From the universe to the Twitterverse, team offices to the organ loft, the National Hockey League could finally talk hockey again.
And while first reaction to the end of the 113-day lockout included nasty comments from fans, the cursing soon gave way to curiosity about the shortened season and beyond.
“Excitingly bizarre,” St. Louis Blues’ coach Ken Hitchcock told TSN about what to expect in next week’s games. “No lead will be safe. You’ll be playing almost every second night, just like the playoffs.”
The mad sprint everyone predicted at the conclusion of the drawn out CBA talks was well underway by Sunday night, with players rushing back from Europe, or criss-crossing North America. Teams such as the Maple Leafs were welcomed back to their training bases. Full camps are expected to start by Wednesday once the players and owners ratify the agreement. Teams such as Boston and Toronto are considering exhibition game against their farm teams.
