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In the very last Yr the National Hockey League has undergone as massive of the overhaul as any sports league within the last half century. With revamped rules, a restructured salary system plus a new television partner, professional hockey could be the shell in the sport that locked its doors a year ago. The changes reflect the NHL's new mantra - more scoring, increased parity and cost certainty. So forget everything you know or think you realize regarding the NHL, which begins preseason play on Sept. 16, as even probably the most faithful and ardent fan jeremy scott adidas whitemust admit that they can don't have any clue concerning what sort of game will try 2005-06.

First, hockey viewers will have to get accustomed to watching their game on a new station. ESPN took a gamble and refused to choose up the network's option about the NHL's broadcasting rights. The idea was that ESPN will be capable to opt out of their deal, and then repurchase the rights with a substantially reduced rate. Instead, the Outdoor Living Network, a subsidiary of Comcast Cable, swooped in having a very lucrative offer and purchased the rights to broadcast the NHL regular season and playoffs for $65 million this season, $70 million in 2006-2007, and $72.5 million in 2007-2008. Not to worry though - Barry Melrose and his man mullet have signed on with OLN.

However, OLN only reaches around 65 million homes through the Usa and Canada. That's a substantial reduction through the 90 million subscribers that ESPN boasts, and the 89 million viewers that ESPN2 can reach. Also, since ESPN doesn't own the rights, the league shouldn't expect too much coverage from those Bristol bastards. The new deal - while a relative windfall for any sport with flailing TV ratings - definitely relegates the NHL to Niche Sport status. Well, that as well as a 309-day lockout will switch off any fan base. Right now hockey's popularity lies somewhere around the WNBA and extreme dodgeball.

Next, besides the ideological alterations how the league has experienced, there happen to be considerable changes on the practical aspects from the game. A competition committee revisited several issues that have been pinpointed as problem areas throughout the pre-lockout days. The highlights with their adopted rule changes are:

1)	No more ties. As opposed to records that read like Lotto picks, the league went returning to good ol' fashioned wins and losses. At the final of overtime a six-player shootout will ensue, followed by the sudden death shootout if necessary.

2)	Goalies will don't be allowed to get built like Optimus Prime. Their allotted padding may be reduced 11 percent. The rule is backed by $25,000 fines and suspensions.

3)	Goaltenders can don't "freeze" the puck, and a trapezoidal area continues to be create behind the goal line. The goalies are only in a posture to handle the puck within that area when behind the goal line.

4)	The offensive zone will likely be larger. The bluelines were each moved two feet more detailed one another, shrinking the neutral zone. Also, the goal-lines are actually moved two feet further from the boards, leaving more room behind the net.

5)	The red lines are gone, and two-line passes are now legal.

6)	Other minor changes have occurred. There's no flopping, a point of emphasis on clutching and grabbing, anyone who instigates a fight in the last five minutes gets suspended, no flipping the puck in the stands with your defensive zone, with no public complaints concerning the league.

The idea is that every of those rule modifications will open scoring and raise the speed of the game. They're hoping that this new NHL is gonna be similar to the hockey played inside the Olympics, featuring more scoring and skill rather than neutral zone traps along with the grind-it-out garbage that had permeated the NHL within the last decade.

Finally, a whirlwind of player movement has completely reconfigured the balance of talent through the league. Trying to find out who is going where has proven more tiresome than wanting to keep up in which pitcher Alyssa Milano is banging now. In fact, when opening night comes (the Rangers open against the Flyers on Oct. 5) most fans will feel as if Guy Pierce's short-term-memory depraved character in Memento. They'll vaguely recognize where they are but don't have any idea how they were given there.

I saw a post on another sports site that we felt best sums up the player movement that's occurred considering that the league went last business: "Don't you feel such as the new NHL will be the equivalent of someone stealing your NHL '95 game for Sega, randomizing the rosters, then passing it on time for you?"

Laying a bet on NHL futures looking to predict who will hoist the Cup next summer could be an incredible possibility to fleece some unsuspecting oddsmakers. But, as always, wager at your own risk. Here's a quick overview on some teams that will be worth watching and could be really worth the gamble:

Detroit Red Wings (17/2) - The favorites to the upcoming season reside in Hockeytown. It's a horrible bet,jeremy scott wings 2.0, nor bite. Yes the Red Wings were the best team within the 2003-04 regular season with 109 overall points, but perhaps no team was hurt more with the year off. Steve Yzerman is now 40, Chris Chelios is 43 and Brendan Shanahan is turning 37. The window may have closed for your Wings along with their AARP roster. Also, Detroit only has about $7 million to resign Pavel Datsyuk (who's said he's not really near a deal) and/or Henrik Zetterberg. This team has holes, and now they are unable to plug it with money.

Philadelphia Flyers (9/1) - The Flyers waived goodbye to the nucleus of Jeremy Roenick, John LeClair and Mark Recchi. Their absence will open the ice for young speedsters Jeff Carter and Mike Richards. Also, they been able to pilfer Peter Forsberg and Derian Hatcher, adding two with the top free agent talents to an already strong team. The Flyers needs to have a small edge over New Jersey inside their quest to defend their Atlantic Division championship.

Ottawa Senators (11/1) - The Sens were the most notable scoring team inside Eastern Conference in 2003-04 (262 goals), and they added the dynamic Dany Heatley inside a blockbuster deal that included Marian Hossa. As long as no person asks Heatley to become the designated driver, he should add a lot more pop to Ottawa's offense. Daniel Alfredsson led the team with 48 assists in 03-04, and will be setting the table for Heatley. This squad is deep and strong, and is likely to be relying on Ray Emery and Dominick Hasek in the net.

Calgary Flames (13/1) - The runners-up towards the 2004 champion Tampa Bay Lightning (man, that also sounds strange) will likely be even better this season. The true secret move they made was retaining superstar Jerome Iginla. Iginla was tied for the NHL lead with 41 goals in 03-04. The Flames upgraded the offense by bringing in Tony Amonte and Darren McCarty. Also, Roman Hamrlik was acquired to shore up an already stout defense.

New Jersey Devils (14/1) - This is often a quite interesting team going into the preseason. As Detroit and Colorado is planning to be most affected through the salary cap, Nj-new jersey will probably be most affected from the rule changes. Many blame the Devils for pioneering the neutral zone trap and also the clutch-and-grab style that took on the league inside the last decade. Offensively, they still have Scott Gomez (team leader in assists) and Patrick Elias (leader in goals and points) and i also expect big numbers from both. They've won a minimum of 41 games in each of the past three seasons, along with Martin Brodeur in goal they will have a shot.

Colorado Avalance (14/1) - The Avs still need Joe Sakic and Pierre Turgeon in the center, Brad May and Alex Tanguay about the left and Milan Hejduk around the right. So in other words, they still have a very chance. Colorado has put up a normal of 42 wins each year the last three seasons, and its particular core remains intact. Rob Blake is back to anchor the defense and David Aebischer could be the man inside the cage. I expect these to figure prominently within the Western Conference, but I don't think they've enough depth to hoist the Cup.

Boston Bruins (15/1) - The Bruins were one of the teams that benefited essentially the most from the outlandish free agency. They were capable of lock up captain Joe Thornton for 3 years, and keep Glen Murray around the club. Also, we were holding able to add seasoned vets Shawn McEachern and Brian Leetch, too as Alexi Zhamnov and Dave Scatchard. That talent infusion improves a team that's already pretty tough (defending Northeast Division champions). The pressure will likely be on Andrew Raycroft, the one goalie around the roster.

Pittsburgh Penguins (15/1) - The March of the Penguins time for hockey's elite may turn this season. Besides as being a fiscal farce over ice, they have been one with the worst teams about it for the past several years, managing just 78 wins within the last three seasons. They put up only 2.3 goals a casino game while winning 23 games in 03-04. But the Steel City won the Sidney Crosby Sweepstakes, and also the "next Gretzky" gives them instant credibility. They resigned leading scorer Dick Tarnstrom and acquired Lyle Odelein, understanding that young talent might be ready to take the next step.

Tampa Bay Lightning (15/1) - Winning the Stanley Cup a number of weeks prior to the lockout must've been type of like winning the lottery and after that discovering we're heading back on the barter system. Tampa Bay caught lightning in a very bottle in the summer of 2004, along with the defending Stanley Cup champions have brought back the principals involved for the reason that run. Dave Andreychuk, Martin St. Louis, and Vincent Lecavalier are typical back and able to go. They roster reeks of old age, but they're still the champs and really should be shown the appropriate respect.

Anaheim Mighty Ducks (30/1) - Team Teemu returns because the head from the Flying V. Sergie Federov is looking to salvage a burnt out career, and Scott Niedermeyer should flourish in Anaheim's wide-open attack. Also, the Ducks have a appealing factor with J-S Giguere minding the net. That's one guy who won't need the extra padding to dominate. A drawback is which they traded captain Steve Rucchin on the Rangers.

Atlanta Thrashers (33/1) - I this way pick for the value. The Hossa-Heatley trade was just about a push, but finding a solid veteran defenseman like Greg deVries inside the deal may shift the advantage inside the Thrashers favor. They already posses a little daughter core led with the very talented Ilya Kovalchuk (team leader in goals and assists) and Hossa's playmaking style (36 goals and 82 points) will fit right in. They signed Mike Dunham to mentor talented youngster Kari Lehtonen, and introduced Bobby Holik to add a lot more firepower. They could be annually away, nonetheless it could possibly be worthwhile to look at a $10 or $20 flier on them jeremy scott adidas.