Hockey, Winter Sports, Stanley Cup, Conn Smythe, Lock Out, Manlyweb.com

In 2004, NHL owners locked the players out because they essentially would lose less money by not playing than playing. By June of 2005, they finally reached an agreement with the players.

Of course, the players had to take salary cuts, and now have a salary cap, which was their biggest sticking point in negotiations--despite the fact that the NFL's salary cap has made it the most successful professional sports league going today, and the success of the league has made the players even more rich than if they didn't have the cap.

And the players haven't exactly been spreading good will--Philedelphia Flyers center Jeremy Roenick was quoted after the new deal was signed, saying:

"We're going to try to make it better for everybody, period, end of subject. And if you don't realize that, then don't come. We don't want you at the rink, we don't want you in the stadium, we don't want you to watch hockey. I say personally, to everybody who called us 'spoiled,' you guys are just jealous ... we have tried so, so hard to get this game back on the ice."

Not exactly the kind of statement that makes us want to watch hockey again.

Still, we're willing to give the NHL the benefit of the doubt--not all of the players can be that stupid, and every sport has to have people to boo, so Roenick still serves a purpose. Hopefully the NHL will fight it's way through the financial struggles, and the crappy TV deal they got, and will someday challange the NBA for winter sports supremecy. If not, there's always the National Lacrosse League...at least they have dance teams.

In the mean time, we've put together some information regarding the NHL, the Stanley Cup, and other awards.

NHL
Stanley Cup - History of Lord Stanley's Cup
Stanley Cup Winners - Listing of all of the winners of the Stanley Cup since the NHL took over the trophy.
Conn Smythe Award - A brief look at the Conn Smyth Trophy.
Conn Smythe Winners - A list of the players who have won the Conn Smythe Award, given to the MVP of the Stanley Cup series.