The current NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement expires in a week and a day, on September 15th. You can read about the disagreements between the League and the NHL Players Association here, here, here, etc. It is an unfortunate time for the NHL as they face their second lockout in eight years.
With another lockout looking at us many fans will begin to yearn for their team’s games of yesteryear, “I miss watching the ‘Yotes on TV” will say a very select few. But, as pointed out by The Hockey News’ Adam Proteau yesterday, the loss of NHL games is only a small part of the sport.
America’s Hockey Capital offers its own alternatives to Ovechkin and Co., ranging from minor hockey to the college ranks. The options are oftentimes available inside the region’s major minor hockey rinks, from the Ashburn Ice House in Virginia to Laurel Maryland’s The Gardens Ice House. You can find hockey as cute as you’d imagine involving four year olds at Ashburn and American Collegiate Hockey Association action over at The Gardens. College hockey has always been a personal favorite of mine, my greatest live sporting event being Boston University’s last minute comeback in the 2009 Frozen Four at Verizon Center.
Major NHL developmental leagues across North America are well funded and offer a great product for NHL depleted eyes. To get you in the spirit, a telling look at the Notre Dame Fighting Irish’s transfer to a new arena last season. And seriously, if it weren’t for cages on the boys’ faces, fans could mistakenly confuse the two products.
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