This is Day 12 of the NHL lockout, 2012 edition. Every day, we'll serve up some CBA talk and help you get your hockey fix. Let's begin, shall we?
CBA roundup
• When Friday rolls around, the NHL and NHLPA finally will resume CBA negotiations, the first time they have talked officially in the nearly two weeks since the lockout started. They won't return to their economic framework stalemate but will start on the other things. Wayne Scanlan talked to a mediator who said small agreements on Friday could lead to bigger agreements later ... just get that ball rolling.
"The fact they're going in Friday with an agenda that is much less contentious ... something more neutral and probably on subjects that are much easier to discuss and negotiate on is, I think personally, a fantastic strategy." (National Post)
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• Momentum from any agreements or not, the NHL will have its hands full trying to crack the NHLPA. Donald Fehr has done all he can to make this as cohesive a group as possible, and they have some serious resolve and strong representation. It's a good thing for the players; doesn't sound so good for the NHL and fans who want to see hockey return. (Globe and Mail)
• Only a small portion of locked-out players have headed overseas to play. Many remain in North America running their own practices with teammates to stay in playing shape. That includes Tampa Bay, where members of the Lightning were practicing on Wednesday with one small problem: there wasn't a second goalie. To remedy this, forward Ryan Malone donned the pads (the picture in the story is worth seeing).
While he was having a little fun and realizing how hard it is for goalies to move around, he still wasn't sounding very optimistic about the lockout.
"It doesn't look good. Most of the guys, we're in there talking, the way it sounds, we're prepared to be locked out the whole year." (Tampa Times)
• While the owners and players squabble, general managers everywhere are left in limbo. They can't run their teams at the moment and don't have a whole lot to do. So how do they pass the time created by the impasse? Try scouting, Red Wings general manager Ken Holland told Pierre LeBrun.
"Obviously, everybody would rather be playing and be at [NHL] training camp right now and putting our teams together," said Holland. "But you try to do your best to make the best out of a difficult situation." (ESPN.com)
• Since the NHL and NHLPA hammered out the final escrow payments last Friday, players are going to receive a nice little check, getting money back that they earned last year. Those who have signing bonuses will be receiving that money as well. So, in the case of Shea Weber? He'll get his escrow from last year and will get all but his $1 million salary during the lockout.
Ilya Kovalchuk won't be so fortunate. He is the biggest loser, according to Kevin Allen. I doubt many will feel too sorry for Kovy, though.
No player will lose more per paycheck during the lockout than New Jersey Devils winger Ilya Kovalchuk, whose salary is $11 million. Each lost check is worth roughly $846,000 gross. He made $6 million last season, so his escrow refund would cover about $510,000 of that. (USA Today)
Hockey fix
Today, let's go back a little more than a decade for what was the rivalry in the NHL for some time: the Red Wings and the Avalanche. Who can forget the brawl in 1997 that was highlighted by Patrick Roy and Mike Vernon squaring off?
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