HOCKEY: Should the Stanley Cup be awarded this year?

JOIN THE NHLFA
(NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE FANS' ASSOCIATION)

Membership is free!!!
Membership is currently over 26,000 fans.

The NHLFA executive has already met with Gary Bettman,
and is constantly putting the concerns of the membership
in front of both the league and the player's association.

(Boone and Jim Spendlove, who together started the NHLFA in April 1998,
met with Bettman in late April, 99, seeking a voice in the so-called "Fan Exhibition"
at the 2000 NHL All-Star game scheduled for Toronto.
Bettman issued a challenge, said Boone - get your membership up to 75,000 and you're in. )

We need 50,000 more concerned hockey fans to be given a respected voice.

- NHLFA WEBSITE -
- NHLFA MEMBERSHIP -
- spread the word -

The NHLFA has also reached an agreement with NHL ENTERPRISES, L.P.
granting the NHLFA a license to use the name and initials of the 'National Hockey League'
as part of the NHLFA's name and initials.

Add your voice and your vote to the issues that matter to you as a hockey fan.
Join the NHLFA today, and tell 3 friends.

Member polls and discussion forum on various topics including

The Collective Bargaining Agreement
Proposed and/or desired rule changes
Ticket pricing
Annual player awards
Fighting and intent to injure incidents
Length of the season and playoff format
Broadcasting and marketing of the game
Refereeing
Small market teams

The fan polls allow the NHLFA to present the views of the membership to the league and players. You may not agree with the majority on certain issues, but by using the forums, you can present your views and reasons for having those views. Your input can be instrumental and may prove to be vital in helping to improve the game at the NHL level, so that we the fans can enjoy it.

If you are upset at all about the current state of affairs, but you do not add your voice, how will things ever change?

^ ^ - - x U	HOCKEY Should the Stanley Cup be challenged for this year? PLEASE VISIT FREESTANLEY.COM -
- Welcome - > - Wolf Den - > - Hockey - Should the Stanley Cup be challenged for this year? -
Should the Stanley Cup be challenged for this year? Yes, we know that the original mandate for awarding the cup was that it was to be a challenge cup for the premier amateur team in Canada. At some point, 1927, the cup came under the control of the NHL. This is the cup that kids dream of winning. I remember being a kid, out on the rink at the park, with dozens of other kids. We would spend all day out there, oblivious to the temperatures, fueled instead by our dreams. How many times did I carry an imaginary Stanley Cup over my head in victory? I can't count. It should be awarded every year, and if the NHL will not do that, it should be awarded according to its original mandate, this year, in a challenge format respecting the original intentions of its donor. In fact, I believe the cup competition should be arranged as soon as possible, and attached to that timetable, there should be a caveat to the NHL. If the collective bargaining agreement is not resolved by the 'MINUTE' the cup is awarded this year, then the NHL, if it ever resolves the CBA, would be forced to challenge for it next year, and every year until they win it back. Only at that time, can they retain control of the cup. If in subsequent years, the NHL again encounters any labour difficulties that cause it to miss even ONE of its regularly scheduled games, then the Cup goes back to challenge format. They hold a sacred trust, and must be reminded of that. It isn't in the value of the silver. It isn't the object itself. It is what it represents, the dreams of our children, the spirit of sportsmanship and competition, the working together as a team to reach the pinnacle of achievement. This must not end merely because some billionaires and millionaires can't decide how to split a big pot of money.	Who should challenge? Any league champions in a recognized sanctioned league, in which participants are largely of NHL draft age. (This includes Junior which features many players already drafted, and many undrafted players of draft age.) Championships to consider in the challenge series. Memorial Cup (Junior) Allan Cup (amateur Sr. AAA) Abby Hoffman Cup (Canadian women's championship) Canadian Universities Cup Calder Cup (AHL) Kelly Cup (ECHL) Frozen Four (NCAA Champs) Women's Frozen Four (NCAA) Spengler Cup (European Club Champions) NAHL Champions (US Jr.A) The players of last year's winning team, (Tampa Bay Lightning), representing themselves and NOT the NHL officially licensed entity. The players must be allowed to defend the challenge, however the corporate entity has no right to any revenues or promotional considerations. The name and logo of this team will be designed by its players, and approved by the "Challenge Committee", If these players cannot gather enough players for a minimum roster, they are allowed to add non -NHL players (0 games of NHL service) to make up the shortfall. Regardless of the state of collective bargaining in the NHL, the Stanley Cup should be awarded, if not to an NHL team, then to a team winning the challenge series.

PROPOSED FORMAT The teams entering the challenge series will be divided into pools of at least 4, and no more than 6 teams. (if the total number of teams entered is less than 8, they will all be in one pool. The pool(s) will play a round robin at a neutral (Non-NHL) rink. Winnipeg comes to mind, although games could be split between Winnipeg and a Northern US non-NHL city. Upon completion of the round-robin, there will be an elimination round. If there are two pools, then elimination will be crossed over, with 1st place teams having a bye, and 2nd place playing 3rd place in the other pool. (either one game winner advancing, or two game total goals) The two winners advance to the semi finals. The winner of A2nd vs B3rd will advance to semi-finals against B1st. The winner of B2nd vs A3rd will advance to semi-finals against A1st. If there is only one pool then the tournament proceeds directly to the semi-final round. 1st vs 4th, 2nd vs 3rd. Semi finals will be the maximum possible of the following formats: 2 game total goals, Best 2 of 3, Best 3 of 5, Best 4 of 7. (depending on time factors) Semi-final games will be at neutral non-NHL sites, or at the home rinks of the participants, depending on travel and availability considerations. The winners of the semi-finals will advance to the Stanely Cup Finals which will be the classic best 4 of 7, played at the home rinks of the teams involved. Modified NHL or standard IIHF rules will apply to the games. (no-touch icing, touch-up offside) Severe penalties for checking from behind, stick swinging, and attempt to injure penalties (kneeing, spearing, etc) expulsion from tournament. Fighting is a five minute major and a ten minute misconduct. Second misconduct in a game is a game misconduct. Third misconduct in tournament is a next game suspension. Fourth misconduct is tournament expulsion (five games carrying over to any future IIHF or Hockey Canada tournaments). All other regular NHL rules apply.	As far as broadcasting goes, neither Ron Maclean nor any other broadcaster should be allowed to mention the words; CBA, collective bargaining, player's association, salary cap, Bettman, Goodenow, or contract. I was appalled at the coverage during the last NHL AllStar Game. Here, we have a gathering of the finest hockey talent in the world, with an opportunity to showcase the talent, and good things about hockey, and all Maclean could talk about was the CBA. Regardless of how things have turned out now, the All Star Game is not the forum to discuss these issues. Surely Maclean's stage is large enough on other occasions to bring these matters up, but please, not during the All Star game. Millions of kids get all worked up about the All Star game, and don't want to watch the Satellite Hotstove crew discuss labour issues. The kids want to see isolation cameras of their favorite stars, interviews, skills competitions, background features, stories about children's charity functions, or minor hockey. Even the kid's Tim Horton's game between periods. Anything BUT collective bargaining. This was an abuse of hockey fans, as bad as, or worse than what's happening now. Don't get me wrong, I greatly appreciate Ron Maclean's commentary and love of the game, and usually enjoy watching him. There is no doubt that he is one of the game's premier spokesmen, but he isn't why we watch. We watch to see hockey being played by the best players in the world, not to see the best speakers in the world. After watching him during the All Star game, I was embarrassed for him, and for the game. A challenge series for the Stanley Cup would do much to wipe off the tarnish, that this season's cancelling has caused. If the premier hockey league in the world will not award the cup, then another way must be found to award the cup to the premier (active) club team. PLEASE VISIT FREESTANLEY.COM - Get involved. They can take the NHL out for a season, but they should not be allowed to take out the Stanley Cup.
- Welcome - > - Wolf Den - > - Hockey - Should the Stanley Cup be challenged for this year? -
JOIN THE NHLFA (NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE FANS' ASSOCIATION) Membership is free!!! Membership is currently over 26,000 fans. The NHLFA executive has already met with Gary Bettman, and is constantly putting the concerns of the membership in front of both the league and the player's association. (Boone and Jim Spendlove, who together started the NHLFA in April 1998, met with Bettman in late April, 99, seeking a voice in the so-called "Fan Exhibition" at the 2000 NHL All-Star game scheduled for Toronto. Bettman issued a challenge, said Boone - get your membership up to 75,000 and you're in. ) We need 50,000 more concerned hockey fans to be given a respected voice. - NHLFA WEBSITE - - NHLFA MEMBERSHIP - - spread the word - The NHLFA has also reached an agreement with NHL ENTERPRISES, L.P. granting the NHLFA a license to use the name and initials of the 'National Hockey League' as part of the NHLFA's name and initials. Add your voice and your vote to the issues that matter to you as a hockey fan. Join the NHLFA today, and tell 3 friends. Member polls and discussion forum on various topics including The Collective Bargaining Agreement Proposed and/or desired rule changes Ticket pricing Annual player awards Fighting and intent to injure incidents Length of the season and playoff format Broadcasting and marketing of the game Refereeing Small market teams The fan polls allow the NHLFA to present the views of the membership to the league and players. You may not agree with the majority on certain issues, but by using the forums, you can present your views and reasons for having those views. Your input can be instrumental and may prove to be vital in helping to improve the game at the NHL level, so that we the fans can enjoy it. If you are upset at all about the current state of affairs, but you do not add your voice, how will things ever change?
	My hockey pages HOCKEY HOME - Hockey starved fans???? - - Should the Stanley Cup be challenged for this year? - - NHL players playing in other leagues this season. - - The NHLFU - - Ticket prices, payrolls, attendance etc. - - The Key Issues in the CBA - - Hockey Heroes - - The Hockey Media - - Markets and Expansion - - PERFORMANCE BONUSES - - LINKS -
MAJOR HOCKEY LINKS PLEASE VISIT FREESTANLEY.COM - - HOCKEY CANADA - - CHL MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY IN CANADA - - OHL - - HOCKEY HALL OF FAME - - IIHF The International Ice Hockey Federation - - NHL.COM - - NHLFA National Hockey League Fans' Association - - NHLPA - - HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA - - THE HOCKEY NEWS - - THE SPORTING NEWS - - TSN HOCKEY- - SLAM SPORTS HOCKEY - - HOCKEY CANADA LINKS - A comprehensive set of hockey links - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -	Interesting hockey pages by other individuals - Above and Beyond Hockey - - A to Z Encyclopaedia of Ice Hockey - - Spector's Hockey Page - - Stats Hockey - - The Rink Rat - - The Hockey Lounge - - LostHockey.com - - The Hockey Almanac - - Joy of Hockey - - Leafman's Hockey Trivia - - World Hockey Index - - Ultimate Hockey Links - - HockeyLink.ca - - Simply the Best Hockey Sites - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Internal Links to other non-hockey pages --- - HOME - - PHENOMENON: Migrations of Love - A HISTORY BOOK - WOLF WATCH - NEWS AND CURRENT EVENTS - WOLF TRACKS - BLOG - MEET THE WOLF - PERSONAL WEB ---	External Links - Online Etymology Dictionary - - Wikipedia -

	LINKS TABLE
Internal Links: Non-hockey pages by this author...		External Links:
	Front page	- Online Etymology Dictionary - - Wikipedia -
	Book project
	*WOLF WATCH* *in search of the black and white* *in a world of shades of grey*
	Personal web space
	a bloggish page
FEEDBACK To drop me a line .... click below. Howl at the Wolf Thank you

copyright 2005 sunumbrella creations