Craig Custance

  (1:02 PM)

Hey everyone! Great to be back chatting for another season (hopefully) of NHL hockey. Let's dive in, questions already lining up.

Jason (New York)

Nice to see you back in a chat Craig! Gut feeling, yes or no to a hockey season? Definitely disappointed as a Rangers fan I won't get to see Nash right away in their jersey

Craig Custance

  (1:04 PM)

It's great to be back Jason. I wrote earlier this week that the Rangers were among the teams that had the most to lose if we lost an entire season. They are built to win now with the addition of Nash to go with Richards last season. The good news is, I don't think we'll lose an entire season.

Craig Custance

  (1:04 PM)

It's great to be back Jason. I wrote earlier this week that the Rangers were among the teams that had the most to lose if we lost an entire season. They are built to win now with the addition of Nash to go with Richards last season. The good news is, I don't think we'll lose an entire season.

Tim Irvin (Stanley Cup City, CA)

Craig, while I am still basking in the glow of the Kings first Stanley Cup, is it possible that the NHL is so "East-Centric" that the Kings victory was actually BAD for the NHL? Your thoughts and Thanks

Craig Custance

  (1:06 PM)

Tim - Nope, I wouldn't agree with that at all. LA is a very important market for the NHL and it was awesome to be out there last spring to see the momentum the Kings built in that city. The atmosphere outside the arena before finals games was unbelievable. That's a Kings team built to last and I think they have another run in them.

Chris Fiegler (Latham,NY)

Do you think that the NHL will be Locked Out Again this Year?

Craig Custance

  (1:08 PM)

Yes. Wish they were all that easy. The real question is for how long and that's the big debate right now. Talks likely won't get serious until players start losing paychecks and teams start losing gates.

Brian (Virginia)

What are the top 5 things we should know about the CBA negotiations?

Craig Custance

  (1:11 PM)

I like that question Brian, let's boil it down:1. Players and league still very far apart in how to divide the revenue but at least the two sides aren't looking for a complete transformation of the system. I think that's a positive. 2. Players very much united under Don Fehr. 3. I believe there's still wiggle room in the NHL's last offer and that the players offer has been a bit misunderstood. 4. I think people on both sides might be taking fans for granted. Not sure they'll be so quick to come back if there's a lengthy lockout. 5. Things won't get serious until money is being lost.

Marc (Malden, MA)

Do the owners just not remember how the last lockout almost killed the league? Or are they just dilusional?

Craig Custance

  (1:12 PM)

Marc - Good to see you back for another year of chats. I think owners remember how strong the league came back after the last lockout and would count on the same from hockey fans this time around.

Sean (Charlotte, N.C.)

OK, so all these guys are on waivers. I know why. If none of them get claimed, is that not collusion?

Craig Custance

  (1:13 PM)

Great question Sean from Charlotte. I know many teams that have every intention of watching the waiver wire closely today to see if a team made a mistake in waiving somebody of value. There's little to no risk in claiming a guy right now because you're only going to lock him out in a couple days anyways.

Jake (MN)

And for an actual Hockey related question...what are your thoughts of Jared Spurgeon being pegged as Suter's D partner to start the year? I've never seen Jared as being a top line, minute eating player, but more of a 4-6 D-man.

Craig Custance

  (1:15 PM)

That's the beauty of signing Suter though Jake. He's the kind of player who makes his d-partner better. It's amazing in Detroit how many guys had career years playing next to Nick Lidstrom. As good as Shea Weber is, he struggled at times when Suter was hurt. To me, that'll be one of the interesting subplots to this season. Who will miss the other guy more - Suter or Weber?

Mike (Boston)

Why does everyone put so much blame on Bettman for the upcoming lock out? The players said they would go into the year with the old CBA and of course that was shot down but I'm sure it wasn't by him. Had Jeremy Jacobs (Boston), Mike Ilitch (Detroit), Geoff Molson (Montreal), Craig Leopold (Minn), James Dolan (NYR), Ed Snider (Philly) and the owners of the Leafs all wanted to do this do we really believe that there would be a lockout? Fans need to really look at the owners more than just their spokesman, or fall boy/whipping boy if you will.

Craig Custance

  (1:18 PM)

Mike - For one, he's an easy target. This will be his third lockout so even as owners change he's the constant. And it's just easier for fans to get mad at one guy rather than 30 owners, some of whom they couldn't pick out of a police lineup. I thought Scott Burnside was spot on when he wrote that the owners deserve as much consternation as the commissioner is getting though. There's enough blame to spread around to everyone involved.

Jon (St. Louis)

Do you think Tarsanko is the real deal in St. Louis?

Craig Custance

  (1:19 PM)

A hockey question! Thanks Jon. And yes, I do. Had a conversation with Doug Armstrong about him shortly after he signed and the Blues are very excited about that addition. They are already a deep team up front and he adds another dimension of skill making STL that much more dangerous. He's on my very short list for Calder favorites.

Erik (SF, CA)

UGHHHHHH! This whole debate is so annoying. The position of the NHLPA vs NHL is like Dems vs Republicans. There will always be a divide, but what's annoying is how they posture looking to win the PR battle. Personally, I don't care what is agreed upon because these cats make more $ than I ever will, so I can't relate. I just want to see some friggin hockey and not be stuck watching the new ECHL team down the road from me.

Craig Custance

  (1:20 PM)

Erik - I think you speak for most fans with that position. I've had so many people tell me that they've checked out right now and to 'let them know when the lockout is over.' It's really too bad that apathy is replacing the excitement the league has generated over the last few years.

Nick (MI)

Remember the last time the players held out and the owners gave them everything? Ohhh wait that never happened. Why do the players continue to think they have shot of getting anything they want? The owners will give them what they want to give them and nothing else.

Craig Custance

  (1:22 PM)

The players believe that they gave so many concessions last time around that they shouldn't be the ones to do it again this time around. At least not to that extreme. It's easy to understand that position.

JY (TO)

What are the Top 5 International hockey games all time in your mind? Interesting piece from Lebrun on the 1987 Canada Cup

Craig Custance

  (1:24 PM)

JY - Yeah, I really enjoyed that piece by Pierre. He's covered so much international hockey that I defer to his judgment - that was the best pure international hockey of all time. For me, the best event I've covered live, and I mean any sport - regular season, playoffs or international - was the gold medal game during the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. The fans in Vancouver were unbelievable and Canada and US delivered a game for the ages. I remember going back to my hotel at like 3 a.m. and the party was still going strong. Good times.

Craig (Lindsay, ON)

Craig, tell me as a long suffering Islanders fan (became a fan after meeting the entire team during a snowstorm at the Toronto airport in the late 70's and having Nystrom and Smith by me dinner as an 8 year old) that a season of potential growth and hope won't be washed away. And tell Mike from Boston to move to Canada and get a real sentiment of how fans feel about Bettman. While the game has prospered he has done little to help.

Craig Custance

  (1:26 PM)

Craig - I really believe that we won't lose an entire season and you're right, it's a big one for the Islanders. It's time that they started capitalizing on some of the potential shown by their young core. If not this season, then you really have to question the management there. I'm setting the over/under on the season starting at American Thanksgiving.

one angry fan (usa)

Here is what should be: players get 100% of their contract money, owners get 100% of everything else! DONE! I stand with the owners on the isssue. It's THEIR investment-hey put up all the money, they pay for the airfare, food and lodging, they pay arena maintenance fees and THEY are stuck with paying for support unprofitable and bankrupt franchises. Players don't paid for anything. They GET PAID millions of dollars for 20 min a night 82 times a year to do something they love! They are the upper 1 % and I don't have ANY sympathy for them taking a "pay cut". Most of it they didn't earn, they got it because of the auction-like Free Agency that allows them to cun the GMs making them believe that they have a shot at signing that player, but instead, the player keeps taking offers going back and forth trying to drive up the price tag as high as possible... I just read the article by Burnside, where he said that 9 games in, they will have lost more money than they're fighting to protect....It's obvious that they have no intelligence whatsoever and that the NHLPA is a corrupt, money-driven union. I stand with Bettman and can't wait to laugh at the players once their back is broken next summer! Go owners! (

Craig Custance

  (1:27 PM)

I can feel your anger there angry fan. And here comes the counterpoint...

Matt (Steinway)

"Here, here's a huge contract that we believe you've earned and are paying you accordingly. Oh wait, we're paying you too much. We need to drastically slash your pay because of our own incompetence". Too bad there's no competition in this industry. I'd up and quit if my boss tried to pull this crap on me.

Craig Custance

  (1:28 PM)

Like I said, there's a lot of blame to go around. Neither side is blameless in this mess.

Jordan (Stl, MO)

What effect do you think the loss of another season will have on teams that are just starting to turn the corner with their francises, like St. Louis for exmple? Very tough time coming out of the last lockout and now that it seems everything is good again, we are in jeopardy of losing another season.

Craig Custance

  (1:29 PM)

Jordan - Great question. I really feel for markets like St. Louis, Florida and even a team like Phoenix that made a great run in the spring. All that momentum goes down the toilet if there's a lockout. The Blues are poised for a great season, they've accumulated so much good talent and Hitch has them ready to go.

brian (seattle)

Craig, whats the holdup in Colorado signing Ryan Orielly? do you think he signs before the lockout? and what do you think of them naming Landeskog as captain?

Craig Custance

  (1:33 PM)

Hey Brian - Colorado plays things really close to the vest, so I don't have a great sense whether or not he's close. BUT, I will say that a lot of players and GMs are scrambling to get contracts done in the next couple days under the old system. The uncertainty mixed with the possibilities of more restrictions under the new CBA is adding urgency to contract talks. And I love the Landeskog pick for captain. I'm not sure a young player impressed me more last season with his polish and poise. He's young but more than mature enough to handle the responsibility.

Joe (Minneapolis)

Craig has there been any talk of widening the gap between the cap ceiling and cap floor? It seems that the current problem is the floor, not the ceiling so why not just cut back the floor 7-10M so that the financially struggling teams can get some relief? The gap between the top and bottom spenders would still be MUCH closer than the early 2000's.

Craig Custance

  (1:34 PM)

The problem with that Joe is that the league benefits from the parity of the current system. Just look at how close the playoff races have been down the stretch the last couple years. That generates a ton of excitement and the more teams in the mix, the better. So if you drop the floor and allow some of these small market teams to spend less, you risk losing that parity. To me, the answer would be more robust revenue sharing which the players are definitely in favor of.

Kevin (Chicago, IL)

Craig - Your thoughts on the Red Wings picking up a top defenseman. Do you think it be will be one of the remaining free agrents like Carlo or through trade? If they trade for somebody, who do you think on the current roster is suspect? One final non-hockey related comment, Go Green :)

Craig Custance

  (1:37 PM)

Sounds like the Colaiacovo deal is all but done. But even with the signing, there's been a pretty significant downgrade on defense the last couple years in Detroit. You don't lose Lidstrom, Brian Rafalski and Brad STuart in a two-year span and not expect a drop off. They expect Kyle Quincey to be better this season than he was after they traded for him and they also expect growth from Smith. But I still wouldn't be surprised if Ken Holland swings a deal after the new CBA is in place.

@DonCherryParody (Coach's Corner)

WHAT AM I GONNA DO WITH ALL MY BEAUTY SUITS IF THERES NO NHL HOCKEY, CHRIS? I BETTER GET TA THE CANADIAN TIRE AN BUY A BUNCH A MOTHBALLS AND EVERYTHINK LIKE THAT! LET'S GO!

Craig Custance

  (1:38 PM)

It wouldn't be a chat without a DonCherryParody sighting. LET'S GO!

David (Cupertino)

Craig, how do you see revenue-sharing appearing in the next CBA?

Craig Custance

  (1:41 PM)

There are a couple important things there. I think the biggest teams need to contribute more to revenue sharing and it sounds like, right now, any increase in revenue sharing is coming from the players. I also think some of the restrictions need to be eased (market size, etc) to help. Something is broken when a team like San Jose is losing millions. ALl they do is sell out games and make long playoff runs without spending wildly. They should be able to make that work.

Gene Mullett (Columbus, OH)

Here's one... List the top couple of cap casualities if a new CBA is agreed upon & teams gotta slash payroll.

Craig Custance

  (1:43 PM)

YOu know what Gene? I'm really planning on tackling that and examining that exact issue in the next couple days. But I spoke with someone yesterday who said we shouldn't expect a bunch of top six forwards or something on waivers or being traded for nothing after the new deal is signed. There will be some kind of transition rule to help ease things in.

Craig Custance

  (1:43 PM)

YOu know what Gene? I'm really planning on tackling that and examining that exact issue in the next couple days. But I spoke with someone yesterday who said we shouldn't expect a bunch of top six forwards or something on waivers or being traded for nothing after the new deal is signed. There will be some kind of transition rule to help ease things in.

Ryan (Chicago)

Craig, do the owner understand they are doing this to themselves? Kovelchuk just got 10 year contract from a team that almost had to file bankruptcy? Time for the owners to look in the mirror and own up to some fiscal responsibility.... no?

Craig Custance

  (1:45 PM)

Ryan - Yeah, the optics there are definitely bad. On one hand you have the league proposing a CBA in which contracts are limited to five years. At the same time teams are signing guys to six-year deals.

one angry hockey fan (usa)

Hockey question here,Wings are stacked on offense, so, why in the world did Ken Holland NOT offer Franzen for Jack Johnson? Better yet, we should have resigned Hudler, bundled him with Franzen for Johnson and Murray. I mean, if he took back that garbage from NYR for Nash and got Johnson for the invisible Carter, why wouldn't he take that deal? He's been saying that he wants NHL ready forwards, well, the Wings need 1st caliber d-men...sounds like a fair trade to me....your thoughts?

Craig Custance

  (1:46 PM)

I think you're drastically overvaluing Franzen and Hudler. No way Columbus does anything close to those deals.

Eddie (Hoboken, NJ)

Guess the Devils don't matter? Hi Craig, my Devils almost did it last year. Was last year pretty much it for a long time to come with the departure of Parise? Any chance the Devs become relevant again soon as in make a run to the finals?

Craig Custance

  (1:48 PM)

Let me preface this by saying I have utmost respect for Lou Lamoriello and think Pete DeBoer did one of the best coaching jobs in the league last season. But I honestly don't see how that team, with Marty one year older and now without Parise making another run like last year. But with that leadership in place, they always will be relevant. I've learned not to underestimate the Devils.

Jon (Michigan)

Enough with the CBA questions, it's time to be serious. What deserves to be in the hall of fame more: the Melrose mullet, or Ian Laperriere's face?

Craig Custance

  (1:49 PM)

Melrose's mullet deserves its own wing in the Hall.

Mike (Mission Viejo)

I waited 32 years of my life for the Kings to get their first cup. How long will I ahve to wait for their 2nd? Could the Kings win the cup back-to-backyears?

Craig Custance

  (1:51 PM)

I think it's just too hard to repeat in the NHL. I know Dean Lombardi is exhausting every avenue in trying to devise a plan to make it happen but it's too tough. So I'd bet against them this season. That said, that team is still young enough that they will be in the mix for the next several years. But look at Chicago and Pittsburgh. Those were two great teams with young core leadership and neither has come close since winning it all.

Chris (CT)

Craig, how utterly stupid are the owners and players right now? They lost fans due to the last lock-out... fans that will never come back to the game. You can see it in the stands. Given that, you'd think they'd be more motivated to work something out before the deadline. Why can't they just split the difference in the current offers? Am I missing something here?

Craig Custance

  (1:53 PM)

Chris - I think a lockout this time around would be more damaging than the last one. The league rebounded surprisingly well considering the circumstances last time. It's not as easy as splitting the difference. The players will tell you that the league's first offer was so one-sided even splitting the difference would be a major concession for the PA.

Matt (Steinway)

Why bother having exciting playoff races when the league is content to spoil that excitement with a lockout?

Craig Custance

  (1:54 PM)

Apparently it's a risk they're willing to take.

Erik (SF, CA)

You've been beat up with enough CBA questions, so here's a hockey question for you. As teams are constructed today, who do you see as the Conference Finalists heading into the season? AND...what teams, if any, have REALLY improved their position compared to last season that could be on the cusp of Conf Final consideration?

Craig Custance

  (1:57 PM)

Thanks Erik. Okay, off the top of my head, here would be my conference finalists. And it's important to note 'as currently constructed' because I think we're going to see some roster shuffling after the CBA is finalized. WESTERN CONFERENCE - Canucks vs. Blackhawks; EASTERN CONFERENCE - Penguins vs. Rangers. I like Boston in that mix too.

Matt (Steinway)

Really though, I never understood why the league refuses to hold the season under the terms of the old CBA. I mean, they are actively signing players to new contracts as we speak, so they must be comfortable with the terms. Another lost season or even a lost half a season is not something the business of professional hockey can sustain.

Craig Custance

  (1:58 PM)

You lose an edge in negotiations if you let that happen. If you want to make one side concede, there has to be some pressure applied. Playing under the current CBA wouldn't do that.

Gene Mullett (Columbus, OH)

What? The owners are totally to blame! They locked the players out to get the contract they wanted & are locking them out again as soon as it expires! They have submitted a CBA with max limits of 5 year deals, yet have signed numerous players to deals longer than that since the original proposal! How in the heck can the owners cry poverty on top of all-time league high revenues?

Craig Custance

  (1:59 PM)

Gene - They'll tell you that revenues are up but so are costs. And that part of the revenue increase is the growth of the Canadian dollar. But yeah, I understand your position.

Craig Custance

  (2:00 PM)

Alright everyone, great questions as always. Good to be back in the mix, even if my head is starting to hurt from the CBA questions. Have a great week!