Spoke with Florida Panthers assistant general manager Mike Santos briefly on Monday as he confirmed the team cancelled its rookie camp/tournament because of the potential/probable (oh it's coming) lockout on Sept. 15.
The Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and its players expires on Sept. 15.
That day was the scheduled start of a rookie camp/tournament the Panthers planned to host at their facility in Coral Springs.
It is no more.
The Panthers were to entertain the Hurricanes, Lightning and Bruins from Sept. 15-19.
No reason to fly all these players and coaches into South Florida on Sept. 14 only to send them back when the CBA expires on Sept. 15.
And it will expire without a new deal.
You can take that to the bank (by the way, the ATM machine at the Panthers facility in Coral Springs now sports the BB&T logo. The newest name of the Panthers arena -- BB&T Center -- will be announced sooner than later).
-- Santos also said the Panthers haven't had much conversation with RFA Dmitry Kulikov lately.
He continues to say there is no worry that a deal will get done eventually.
And it will.
Kulikov remains the property of the Panthers after just completing his third NHL season.
There is, after all, no hurry.
The NHL has basically shut down.
-- Enjoy football season everyone!
-- And the start of the NBA/college basketball season as well.
And here we go again...where the greed of wealthy players and even more wealthy owners rises above any concern for the better of the sport! No one present in their respective leadership groups can figure out how to properly share the wealth and continue the recent growth that the sport has enjoyed?
While I know that something like this will never take hold, I suggest that all the paying customers like me, who that take hard earned dollars and invest in a sport that we truly love, should stop and say to all that enough is enough.
I will personnaly choose to not attend one game event for every one day that a new lockout will close this sport to us all! Let them eventually return to play in an empty arena no matter where your favorite team may reside. Congrats to all involved on your ultimate stupidity...
Posted by: Tom Colavecchio | August 20, 2012 at 07:09 PM
At least I won't have to pay for center ice!
Posted by: Big Slap Shot Bob | August 20, 2012 at 08:14 PM
Bed Breakfast & Taco Center??
Posted by: Eric | August 21, 2012 at 12:11 PM
No NHL to follow? Forget football season, come follow the AHL. These guys could use the support of the big league fans.
Posted by: Allovimo | August 21, 2012 at 04:11 PM
Hearing Vancouver is actively talking to Tallon and aiming for Theo but he won't waive his NTC.. Any truth to that??
Posted by: Eric | August 22, 2012 at 11:35 PM
I am going to fire off an email to everyone in the Panthers organization, telling them that the THIRD lockout will be final for me. I will give up my season tickets, which I have had for twelve years, and never attend a game again. NHL and NHLPA seem to forget where all that money comes from that they are fighting over. If our butts are not in the seats and drinking that overpriced watered down beer, then there is less money to go around. Let them try to split what they don't have. I know of at least 35-40 season ticket holders who never came back after the last lockout, this one will be worse. Maybe if we all stand up as fans, they will listen.....One can only dream, college hockey anyone?
Posted by: LakelandPuckhead | August 25, 2012 at 08:57 PM
This is so stupid by both sides. The league is doing better than ever before - ratings up, profits up, etc. And they are going to piss it away with another lockout.
Posted by: Big Slap Shot Bob | August 27, 2012 at 12:54 PM