Speculation: The European Factor

[southwing]

It seems to me that the potential date for getting a deal will go past Jan. 31st to close the last door on European tranfers ... keeping NHL players without access to other employment opportunities. I am certain that someone will respond and say that some league in some obscur corner will still take locked out NHL players. But the last big door in Europe is closing. Knowing this, and getting past that Jan. 31st date, favors the league and puts pressure on the NHLPA ... squeezing out the last drops of a deal. All of which is to say, there is not likely to be any 'big' news one way or another until Tuesday or Wednesday. And that news will be completely obscured by the Superbowl marketing machine which will be in full swing by then. Great marketing plan as usual by the NHL.

southwing

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[loudi94]

Walmart's hiring if Europe is no longer an option. Seriously though, for the players who never went to Europe it was because it wasn't an option. Either they didn't want to go for family/personal reasons or they weren't welcome. That's not going to change now.