take a collective deep breath and tally up the good things about the lockout. For example:
10. Eight minutes of basketball highlights at the beginning of every sportscast. Before the lockout, I confess, I was among the many hockey fans with only a passing interest in NBA basketball. I just didn't see the point of running back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, and scoring a basket 75 percent of the time. Now, thanks to the lockout, I am absolutely positive I hate basketball. So, thanks, NHL owners, for clearing up that question for me.
9. Better appreciation for the KHL. One eye opener that's resulted from the lockout is more readily-available access to KHL clips. I'd always thought of the KHL as a league for Russians who were too scared to come play in the NHL, minor pros from North America who couldn't cut it in the NHL, or former NHLers on the downsides of their careers. While that may be true to some degree, there's also some good hockey going on there. I've enjoyed watching some of their games this fall. (Not as much as watching Kladno in the Czech league, where my boy, Tomas Plekanec is enjoying every minutes of his time on a line with Jaromir Jagr, but stilll.) That there is hockey life on other hockey planets is a good lesson to learn.
8. More exposure to Gary Bettman and Bill Daly. In the 8 years since the last lockout, Bettman has become a caricature. We boo him for sport. Daley, we hardly even know. We just recognize him as that vaguely thug-like dude who walks two steps behind Bettman in public, similar to the protocol upheld by Prince Philip and the Queen. It's perhaps unfair to Daley that by the time we register the fact that he's not an extra from The Sopranos, his screen time is up. The lockout serves to remind us that there's more to these men than surface appearances. The more they talk, the better our understanding of inflexibility, mulishness and arrogance.
7. P.K.Subban giving full rein to his goofball side. We haven't seen this much of P.K. since he got called up in the middle of the 2010 playoffs and had overzealous Habs fans thinking he'd be the next Bobby Orr. He became a media darling then, with the Bell Centre crowd chanting his name. Since that time, squabbles with teammates, name-calling from opponents and a production plateau at the beginning of last season have tarnished a bit of his golden glow. He's making up for lost face time during the lockout, though. He's been applying for jobs on the George Stroumboulopoulos Show, doing the weather on CTV, promoting a kid's hockey charity, and reading the news on This Hour Has 22 Minutes. If you're tired of reined-in P.K. during the hockey season, you can enjoy unfettered Subban-mania for the duration of the lockout.
6. More time to dream about how much closer the Habs prospects will be next year, after a whole year of development in the AHL. As it looks more like the lockout will become another lost season at the NHL level, the clock stops for the prospects. Number-three overall pick Alex Galchenyuk can catch up on the time he lost to knee surgery, without the pressure of being thrown into the Habs lineup and expected to perform right away. (You may say that wouldn't have happened, but you have to believe even a decent showing at camp would have bought him a 9-game NHL trial, and when injuries and/or sucking hit the second line during that period, they'd keep him for the year.) The new Bulldog prospects in the AHL may accelerate their development by playing against the higher level of competition afforded by young opponents who should be in the NHL right now. When the lockout eventually ends, all of those guys will be higher up the development ladder than they would have been if the season had started on time.
5. Earlier Christmas shopping. Every year I mean to go shopping in September or October, with every intention of avoiding a mid-December panic. Inevitably, though, hockey interferes. There'll be a game to watch in the evenings, or a blog to write. Online time that should be spent picking the perfect present for the near and dear ends up spent reading some profile of a hockey player. This year, thanks to the lockout, I have almost all my gifts purchased and half my cards written. The holiday season will be stress free and much more enjoyable.
4. Saving money. Last season, I didn't go to Montreal to see a hockey game for the first time in several years. The team was terrible and I decided not to risk spending on a plane ticket, hotel, meals out, transportation and ridiculously-priced hockey tickets. It was a tough choice, but as it turned out, probably a wise one. This year, however, I thought the new faces signed over the summer and the added maturity of the kids, as well as the returns of Andre Markov and Brian Gionta from costly injuries would make a much better Habs team. I was planning a trip to see the team in October. Fortunately, though, the good old lockout came along and, just in the nick of time, spared me a nice chunk of change. If not for the lockout, I would not have been saved from myself and and thanks to it, I am now considerably more flush economically.
3. New hobbies. This fall I have returned to writing things other than a hockey blog. If we lose an entire season, I may finish that novel that's been languishing on the back burner while I cried over the Habs. I also decided to join a yoga class. I never would have done that in the past because it's on Tuesday nights, also known as Mechants Mardi on RDS. So, thanks, lockout, for making me a more relaxed and productive member of society.
2. Perspective. During the last two months I have come to recognize more clearly things that are more important than hockey. Hurricane Sandy and its consequences for people's property and lives is more important than hockey. The Greek economy is more important than hockey. Girls' education in Afghanistan is more important than hockey. So is the Conservative government's attempt to push the comprehensive economic trade agreement with the EU through without proper consultation with the provinces. And the closure of rural schools, forcing kids onto buses for an hour each way, is more important than hockey. Right at this moment, basketball highlights are more important than hockey. We're recognizing this, NHL, and some of us will give our heads a shake and realize hockey really isn't that important when you put it in perspective. Fortunately for the world, and unfortunately for the NHL, we've got lots of time to learn that lesson and many of us won't forget it when you stop fighting over billions.
1. Anger management. Well, if I haven't had a fury-induced stroke over the Bettman Show's insistence that players must give everything and owners nothing during these farcical negotiations, I'll never stroke out. That's a good thing. In learning how to ignore the lies and incalcitrance, we learn how to breathe deeply, lower our blood pressure and keep our patience without medication. This is also good practice for whenever the NHL resumes play and we see closeups of Zdeno Chara's face or hear Brad Marchand speak.
So, there you are. There are benefits to this lockout that could lead us to happier, more fulfilling lives. We owe a lot to the owners of NHL teams for that. Not quite as much as the owners believe the players owe them, but hey, every little bit counts.
10. Eight minutes of basketball highlights at the beginning of every sportscast. Before the lockout, I confess, I was among the many hockey fans with only a passing interest in NBA basketball. I just didn't see the point of running back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, and scoring a basket 75 percent of the time. Now, thanks to the lockout, I am absolutely positive I hate basketball. So, thanks, NHL owners, for clearing up that question for me.
9. Better appreciation for the KHL. One eye opener that's resulted from the lockout is more readily-available access to KHL clips. I'd always thought of the KHL as a league for Russians who were too scared to come play in the NHL, minor pros from North America who couldn't cut it in the NHL, or former NHLers on the downsides of their careers. While that may be true to some degree, there's also some good hockey going on there. I've enjoyed watching some of their games this fall. (Not as much as watching Kladno in the Czech league, where my boy, Tomas Plekanec is enjoying every minutes of his time on a line with Jaromir Jagr, but stilll.) That there is hockey life on other hockey planets is a good lesson to learn.
8. More exposure to Gary Bettman and Bill Daly. In the 8 years since the last lockout, Bettman has become a caricature. We boo him for sport. Daley, we hardly even know. We just recognize him as that vaguely thug-like dude who walks two steps behind Bettman in public, similar to the protocol upheld by Prince Philip and the Queen. It's perhaps unfair to Daley that by the time we register the fact that he's not an extra from The Sopranos, his screen time is up. The lockout serves to remind us that there's more to these men than surface appearances. The more they talk, the better our understanding of inflexibility, mulishness and arrogance.
7. P.K.Subban giving full rein to his goofball side. We haven't seen this much of P.K. since he got called up in the middle of the 2010 playoffs and had overzealous Habs fans thinking he'd be the next Bobby Orr. He became a media darling then, with the Bell Centre crowd chanting his name. Since that time, squabbles with teammates, name-calling from opponents and a production plateau at the beginning of last season have tarnished a bit of his golden glow. He's making up for lost face time during the lockout, though. He's been applying for jobs on the George Stroumboulopoulos Show, doing the weather on CTV, promoting a kid's hockey charity, and reading the news on This Hour Has 22 Minutes. If you're tired of reined-in P.K. during the hockey season, you can enjoy unfettered Subban-mania for the duration of the lockout.
6. More time to dream about how much closer the Habs prospects will be next year, after a whole year of development in the AHL. As it looks more like the lockout will become another lost season at the NHL level, the clock stops for the prospects. Number-three overall pick Alex Galchenyuk can catch up on the time he lost to knee surgery, without the pressure of being thrown into the Habs lineup and expected to perform right away. (You may say that wouldn't have happened, but you have to believe even a decent showing at camp would have bought him a 9-game NHL trial, and when injuries and/or sucking hit the second line during that period, they'd keep him for the year.) The new Bulldog prospects in the AHL may accelerate their development by playing against the higher level of competition afforded by young opponents who should be in the NHL right now. When the lockout eventually ends, all of those guys will be higher up the development ladder than they would have been if the season had started on time.
5. Earlier Christmas shopping. Every year I mean to go shopping in September or October, with every intention of avoiding a mid-December panic. Inevitably, though, hockey interferes. There'll be a game to watch in the evenings, or a blog to write. Online time that should be spent picking the perfect present for the near and dear ends up spent reading some profile of a hockey player. This year, thanks to the lockout, I have almost all my gifts purchased and half my cards written. The holiday season will be stress free and much more enjoyable.
4. Saving money. Last season, I didn't go to Montreal to see a hockey game for the first time in several years. The team was terrible and I decided not to risk spending on a plane ticket, hotel, meals out, transportation and ridiculously-priced hockey tickets. It was a tough choice, but as it turned out, probably a wise one. This year, however, I thought the new faces signed over the summer and the added maturity of the kids, as well as the returns of Andre Markov and Brian Gionta from costly injuries would make a much better Habs team. I was planning a trip to see the team in October. Fortunately, though, the good old lockout came along and, just in the nick of time, spared me a nice chunk of change. If not for the lockout, I would not have been saved from myself and and thanks to it, I am now considerably more flush economically.
3. New hobbies. This fall I have returned to writing things other than a hockey blog. If we lose an entire season, I may finish that novel that's been languishing on the back burner while I cried over the Habs. I also decided to join a yoga class. I never would have done that in the past because it's on Tuesday nights, also known as Mechants Mardi on RDS. So, thanks, lockout, for making me a more relaxed and productive member of society.
2. Perspective. During the last two months I have come to recognize more clearly things that are more important than hockey. Hurricane Sandy and its consequences for people's property and lives is more important than hockey. The Greek economy is more important than hockey. Girls' education in Afghanistan is more important than hockey. So is the Conservative government's attempt to push the comprehensive economic trade agreement with the EU through without proper consultation with the provinces. And the closure of rural schools, forcing kids onto buses for an hour each way, is more important than hockey. Right at this moment, basketball highlights are more important than hockey. We're recognizing this, NHL, and some of us will give our heads a shake and realize hockey really isn't that important when you put it in perspective. Fortunately for the world, and unfortunately for the NHL, we've got lots of time to learn that lesson and many of us won't forget it when you stop fighting over billions.
1. Anger management. Well, if I haven't had a fury-induced stroke over the Bettman Show's insistence that players must give everything and owners nothing during these farcical negotiations, I'll never stroke out. That's a good thing. In learning how to ignore the lies and incalcitrance, we learn how to breathe deeply, lower our blood pressure and keep our patience without medication. This is also good practice for whenever the NHL resumes play and we see closeups of Zdeno Chara's face or hear Brad Marchand speak.
So, there you are. There are benefits to this lockout that could lead us to happier, more fulfilling lives. We owe a lot to the owners of NHL teams for that. Not quite as much as the owners believe the players owe them, but hey, every little bit counts.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Lord Stanley's Legacy
NHL hockey fans are an anxious bunch these days. The lockout of the players by the owners is heading in its fourth week and the two sides have yet to seriously discuss any of the big economic issues dividing them. A single team's season's worth of games have already been laid waste and fans dread a second season of the last eight in which the NHL does not award the Stanley Cup.
As we ponder that, here's a simple question: why do we watch NHL hockey? We can claim it's because of the players' elite skill level or the thrill of watching the fastest game in the world at its top speed. Or maybe we watch because we have an unswerving loyalty to a particular team, honed since childhood. All of these things may be true, but when it comes right down to it, the main reason, and for some of us the sole reason, we watch NHL hockey is for the roller coaster of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Every player who's made the post-season talks about how it's different hockey. It's passion, speed, emotion, desperation and heroism cranked up a notch because the playoffs mean something much bigger than the regular season. The 82 games preceding the post-season are just jockeying for position. The real stakes begin in April and every hockey fan knows it. The prize at the end of that annual two-month war of attrition is that beautiful silver cup. Players say it's the toughest trophy to win, and it symbolizes everything we treasure about the game of hockey. Another year without a Stanley Cup awarded to the top team in the NHL does not bear thinking about.
Well, friends and hockey fans, as it turns out, the NHL can go to hell.
After the last season-ending lockout in 2004-05, a couple of beer-league players in Toronto had had it with the big league's owners. They were particularly bitter about the cancellation of the playoffs, and that got them wondering whether the Cup actually belongs to the NHL at all. After all, Lord Stanley of Preston donated the Cup to the championship team of the Dominion of Canada. He meant it to be a challenge cup for hockey supremacy, and, accordingly, appointed two trustees who would oversee the governance of the trophy. They would set the rules for how the Cup would be decided and mediate any disputes. The beer-leaguers guessed, based on that premise that the Cup, in effect, belongs to the people and is merely under the protection of the trustees. So, they sent a letter to the trustees, requesting the right to challenge for the Cup. The trustees immediately turned them down, claiming they were not allowed to let teams other than those in the NHL play for the trophy. Not buying that, the two rec players decided to take the NHL to court. Tim Gilbert was their lawyer.
"We settled with the National Hockey League," Gilbert explains. "This followed the exchange of some affidavit material. We had a hockey historian weigh in, and we had experts from across Canada in trust law. We agreed with the NHL that the agreement between the trustees of the Cup and the NHL would reflect that, A, it is a trust, and B, that anybody can play for the Cup in a year in which the NHL doesn't frame a competition, subject to what the trustees decide."
It appeared at first as though the small-time challengers had won a big victory over the bureaucrats controlling the NHL. It didn't quite work out that way, however.
"You could say it was a draw, in that the trustees don't have to award the Cup to a non-NHL team in a year in which there is a lockout," says Gilbert. "But they can't say, 'No we're not allowed to,' because of the agreement. The agreement does not preclude the trustees awarding the Cup to a non-NHL team."
The catch there is that it's up to the trustees to decide whether a challenge bid is acceptable. And, considering the fact that the two trustees, Brian O'Neill and Ian (Scotty) Morrison, are both former NHL vice-presidents with a long history of loyalty to the league, it doesn't seem likely they'd agree to let the Cup out of the NHL's hands.
O'Neill, when asked what he'd do with a challenge request if the current lockout cancels the playoffs replied:
"“It’s just not going to happen. The Stanley Cup should be awarded to the top National Hockey League team, which has been determined to be the top league in the world. Anything less than that would demean the trophy.”
Tim Gilbert isn't impressed with O'Neill's reasoning.
"I think it's unfortunate that they would say something and predetermine an issue before someone puts something before them that might have traction. I think it's an open question," he states. " Other types of leagues, should they be able to put something together, might be able to convince the trustees. The original object of the trust was to promote hockey. A lot of people feel with the lockout, it's all about money. A lot of people have tuned out of that dispute and don't even know what the real issues are, other than it's a dollar sign. It reflects negatively on the sport generally."
There are many who would agree with Gilbert. What, after all, demeans the trophy more: Having a passionate team of amateurs or semi-pros win it, or having two blank places on its side, reading only "season not played?" The Cup is a legend in itself, its history rife with weird, outrageous and entertaining stories. Awarding it to a team outside the NHL because hockey fans demanded it for the good of the sport would only add to that legend. Imagine the level of public interest if the Cup were to be disputed between local teams, rather than those in California or Florida. Picture the unbelievable joy of those who play for the Gander Flyers or the Montreal Stars, seeing their names engraved on the Cup when they thought they had no chance because they didn't make the NHL, or are women.
Gilbert says there's plenty of legal room to challenge the right of the trustees to withhold the Cup.
"It's their (the trustees') decision, subject to living up to the object of the trust. The next stage is if the NHL can't pull its act together and should they cancel the season, then it's open for someone to argue that the trustees should be awarding that Cup and they're not living up to the original grant of the Cup," he warns. "That goes back to Lord Stanley himself. There's a letter of his, quite brief, that became evidence in our case. It says, paraphrasing, that it should be presented to the best team in the Dominion. Those are the battle lines. Last time, we came out in front. We remain interested. We did change the agreement, and we're prepared to help again if it makes sense."
So, there you have it. There's a legal case to be made, and lawyers willing to make it. If the NHL is stupid, greedy and stubborn enough to withhold the Cup for the second time in eight years, the door is open for some enterprising fans to force the trustees to give it back to the people. There wouldn't be a better way to stick it to the league who's been sticking it to them for years.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Take Back the Game
Yesterday, I was flipping through the Sears Christmas wish catalogue. I discovered this year, for a mere $70.83, you can get a plastic replica Habs goalie mask. For $69.99, you can own a statue of a depressed baby in a Habs sweater, wishing for a Stanley Cup. A Canadiens-logo scarf or dog dish will run you forty bucks, and if you want to keep your chilly toes toasty in Habs-themed slippers, it'll cost you fifty. If none of those Habby items rock your boat, the die-hard Canadiens fan can also shell out for sleeping bags, lighters, baby onesies, bikinis, playing cards, coins, t-shirts, long johns, curtains, socks, packages of tissues, toasters, air fresheners, clothespins, bar ware, lawn chairs or lunchboxes, all emblazoned with the proud CH. In short, if you can buy it, a manufacturer can slap a Habs logo on it and charge you double. Of course, all that lovely money runs directly into the NHL coffers, helping hockey-related revenue rise by an average of seven percent every year since the last lockout.
In the run-up to the current lockout, lots of angry fans have been threatening boycotts of everything from hockey itself to companies that sponsor NHL teams. They hope if they switch their internet from Bell to Rogers, it will worry Bell's brass enough to pressure owners for a CBA settlement. Less radical fans are saying they'll shut their wallets and not buy a new Colby Armstrong sweater or Habs-themed watch with Rocket Richard's goal-celebration arms marking the hours, in hope of making owners worry about loss of merchandise revenue. They threatened similar things eight years ago, when the last lockout began. In the end, after an entire year without the NHL, they rushed back to pro rinks in greater numbers than ever, paying higher ticket prices and shelling out 200 bucks a pop for their official replica Alex Kovalev jerseys.
It's a fine idea to say you won't go back to the Bell Centre when the lockout is over. Really, though, as the last work stoppage showed, you and the rest of the hockey-mad world probably won't be able to stick to that threat. We want our hockey, no matter how much we hate Gary Bettman and think the players and owners are all a bunch of greedy bastards. We also can swear to boycott NHL sponsor companies, but are we really going to change our cable provider or forgo our morning fix of Timmy's joe just for the principle of the thing? Probably not. Or at least, not enough of us will commit to a boycott to make a difference. One thing we can do, however, and in great numbers, is refuse to buy all that NHL-sanctioned swag. We can still have hockey; we just don't need to pay for a forty-dollar ball cap to wear while we watch it.
Fans, as we know, are the people who provide the money the NHL's players and owners are fighting over right now. Yet, when the cash leaves our hands and goes to Ticketmaster or the Habs merchandise shop, we lose our power. The question is, how much influence do we really have if we choose to keep our money? Looking at the numbers, it turns out we could have quite a lot.
In the eight years since the last lockout, the NHL's hockey-related revenue has increased by nearly 50%. Last year, the league made a cool $3.3-billion. There's not a detailed breakdown of where all that cash originated that's publicly available, but with the numbers we can find, some of the picture begins to emerge. We know, for example, that the league takes in $355-million in TV revenue each year. We also know gate revenue last year amounted to $1.3-billion dollars. The league's largest sponsor, Molson-Coors, pays the NHL $53-million a year. Those three things account for $1.9-billion of the league's total revenue, leaving $1.4-billion for other sponsorship, including arena naming rights and dasher board ads, radio and internet rights and merchandise sales.
Last year, sales of all those team-logo-emblazoned goods went up by 15% over the previous season. In fact, they've risen every year since the last lockout. The league doesn't release specific numbers, but if merchandise accounts for even half of that $1.4-billion dollars, fans who buy NHL-approved stuff provide a very significant portion of the league's record revenue. If it accounts for even a third of the $1.4-billion, merchandise sales are worth more than all the TV rights CBC, TSN, NBC and RDS buy each year. That, friends, is big money, and money, as they say, talks.
I've never really considered how much Habs stuff I own, but after I thought about this, I took a look around. It turns out, I have four Habs sweaters, one of them game-worn and two pro replicas with names and numbers. I have four CH t-shirts of various patterns, three Canadiens ball caps, a keychain, gym wrist bands, a bottle opener, a water bottle, a subscription to the Habs team magazine, two fridge magnets, nine different books, videos and a DVD box set, coins, stamps, slippers, gloves, a framed 100th-anniversary print, a McFarlane figure of Patrick Roy, a calendar and a tiny model Escalade that sits on my desk at work, sporting the Habs logo. I don't know how much I or the people who gave me these things as gifts spent on the stuff, but I imagine it's well over a thousand bucks, and a portion of that went right into the NHL owners' pockets. That's why I'm not going to buy anything else.
I'm angry this labour dispute is holding fans hostage, and I want to make a statement the owners will be forced to hear. I'm not willing to abandon hockey, but I will never buy another NHL-trademarked item again. And you know what? I won't miss it. I rarely wear my Habs gear, except during the playoffs, and the rest of it is just cute junk I've picked up over the years and never notice. I want my Habs hockey, but I'll be damned if I'll contribute to the many millions the NHL makes off merchandise sales and then fights about. Who's with me?
P.S. If all this makes you feel like crying, try this for a laugh.
In the run-up to the current lockout, lots of angry fans have been threatening boycotts of everything from hockey itself to companies that sponsor NHL teams. They hope if they switch their internet from Bell to Rogers, it will worry Bell's brass enough to pressure owners for a CBA settlement. Less radical fans are saying they'll shut their wallets and not buy a new Colby Armstrong sweater or Habs-themed watch with Rocket Richard's goal-celebration arms marking the hours, in hope of making owners worry about loss of merchandise revenue. They threatened similar things eight years ago, when the last lockout began. In the end, after an entire year without the NHL, they rushed back to pro rinks in greater numbers than ever, paying higher ticket prices and shelling out 200 bucks a pop for their official replica Alex Kovalev jerseys.
It's a fine idea to say you won't go back to the Bell Centre when the lockout is over. Really, though, as the last work stoppage showed, you and the rest of the hockey-mad world probably won't be able to stick to that threat. We want our hockey, no matter how much we hate Gary Bettman and think the players and owners are all a bunch of greedy bastards. We also can swear to boycott NHL sponsor companies, but are we really going to change our cable provider or forgo our morning fix of Timmy's joe just for the principle of the thing? Probably not. Or at least, not enough of us will commit to a boycott to make a difference. One thing we can do, however, and in great numbers, is refuse to buy all that NHL-sanctioned swag. We can still have hockey; we just don't need to pay for a forty-dollar ball cap to wear while we watch it.
Fans, as we know, are the people who provide the money the NHL's players and owners are fighting over right now. Yet, when the cash leaves our hands and goes to Ticketmaster or the Habs merchandise shop, we lose our power. The question is, how much influence do we really have if we choose to keep our money? Looking at the numbers, it turns out we could have quite a lot.
In the eight years since the last lockout, the NHL's hockey-related revenue has increased by nearly 50%. Last year, the league made a cool $3.3-billion. There's not a detailed breakdown of where all that cash originated that's publicly available, but with the numbers we can find, some of the picture begins to emerge. We know, for example, that the league takes in $355-million in TV revenue each year. We also know gate revenue last year amounted to $1.3-billion dollars. The league's largest sponsor, Molson-Coors, pays the NHL $53-million a year. Those three things account for $1.9-billion of the league's total revenue, leaving $1.4-billion for other sponsorship, including arena naming rights and dasher board ads, radio and internet rights and merchandise sales.
Last year, sales of all those team-logo-emblazoned goods went up by 15% over the previous season. In fact, they've risen every year since the last lockout. The league doesn't release specific numbers, but if merchandise accounts for even half of that $1.4-billion dollars, fans who buy NHL-approved stuff provide a very significant portion of the league's record revenue. If it accounts for even a third of the $1.4-billion, merchandise sales are worth more than all the TV rights CBC, TSN, NBC and RDS buy each year. That, friends, is big money, and money, as they say, talks.
I've never really considered how much Habs stuff I own, but after I thought about this, I took a look around. It turns out, I have four Habs sweaters, one of them game-worn and two pro replicas with names and numbers. I have four CH t-shirts of various patterns, three Canadiens ball caps, a keychain, gym wrist bands, a bottle opener, a water bottle, a subscription to the Habs team magazine, two fridge magnets, nine different books, videos and a DVD box set, coins, stamps, slippers, gloves, a framed 100th-anniversary print, a McFarlane figure of Patrick Roy, a calendar and a tiny model Escalade that sits on my desk at work, sporting the Habs logo. I don't know how much I or the people who gave me these things as gifts spent on the stuff, but I imagine it's well over a thousand bucks, and a portion of that went right into the NHL owners' pockets. That's why I'm not going to buy anything else.
I'm angry this labour dispute is holding fans hostage, and I want to make a statement the owners will be forced to hear. I'm not willing to abandon hockey, but I will never buy another NHL-trademarked item again. And you know what? I won't miss it. I rarely wear my Habs gear, except during the playoffs, and the rest of it is just cute junk I've picked up over the years and never notice. I want my Habs hockey, but I'll be damned if I'll contribute to the many millions the NHL makes off merchandise sales and then fights about. Who's with me?
P.S. If all this makes you feel like crying, try this for a laugh.
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