Hey Roberto Luongo, you have those retirement papers filled out yet?
If you're true to your word, you may have a lot of time on your hands in the coming months.
OK, with tongue firmly lodged in cheek, it's worth noting the NHL Board of Directors voted unanimously - and damnit, I hate the sound of that term - to once again look at reducing the size of goaltending equipment in an effort to increase scoring. According to Detroit general manager Ken Holland, increasing the size of the nets could be another, if less desirable, alternative.
Like there aren't more pressing issues for this league.
Oh, yes, back to the point at hand. Who knows if he was crying wolf, but Luongo didn't seem overly excited with the prospect of larger nets last fall, threatening to retire rather than accept the rule.
Of course, seeing how Luongo is being singled out for his so-called pad flaps, it looks like he is going to be one unhappy camper whether the coin flip ends up equating to less equipment or wider nets.
As for me, well, I'm wondering why they just can't leave the game alone. Please. For once.
Brett Hull, now the co-GM in Dallas, proved that moving from the ice up to the front office is not necessarily a reason to bite one's tongue when asked a question.
"They have to get on board with us," said Hull, referring to the NHLPA, who will need to endorse any changes. "I'd like to know why they don't. Are we here for the good of the game or what? Should be better for the fans and if the PA doesn't want that, maybe there's something wrong with their leadership."
Way to clearly draw your line in the sand, Brett.
Maybe the league may want to look at fixing some more pressing issues, such as career-threatening cheap shots and hideous television ratings.
Instead, priorities seem to include season-openers in Europe and finding a way to give the goalie police employment.
Why is a lack of scoring such an albatross for the league? If a pitcher goes into the eighth inning with a one-hitter, you will rarely hear the crowd bitch and whine about not getting their money's worth. Is the old adage not "defense wins championships", or did some idiot just get it wrong?
The league has eliminated the two-line offside pass, limited where goaltenders can play the puck, ditched the skate-in-the-crease rule, reduced the size of equipment and created four-on-four overtime, all rules designed to increase scoring and put the goaltenders at a disadvantage, however slight.
And still the league feels the need to handicap them even more.
Here's a novel thought. Maybe the goalies are just that good.
I, for one, cannot see why that is such a bad thing.