Ch-ch-changes For Hockey

As the longest offseason in NHL history continues, negotiations have hit a bit of a clandestine moment. Rumors have swirled about progress inching forward and stepping back; the only solid truth there is right now is that the players and owners can agree on a vague concept.

However, that doesn't mean anything without the right numbers or right guts for a CBA. The best news is the fact that there have been quiet rumblings instead of public venom; that is the only real hope for the current state of negotiations.

As for the game itself, there's certainly going to be a number of new ways the game looks and plays. Here is a summary of what to expect if and when the NHL returns.

Rules

Those silly looking bow-legged nets that the NHL built prototypes of will not see the light of day — at least not in the near future. Instead, there is near-universal acknowledgement that the goaltender's equipment has to shrink. Goalies such as Martin Brodeur and Steve Shields were in on these negotiations; if they'll sign off, it's a good chance the PA won't protest.

For skaters, expect the nets to be moved back to widen the neutral zone. The return of tag-up offside is a certainty, too. It's likely that we'll see shootouts, and the possibility of eliminating the red line for two-line pass or using the "fat lines" concept to increase the size of each zone is still up in the air.

Players, coaches, GMs, and officials have acknowledged that obstruction, clutching, and grabbing are killing the flow of the game. All have thrown their hats in the ring in preaching a new, obstruction-less mindset. We've heard this before; however, it's also obvious that there's a sense of desperation by everyone involved to get it right this time. Since each faction of the hockey world has bought into this, expect to see significantly less complaining about a parade to a penalty box when compared to previous obstruction crackdowns.

Coaching

Ken Hitchcock is a born-again coach, and he's hoping to convert a few others to his new religion of offense. Hitchcock, notoriously known for being one of the most defensive-minded coaches in the league, is preaching a new style: offense and creativity. Hitchcock spent the lockout visiting coaches of all levels — college, minors, and juniors. He watched their practices and noticed a common theme — no one was practicing offense.

When mistakes were made on defense, practice stopped and coaches corrected the issue. But when pucks were flubbed on offensive drills, no one batted an eyelash. Hitchcock thinks therein lies the problem. He believes that by giving as much attention to offense as defense, the NHL can restore some of the creative juice that is so sorely lacking from the game. Here's hoping that he's right.

Players

Goodbye (probably) Steve Yzerman, Chris Chelios, Dominik Hasek (again), Mark Messier, Teemu Selanne, and a host of other big-name veterans that have carried the NHL since the '80s. Hello Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin, Ryan Suter, and the new generation of NHL players. The NHL has finally realized that they have failed marketing the best athletes in the world for the past 20 years. They believe that they have learned from their mistakes and can ride this new generation of talent back to the level of success they had in the early 90s and beyond.

Rosters

One way or another, there will be a salary cap in the new CBA. That means the end of big money spending — for better (Detroit) or worse (the Rangers). There will still be a discrepancy between richer teams and poorer teams, and that level will be determined by the salary cap and floor and the amount of revenue sharing involved. However, this probably means the end of insane trade deadline loading up. The focus will be on building well-balanced teams built with speed through smart drafting.

TV Presentation

The NHL has finally smartened up and realized that in order to make their game more marketable, they must make their players more accessible. Expect more access to players and coaches through television than ever before. The NHL wants players like Jarome Iginla and Vincent Lecavalier to become household names, and the only way they will be able to do that is by letting audiences get to know them up close and personal.

In terms of television presentation, the push for HD hockey broadcasts continues. ESPN unveiled their "dasher cam" system at the NCAA Frozen Four. It was highly successful in capturing the speed and flow of the game, and should be even more spectacular once HD technology brings its range and clarity to the next level.

Hockey fans have plenty to look forward to when the game returns. The promise of all these positive changes is the carrot that fans continue to chase for as the CBA war rages on. Both the PA and the league have come to realize that the next two weeks are absolutely critical in getting the league ready for a fall launch. A CBA doesn't have to be signed, sealed, and delivered by May, but it better be pretty darn close. Otherwise, the NHL could return with the best game in the world, but without any fans to watch it.