actually
Hasbro said:
Larry Brooks:
:lol
The other two times in recent history replacement players/scabs were used the strikes in question collapsed. The last NFL strike broke in a month when scabs came in.
Even at the reduced revenue of unsold tickets to see AHLers and ECHLs the owners will be getting revenue an paying these guys squat, people will want to keep their season tickets and more fans support ownership than players on this.
In the NFL's case, it wasn't a true matter of the strike collapsing, rather it was a combination of the players seeing things go on without them, and the NFL owners seeing some seriously bad football and 3/4 empty stadiums.
As for Baseball, in 1994 when they players went on strike, they actually never played replacement players in real games and the season was canceled so that's not a totally true statement either.
Additionally, you are correct, replacement players were called in due to the fact that currently contracted players went on strike, whereas in this situation the Owners have locked out the players and, I could be wrong, cannot hire replacement players, but could only try to coax players with contracts to come to work which will never happen.
The owners have 2 options, shut it down for a year and start over next September while unilaterally imposing a cap, voiding all contracts making everyone in the NHLPA a UFA and then going out and signing players to contracts that would fit under the league imposed cap
or
negotiate a contract that is going to be fair for all parties which in my opinion doesn't include a cap. And get some NHL games started.
Personally, and I wouldn't know how to go about choosing which teams get the ax, but I would scale the league back by 4-6 teams.
The talent pool is so diluted and it breeds mediocrity. Coaches no longer coach to win, they coach not to lose and it has created a boring product.
Additionally I would love to bring back some identity to the game.
2 Conferences, Campbell and Wales, 4 Divisions, Patrick, Adams, Norris and Smythe. Bring back the old divisional playoff format.
There was an attachment and pride for the Division that your team played in, the styles differences were evident and the rivalries that were borne out of the divisional playoff format was something that hasn't been duplicated.
Bettman NBA'ized the NHL and it's really put a damper on things in my opinion.