Eurolanche

The Replacements

The what if´s of replacement players in the NHL has been flowing through the minds of fans lately. The lockout has now officially cancelled the rest of the preseason games, higher profile players starting to flock to European leagues. Fans are starting to worry about seeing another lost season much like the previous lockout of 2004. With this worry come ideas such as replacement players.

Replacements of any kind have been a hot topic in the sport world lately. With the NFL using replacement referees for the first couple week, albeit not in a successful manner. With many miss calls and game changing decisions coming from these men. It sent the NFL fan base into an uproar. The real referees are now back to work on the fields. With many people claiming that the horrid performance of the replacements forcing the NFL hand. This is causing many hockey fans to fancy the idea of having replacement players in hopes in would shorten the lockout. Thou for some they just want to see their team logo hit the ice.

Such talk often drives a wedge between fans. Separating once united fan bases into two separate parties. One side are the fans that love the players and just want to see their favorites it the ice no matter where it is. The other side of the coin is those fans that love the logo and don´t care who suits up as long as they can watch. Which side would you fall under if you were given the choice? Do you want to see Matt Duchene and the others play no matter what? Or do you want to see a team of replacements hit the ice at the Pepsi Center?

Before you fully commit to any side remember to ask yourself where these replacement players would come from. Not the AHL or any other minor league associations that is for certain. The NHL can´t just call up the minor team and go to town. Most likely any replacement players would be found in the form of undrafted players with no affiliation ever to the NHLPA. Which bring another interesting question to forward, would these players who jobs have been replaced by displaced NHLers come across and take the jobs? This would be a very bold move by the NHL to do such a thing. Would it put more pressure on the players to get a deal done and back to work, absolutely it would. Is it really worth the risk of lowering the standard of play and alienating the fans? That is a question for Gary Bettman and the NHL to ask. But only the fans can answer.