Dallas Stars Daily Links: Jim Lites Disappointed With Delay In Realignment

by Erin Bolen on Jan 7, 2012 8:30 AM CST in Dallas Stars Daily Links

The hockey world erupted late Friday evening after news came down that the NHLPA had not approved the NHL's realignment plan by the Jan. 6 deadline, effectively shelving the plan for next season.

Understandably, the Stars upper management was disappointed to hear the news.

"It's very disappointing,'' Stars president and CEO Jim Lites said. "We said when this was passed that we might be the team most excited by the change, so now we're probably one of the teams most disappointed."

Lites had a lot more to say to ESPN Dallas, talking about how disappointed the fans were and reiterating the time zone problems that plague Dallas in the Pacific Division.

The only Stars player to have a public comment, at least that I saw, was Jamie Benn. He briefly retweeted Daryl Reaugh's comment, but he has since deleted that retweet.

After the jump, more on the realignment mess, a look ahead to this afternoon's game against the Edmonton Oilers and the best way to replace a pane of glass, maybe ever.

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For those of you who enjoy the dualing news release spin, here's both the NHL's and the NHLPA's releases about the realignment decision. [DallasNews.com/DallasNews.com]
Not to forget about today's afternoon contest with the banged-up Edmonton Oilers, Mark Stepneski gets you prepared with all the news and numbers. [ESPN Dallas]
And here is Heika's paywalled story about some of the line changes from last game, starting with the fun recap of how Steve Ott took on his stick after the penalty shot against the Nashville Predators. [DallasNews.com]
Even now, many years after the Stars acquired Mike Ribeiro from the Montreal Canadiens for the venerable Janne Niinimaa, there are those out there who think he's a soft, showy, me-first type of player. And while I might agree with the showy, he's worked very hard to change the rest of that reputation. [DallasNews.com]
A little offshoot of the Ribeiro story came from the Stars official website, though I kind of doubt they planned it this way. They offered a fun Friday feature about why some players still don't wear visors and why several notable holdouts finally put them on this year. [DallasStars.com]
I don't have nearly as much against the loser point as some folks in the hockey world. The business side of the game is probably its biggest fan, as Adam Proteau details here. [The Hockey News]
The ownership drama has moved onto another team now, as the St. Louis Blues are back up for sale and in an exclusive negotiating windown with Tom Stillman. [SB Nation]
Meet the enemy, part the first: Among the many injured players for the Edmonton Oilers, Ryan Whitney will remain out of the lineup for today's game, and the more recently injured Tom Gilbert is likely also out. [Slam! Sports]
Meet the enemy, part the second: Partially because of all those injures, the Oilers are not the most sound defensive team in the league this season. [Edmonton Journal]
Around the Pacific Division: Even the Anaheim Ducks are getting in on the "everyone gets points" act, finally breaking out of their slump with a 4-2 win over the New York Islanders. [Los Angeles Times]
With all the broken glass the Stars are responsible for this year (seriously. Stephane Robidas broke another pane in Friday's practice), they might just have to resort to this Czech league technique by the end of the season. [Puck Daddy]
Sheldon Souray talks about how his recovery from a mild high ankle sprain is coming along as well as the legendary conditioning practices injured Stars have to go through to get back on the ice.

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Comments

Some PA rep probably told Benn to take it down… Fehr is trying to destroy another sport like he and miller did to baseball

by can we get hatcher back on Jan 7, 2012 8:42 AM CST via mobile reply actions

+1

by EddieRules on Jan 7, 2012 10:39 AM CST up reply actions

That was my first thought when I read it as well. The NHLPA is trying to keep the troops in line.

Texas Rangers - back-to-back American League Champions
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by TracyJean on Jan 7, 2012 11:16 AM CST up reply actions

The NHLPA is so overly proactive . . .

I feel certain they would require extensive studies into the long term social and physiological effects as well as the reduced income for the extra effort required affecting the NHL backup goaltenders for having to hold the table as well as doing exhaustive research as to the proper style of table used and, also, determining if save percentage of the goaltender would be effected by the stoppage of pucks per game.

by Cowpokealong on Jan 7, 2012 11:01 AM CST reply actions

lol....needed the laugh after last night.

Unions have their uses, and I do belong to one (which is working on something for me at this time), but the union represents me on my terms. I do not bow down to all their positions (especially when it comes to politics).

And when you add Donald Fehr into the mix, who played a huge part in almost destroying baseball in 1994…..when I first heard he was “helping” the NHLPA out (before he was officially hired), the warning bells started going off in my head. They’re now clanging loudly like the bells at St. Peter’s Basilica after a new pope is selected.

Texas Rangers - back-to-back American League Champions
TracyJean1972: YouTube channel
@TracyJean: Twitter account

by TracyJean on Jan 7, 2012 11:22 AM CST up reply actions

After reading more

I’m more upset at the NHL than Donald Fehr or the NHLPA. The NHL KNEW this was going to happen, but still proclaimed it like it was a done deal anyway. Why WOULDN"T the NHLPA hang on to every possible bargaining chip they could, going into the CBA negotiations? We were used by the NHL as a PR tool against the NHLPA to take that chip away or make it a less valuable chip. Pure Logic would have been to include realignment in the overall CBA framework instead of trying to force it on the players.

by Jeff D on Jan 7, 2012 11:05 AM CST reply actions