OK, so this column's self-imposed moratorium on writing about the National Hockey League is now over, since the two sides have agreed to a collective bargaining agreement and a 48-game 2013 schedule was scheduled to start Jan. 19.
Questions, anyone?
Will the fan come back? Vic Rauter of TSN tweeted that all the people who said they would boycott the NHL are those without tickets; those with tickets will come back. He's probably right. You can take hockey away from Canadians, but you can't take the 'Canadian 'away from a hockey fan north of the 49th parallel.
What will Vancouver Canucks do about their goaltending situation? It appears as if Roberto Luongo, he of the long-term, expensive contract who found himself on the bench behind Cory Schneider in the playoffs last year, will be in either a Maple Leafs or Flyers uniform this year. The best bet is probably the Leafs, who are accustomed to paying big bucks for over-the-hill castoffs.
What should the owners' next move be? Would firing Gary Bettman be too harsh?
Can anyone remember what happened last year in the NHL? Oh, yes, the Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup. Really. No we're not kidding. The Kings are the defending NHL champions. You can look it up.
Which rookie will have the biggest impact in the NHL this year? Players from three Canadian teams, if you must know. Nail Yakupov, the No. 1 overall draft pick of the Oilers, is the real deal. Sven Bartschi, who played a few games with the Flames last year, will break through in a big way this season; and Alex Galchenyuk, an American citizen with a Russian name (his parents are Russian) playing for a Quebec team (the Canadiens) is reportedly as good as, or better than, Yakupov. He went No. 3 in the draft but might have gone No. 1 had he not missed most of last season with an injury.
The biggest winners now that hockey is back? The players? The owners? The fans? Hardly. Biggest winners are TSN and Sportsnet, who finally get to show some revenue-producing hockey instead of just talking about it. Not watching the games is how you can boycott, if you must, but you probably won't. You're Canadian, remember?
Tweet from @MurrayRempel on the morning it was announced the NHL lockout was over: "Resounding thud heard as Byfuglien drops off the couch spilling bowl of ice cream and begins feverishly doing pushups."
Greg Cote of the Miami Herald: "Seven NFL coaches were fired, including the Eagles' Andy Reid and the Bears' Lovie Smith. Reid quickly signed with the Chiefs and Oregon's Chip Kelly reportedly (interviewed) with the Browns. Apparently, both men are tired of winning."
Alabama football coach Nick Saban, asked what he has done with his four NCAA championship rings: "I just put them on the coffeetable for the recruits to look at."
R.J. Currie of sportsdeke.com: "A New York Daily News report says Tim Tebow will ask the Jets to trade him. Given his current value, the deal may list him as a prayer to be named later."
Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times: "Attention, track-and-field buffs: The Nude Olympics begin Jan. 20 at Maslin Beach near Adelaide, Australia. Events include sack races, Frisbee throwing and - everyone's favourite - the picket-fence hurdles."
Janice Hough of leftcoastsportsbabe.com, after Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said leaving 'is not an option' - then interviewed with the Eagles: "Maybe Brian can stop by the confessional on his way out."
TNT's Conan O'Brien, on why he had no desire to watch this year's BCS title game: "I was home for the holidays, so I'd had quite enough of the Fighting Irish."
Comedy writer Jim Barach on why Lance Armstrong is having trouble owning up to illicit drug use: "He just isn't used to backpedaling."
Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel says the Jacksonville Jaguars should go ahead and sign Tim Tebow and not be afraid of the 'circus' that might follow: "I say what the heck is wrong with the circus? The circus is fun. And that's more than you can say for the Jaguars during their last decade of mundane irrelevance. Give me a circus over a cemetery."
Headline at SportsPickle.com: "Report: NHL owners and players still not in agreement on when next lockout should be."
Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle, mulling over suggestions the Baseball Hall of Fame should have a 'character clause.' "Can you imagine the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame if it had a character clause? It would be Barry Manilow, Taylor Swift and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. . . . Ty Cobb, on an average day, broke seven or eight Commandments before breakfast."
R.J. Currie again: "The L.A. Lakers say Dwight Howard is out indefinitely with a shoulder injury. Probably from years of carrying a chip on it."
Comedy writer Jerry Perisho on Twitter: "Kobe Bryant can't get a break. First the Lakers get trounced, then his divorce gets cancelled."
