I love how Gary Bettman is going around to sluggish hockey markets like North Carolina and Phoenix to pump up the cancelled sport.
What does he tell people? 'We hate the players but you should keep loving the game.' Or perhaps 'Phoenix sure does have a great team this year. Too bad you might not ever see them play.'
The Sporting News also reports the NHL is already thinking about a contingency draft. Basically, they'll use last season's standings to weight the draft order. That's very good news for teams like Pittsburgh and Washington, who now have a shot at Sidney Crosby without having to crap up another season.
And of course, who can't imagine the pre-draft pep talks: 'You're going to love the NHL. You know. Now that we broke the union and there's no money to be made.'

I'm thinking of moving to Alaska.
First, I just found out (via ESPN the Magazine) that NBA villain Carlos "Don't worry Cleveland — I'll sign that contract...in Utah!" Boozer is from Alaska.
Now, I find out New Jersey Devil Scott Gomez is going to play for Alaska's ECHL team.
So between Baked Alaska and all of these sports guys, Alaska is the place to be.

Larry Brooks at the New York Post looks ahead of the lockout to when the owners might try and bring in replacement players.
Brooks urges Mario Lemieux, the player and the owner; and Wayne Gretzky, the former player, current owner, and perhaps future manager; to not allow replacement players.
It seems economics will take care of that, though. I can't imagine the fans will embrace replacement players. I've been watching some AHL games — games featuring a lot of guys who have spent some time in the NHL — and the play just isn't NHL-quality. You don't have the speed or the scoring chances. The league needs the stars to sell the game.
But Lemieux and Gretzky still owe it to the players to not sign-off on replacements.
And it looks like the NHL isn't alone in labor problems. The always reliable Peter Vecsey (I believe he had Kobe Bryant going to Arizona for Randy Johnson) writes that the NBA players' union is starting to renegotiate their collective bargaining agreement and they're asking for way more than the owners are willing to give them. So maybe if there's an NBA lockout, they can use NHL players in the NBA. Isn't Ottawa's Zdeno Chara like eight feet tall?
And isn't this the one-millionth article about how much NHL dads love the chance to stay home with their kids? If hockey doesn't start up soon, I have a feeling the Sunday NHL notes columns are going to turn into recipes from guys like Bill Guerin and Chris Pronger.
Oh. And Roger Sackaroff has a look at the new AHL rules and if he thinks the NHL will adopt them.