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In the final 12 months the National Hockey League has undergone as massive of the overhaul just like any sports league inside the last half century. With revamped rules, a restructured salary system plus a new television partner, professional hockey could be the shell with the sport that locked its doors per year ago. The changes reflect the NHL's new mantra - more scoring, increased parity and price certainty. So forget everything you understand or think you already know in relation to the NHL, which begins preseason play on Sept. 16, as even one from the most faithful and ardent fan adidas jeremy scottneeds to admit they don't have any clue concerning how a game will look in 2005-06.

First, hockey viewers will have to get utilized to watching their game on a new station. ESPN took a gamble and refused to pick the network's option for the NHL's broadcasting rights. The idea was that ESPN will be capable of opt beyond their deal, then repurchase the rights at the substantially reduced rate. Instead, the Outdoor Living Network, a subsidiary of Comcast Cable, swooped in using 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 fret though - Barry Melrose and his man mullet have signed lets start on OLN.

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

Next, besides the ideological alterations the league has experienced, there are already considerable changes to the practical aspects from the game. A competition committee revisited several issues which were pinpointed as troublesome areas through the pre-lockout days. The highlights of these adopted rule changes are:

1)	No more ties. Rather than records that read like Lotto picks, the league moved time for good ol' fashioned wins and losses. At the end of overtime a six-player shootout will ensue, followed with a sudden death shootout if necessary.

2)	Goalies will will no longer be allowed to be built like Optimus Prime. Their allotted padding has been reduced 11 percent. The rule is backed by $25,000 fines and suspensions.

3)	Goaltenders can don't "freeze" the puck, along with a trapezoidal area continues to be create behind the goal line. The goalies are merely permitted 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 nearer to one another, shrinking the neutral zone. Also, the goal-lines are already moved two feet further from your boards, leaving more room behind the net.

5)	The red line is gone, and two-line passes are actually legal.

6)	Other minor changes have occurred. There's no flopping, a reason for increased exposure of clutching and grabbing, anyone who instigates a fight inside last five minutes gets suspended, no flipping the puck in to the stands within your defensive zone, with out public complaints in relation to the league.

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

Finally, a whirlwind of player movement has completely reconfigured the check of talent through the league. Trying to find out who is going where has proven more tiresome than attempting to maintain 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 got there.

I saw a post on another sports site that we felt best sums inside the player movement that's taken place since the league went back business: "Don't you're feeling like the new NHL may be the equivalent of someone stealing your NHL '95 game for Sega, randomizing the rosters, and after that creating back to you?"

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

Detroit Red Wings (17/2) - The favorites for that upcoming season reside in Hockeytown. It's a terrible bet,jeremy scott shoes and don't 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 by the year off. Steve Yzerman is now 40, Chris Chelios is 43 and Brendan Shanahan is turning 37. The window may have closed to the Wings in addition to their AARP roster. Also, Detroit only has about $7 million to resign Pavel Datsyuk (who's said he's not even near to a deal) and/or Henrik Zetterberg. This team has holes, 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 in the ice for young speedsters Jeff Carter and Mike Richards. Also, they been able to pilfer Peter Forsberg and Derian Hatcher, adding two of the top free agent talents for an already strong team. The Flyers needs to have a slight edge over Nj-new jersey inside their quest to defend their Atlantic Division championship.

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

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

New Jersey Devils (14/1) - This is really a quite interesting team going to the preseason. As Detroit and Colorado will be most affected by the salary cap, New Jersey will probably be most affected through the rule changes. Many blame the Devils for pioneering the neutral zone trap as well as the clutch-and-grab style that took within the league in the last decade. Offensively, they 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 from the past three seasons, sufficient reason for Martin Brodeur in goal they have always a shot.

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

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

Pittsburgh Penguins (15/1) - The March with the Penguins to hockey's elite may turn this season. Besides as a fiscal farce off the ice, to remain one with the worst teams about it for that 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 the "next Gretzky" gives them instant credibility. They resigned leading scorer Dick Tarnstrom and acquired Lyle Odelein, and that young talent might be ready to look at the following step.

Tampa Bay Lightning (15/1) - Winning the Stanley Cup a few weeks ahead of the lockout must've been sort of like winning the lottery then discovering we're going back for the barter system. Tampa Bay caught lightning in a bottle in the summer of 2004, and also 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 all back and prepared to go. They roster reeks of old age, but they're still the champs and really should have a look at the correct 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 huge advantage with J-S Giguere minding the net. That's one guy who won't require the extra padding to dominate. A drawback is that they can traded captain Steve Rucchin for the Rangers.

Atlanta Thrashers (33/1) - I like this pick for that value. The Hossa-Heatley trade was basically a push, but getting a solid veteran defenseman like Greg deVries inside deal may shift the bonus in the Thrashers favor. They already posses a core led from 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 earned Bobby Holik to add a lot more firepower. They could possibly be per year away, but it might be worth every penny to adopt a $10 or $20 flier on them jeremy scott adidas.