Just Wondering....What Do the Maple Leafs Owners Truly Believe About the Ongoing Labor Talks? - Mike Langlois at Vintage Leaf Memories

If there was no cap, there would be no way for ownership to pretend. Leaf fans in the current climate would insist on the best squad money could buy. The owners would have to make the market attractive to any prospective NHL player looking for a possible home. (Again, as I’ve said before, I believe GM’s in Toronto have always wanted to win. I’m not one hundred per cent certain ownership from the early 1970s on has always had the same objective, though…)
Am I being contradictory? Yes, for sure. I hate these ridiculously high salaries. To me, athletes simply do not deserve them, but in a world where entertainment helps keep us all a little less stir-crazy, we fans enable a system where these guys all think they deserve to make millions upon millions year after year so they and their great, great, great grand-children can be be "secure". But I’m just as annoyed with the silliness of the league owners, who cry poor and then (sometimes for legitimate reasons, like feeling the pressure to be competitive) spend silly money on players.

I have to think that the new ownership isn't all too happy with their brand new investment possibly making no money in their first year of owning the club.

Links after the jump.

Leafs Links

Expectations for 2012-13*: Playoffs vs. Lottery

Lottery all the way.

Markham Arena Developer Defends Economic Model

Gonna get all that non-sports related revenue...in Markham.

Michael Sauer Still Hasn't Recovered from Phaneuf Hit

Man that sucks.

Other Links

What It's Like to Play Hockey in Australia

I think I hear a dingo eating your goalie.

From The Branches