NHL Betting Picks and Odds

2006-02-09T22:07:00.000-08:00

Winter Olympics Preview: Men’s Ice Hockey

by: Regisuzuki

The Canadians enter the Torino tournament not only as the defending champions but also as the undisputed kings of international hockey. This is a deep, gritty, experienced team that will feature no fewer than six team captains on the roster; the team returns 18 players from the World Cup of Hockey and 10 from Salt Lake City.

Meanwhile, the Americans have neither fully embraced a youth movement nor gone completely retro in assembling their roster. Can being somewhere in the middle between yesterday and tomorrow yield a medal? For a team with question marks about its ability to score and even bigger question marks between the pipes, the answer is not likely.

The Russians will be able to ice three lines of potent scorers and should be able to open up games. If the team can come together under a new generation of stars and accept different roles than they play in the NHL, the Russians will be in the hunt for gold. Although the team is filled with offensive talent, this isn’t an All-Star Game. There will be questions about the Russians’ toughness and ability to grind it out against more physical opponents like Finland, Canada and the United States. [...] Winter Olympics Preview: Men’s Ice Hockey

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NHL marquee matchup: Crosby, Ovechkin vie for bragging rights

2005-11-21T23:55:00.000-08:00

With a free-flowing game that reminds many of the high-flying 1980's and early 90's, many fans have commented that the National Hockey League has turned back the clock. And when you re-wind back to those days, the biggest question of that period was: "Who's better: Wayne Gretzky or Mario Lemieux?"

Call it a stroke of luck or kismet, but this new NHL era has its own budding "Who's Better" debate. The only difference is that the names have been replaced by a pair of wunderkinds in Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin.

Pittsburgh Penguins' fans, who are already enjoying one of the greatest shows in professional sports - the debut season of rookie sensation Crosby - get to double up on the fun when the Penguins host the Washington Capitals and Ovechkin in Mellon Arena.

The pair have joined in a spirited race for the Calder Memorial Trophy that goes to the NHL rookie of the year. Crosby gained a short advantage when he captured the award for the October NHL Rookie of the Month.

Crosby leads in overall scoring, but Ovechkin has more goals. Crosby has 10 goals and 15 assists in 21 games, while Ovechkin has 15 goals and six assists in 20 games. Curiously, while Crosby is said to have the better all-around game, including good defensive skills, Ovechkin has him beat so far, racking up a minus-3 record compared to Crosby's minus-6.

Ovechkin and Crosby have continued their torrid pace through the first three weeks in November. Crosby has picked up his goal scoring and has scored 10 goals and 15 assists in 21 games, while Ovechkin had 15 goals and six assists for 21 points in 20 games. The Ovechkin-Crosby rookie rivalry wouldn't have occurred were it not for last season's labor strife. Ovechkin, 20, was the first pick overall in the 2004 Entry Draft while Crosby, 18, went first in June's 2005 Entry Draft. Under normal circumstances, Ovechkin would be in his second season.

Special-teams time is a sure measure of a coach's confidence in a young player. Crosby leads all rookies with 11 power-play points, while Ovechkin is close behind with nine. Phaneuf also has nine power-play points while Vorobiev has eight and Buffalo' Tomas Vanek has seven.

NHL Hockey Betting Game Odds: Bodog
Odds to win the 2005 / 2006 Stanley Cup:
Philadelphia Flyers 2/1
Pittsburgh Penguins 30/1
Detroit Red Wings 6/1
Ottawa Senators 7/2
Toronto Maple Leafs 30/1
Prediction: Crosby will win the battle of the NHL rookies. Crosby will score a goal while dishing out an assist helping the Penguins to a victory over the Capitals.
For more NHL Betting Tips, Scores, Odds and Lines, just click here: PinnacleSports or Oasis Sportsbook. Other top NHL rumors, hockey betting news, NHL injury reports and predictions are available at NHL Betting Picks.
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Technorati: NHL, Hockey, NHL Hockey, NHL Lockout, Sidney Crosby, Wayne Gretzky , Detroit Red Wings, 2005 NHL, NHL 2005, National Hockey League

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Shining Star: This Sidney Crosby kid is no shrinking violet, that's for sure

2005-11-14T23:59:00.000-08:00

This Sidney Crosby kid is no shrinking violet, that's for sure.

If anyone harbored any doubt Crosby wouldn't be a star in the NHL, those thoughts were mercifully put to rest Monday night when the 18-year-old wunderkind helped the Pittsburgh Penguins down the New York Rangers, 3-2, at Madison Square Garden.

The trip to the Garden marked Crosby's first venture to the Big Apple, but you wouldn't have known if from watching him play. Crosby was calm, cool and collected playing before the bright lights of the big city and 18,200 fans who weren't interested in seeing him excel.

After Mario Lemieux got his team on the board at 15:20 of the first, Crosby took center stage and put the Penguins up 2-0 on a beautiful shake-and-bake goal that left Rangers goalie Kevin Weekes woozy.

Before the Penguins made his dreams come true by drafting him No. 1 overall this summer, Crosby capped a legendary junior career in 2004-05 by leading all Canadian Hockey League players with 168 points (66 goals, 102 assists) in 62 games. He also earned CHL MVP honors; led Rimouski Oceanic to the Memorial Cup Final, where he topped all tournament scorers with six goals and five assists in five games, and was Team Canada's fourth-leading scorer (6-3-9 in six games) in its gold medal-winning performance at the 2005 World Junior Championships in Grand Forks.

Crosby notched points in nine of the first 11 NHL games he played, including the first six of his career. He tallied his first NHL point, an assist on a Recchi power-play goal, in his first NHL game against the Devils on Oct. 5. Crosby lit the lamp for the first time in his NHL career only three days and two games later, when he potted a goal and added two assists in a 7-6 overtime loss against the Boston Bruins on Oct. 8 in Pittsburgh.

With less than two minutes left in the second period and Pittsburgh clinging to a one-goal lead, Crosby took a feed from defenseman Ric Jackman at the top of the right circle in the Rangers' zone and dipsy-doodled his way down the middle towards the net and slipped a quick wrister through the legs of Weekes, all the while with Rangers forward Martin Straka draped all over him.

Speaking of history, Crosby may well be on his way to making it, as the rookie's numbers are on par with some of the greats of the game after his first month in the League. In his first 15 NHL games, Crosby has five goals and 14 helpers. In a like manner, the NHL's all-time leading scorer, Wayne Gretzky, recorded 20 points off six goals and 14 assists in his first 15 NHL games with Edmonton, while Lemieux notched 19 points off four goals and 15 assists in the same number of games during his freshman campaign with Pittsburgh.

Not bad company to be in when you're only 18!

NHL Hockey Betting Game Odds: Bodog
Odds to win the 2005 / 2006 Stanley Cup:
Philadelphia Flyers 3/1
Pittsburgh Penguins 28/1
Detroit Red Wings 7/1
Ottawa Senators 9/2
Toronto Maple Leafs 25/1
For more NHL Betting Tips, Scores, Odds and Lines, just click here: PinnacleSports or Oasis Sportsbook. Other top NHL rumors, hockey betting news, NHL injury reports and predictions are available at NHL Rumors and Online Hockey News.
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Technorati: NHL, Hockey, NHL Hockey, NHL Lockout, Sidney Crosby, Wayne Gretzky , Detroit Red Wings, 2005 NHL, NHL 2005, National Hockey League

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NHL Power Rankings: Red Wings still the team to beat

2005-11-02T23:59:00.000-08:00

While many teams have gone back and forth between wins and losses, the Detroit Red Wings are still the team to beat in the NHL.

The Red Wings are off to their best start in team history (11-1-0) and the best for any team since Pittsburgh opened 11-0-1 during the 1994-95 season. Plus, no other NHL team has more than eight wins. And with Chris Osgood back in the mix, Detroit has a solid 1-2 punch in net with starter Manny Legace.

Other notable moves this week come from Carolina Hurricanes. Behind the league's leading scorer Eric Staal (yes, you're reading it right), the Hurricanes are now tied with Montreal for the Eastern Conference lead and now make our Top 10.

Top Ten NHL Power Rankings:

1. Detroit Red Wings - Eight straight wins - one for each octopus arm. Not only do the Wings have a solid starter in Manny Legace, but they also have Chris Osgood back in the lineup. Detroit is off to a franchise-best start and no one has come close to their dominance.

2. Ottawa Senators - Senators feast on Leafs. Well, the Sens didn't stay perfect, but they posted two big wins against Montreal (in OT) and Toronto (an 8-0 romp). Oh, and think Dany Heatley has found his game? Four goals in that romp and he's riding a 10-game points streak.

3. Nashville Predators - Dealing with first bit of adversity: OT loss, regulation loss. No, Nashville didn't stay perfect either, but they lost to streaky Columbus and struggling Edmonton. Not quite like the competition in the Northeast Division. The Preds are also struggling on the power play, going 3-for-19 in those two losses.

4. Vancouver Canucks - Going strong before back-to-back losses to Colorado. Despite two straight losses in Colorado, the Canucks remain neutral. Those games were filled with emotion. Now, the test comes as Vancouver tries to snap its first losing skid of the season. With their next two at home, the Canucks could go 7-0-0 at GM Place.

5. Montreal Canadiens - Better on road (5-0-1-0) than home (3-3-0-0). After a convincing win over the Rangers, one that evened a home-and-home vs. the Rangers, the Canadiens stay put despite an inconsistent performance.

6. Carolina Hurricanes - NHL top scorer Eric Staal (nine goals, 22 points) leads 5-0 surge. The Hurricanes make the biggest jump after five straight wins. Ironically, in the last four, they've fought back from two-goal deficits.

7. Los Angeles Kings - Top guns Demitra, Frolov and Brown played during lockout. It shows. And rookie goalie Jason Labarbera continues to stand on his head. The schedule gets tougher for L.A. this month.

8. New York Rangers - This is how the other half won while they squandered millions. Outside of a letdown vs. Montreal, things are status quo for the Blueshirts. How long can they keep this up?

9. Tampa Bay Lightning - Defending champs showing life in three-game win streak. But will it last? Games vs. Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens and the New York Rangers await over the next 10 days.

10. Philadelphia Flyers - Healthy Forsberg, speedy Gagne keep Flyers aloft. With a couple of wins, including the moral booster vs. Ottawa over the weekend, The Flyers eke their way into the top 10.

NHL Hockey Betting Game Odds: Bodog

Odds to win the 2005 / 2006 Stanley Cup:
Philadelphia Flyers 3/1
Pittsburgh Penguins 28/1
Detroit Red Wings 7/1
Ottawa Senators 9/2
Toronto Maple Leafs 25/1
For more NHL Betting Tips, Scores, Odds and Lines, just click here: PinnacleSports or Oasis Sportsbook. Other top NHL rumors, hockey betting news, NHL injury reports and predictions are available at NHL Betting Picks.

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Technorati: NHL, Hockey, NHL Hockey, NHL Lockout, Sidney Crosby, Wayne Gretzky , Detroit Red Wings, 2005 NHL, NHL 2005, National Hockey League

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Amidst the tumult, Detroit remains Hockeytown

2005-10-26T23:59:00.000-07:00

If you thought the League's new salary cap looked a lot like the bill on the Red Wings' high-priced excellence coming due, better think again.

With the exception of Derian Hatcher and Darren McCarty, General Manager Ken Holland found a way to keep the core of his team together, and that means it's still hard to differentiate the Red Wings' roster from an All-Tournament team at the Olympics.

The new NHL has been a different animal, with roster upheaval, shootouts, and wide-open play, but one thing that hasn't changed is the Red Wings' place in the standings. After a 6-1-0 start, Detroit found itself in its familiar perch atop the Western Conference standings.

Hockeytown? Hockeyworld sometimes seems more apropos when you have a lineup that includes world-class players from Canada (Steve Yzerman, Brendan Shanahan), the United States (Chris Chelios, Mathieu Schneider), Sweden (Nicklas Lidstrom), and the Czech Republic (Robert Lang).

But that group ranges in age from 34 (Lang), to 43 (Chelios), which means that the Wings who are still a little green are on the verge of becoming more important than the ones that are starting to gray.

Enter 27-year-old Pavel Datsyuk (Russia) and 25-year-old Henrik Zetterberg (Sweden), two skilled forwards who have been playing on a line together of late. Both players figure to benefit greatly from the NHL's new rules. Datsyuk and Zetterberg aren't recognizable enough to be featured above the title with the veteran stars, but their production will go a long way toward determining whether or not the Red Wings remain a marquee team.

A half an hour after a recent game day skate in Los Angeles, when most of the Wings' familiar faces had already boarded a bus, Datsyuk and Zetterberg were left to answer questions about the team's prospects, making it abundantly clear that the two now have prominent voices in that future.

Zetterberg, who has been likened to fellow Swede Peter Forsberg, has been the Red Wings' leading scorer with nine points in the team's first seven games. Fears in Detroit (and hopes elsewhere in the Western Conference) that the Wings would be brought back to the pack this year have not been given any credence inside the club's locker room.

It's suggested to Datsyuk that, given his relative youth, and the fact that he's coming off a 30-goal, 68-point season in 2003-2004, it might be his time to assume a more prominent role on the NHL's most prominent team.

After their fast start, a lot people believe in the Red Wings. Again.

NHL Hockey Betting Game Odds: Bodog
Odds to win the 2005 / 2006 Stanley Cup:
Philadelphia Flyers 9/2
Pittsburgh Penguins 10/1
Detroit Red Wings 10/1
Ottawa Senators 12/1
Toronto Maple Leafs 13/1
For more NHL Betting Tips, Scores, Odds and Lines, just click here: PinnacleSports or Oasis Sportsbook. Other top NHL rumors, hockey betting news, NHL injury reports and predictions are available at NHL Betting Picks.
for more FIFA World Cup Soccer Betting Tips, Odds, Picks and Predictions, click here: World Cup Betting

Technorati: NHL, Hockey, NHL Hockey, NHL Lockout, Sidney Crosby, Wayne Gretzky , Detroit Red Wings, 2005 NHL, NHL 2005, National Hockey League

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NHL schedules huge opening night

2005-09-22T12:17:00.000-07:00

The coolest game on Earth is back! The busiest night in the National Hockey League's 88-year history will kick off the 2005-06 season.

Knowing that hockey fans are eagerly awaiting to see their favorite temas and players in action, the NHL has scheduled 15 games - including all 30 clubs - on opening night Oct. 5. Before the lockout that wiped out all of last season, the record for games in a day was 14, done nine times but not since 2003.

Games slated for opening night include an all-Ontario showdown with the Ottawa Senators visiting the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Also on opening day, the Edmonton Oilers host the Colorado Avalance, the Calgary Flames visit the Minnesota Wild, the Montreal Canadiens play a road contest with the Boston Bruins, and the Vancouver Canucks welcome the Phoenix Coyotes.

Stanley Cup champions Tampa Bay Lightning begin the year at home against the Carolina Hurricanes. The NHL announced it would use a new, unbalanced, schedule featuring more intra-division games to hopefully promote stronger rivalries.

Under the new schedule, teams will play eight games against each of its four division rivals instead of six. Each club also will play four games against each of the 10 non-division clubs in its conference, plus 10 interconference games - five at home against teams in a designated division and five on the road against teams in another division.

For interconference play in 2005-06, Northeast Division clubs will host the Pacific Division and visit the Northwest; Atlantic Division clubs will host the Northwest and visit the Central, and Southeast Division clubs will host the Central and visit the Pacific. Divisional assignments will rotate annually.

The NHL will take a two-week break from Feb. 13-27 so players can represent their countries at the 2006 Winter Olympics. As a result, there will not be an all-star game. The regular season will finish on April 18 and the Stanley Cup playoffs will begin three nights later. The last possible date for Game 7 of the finals is June 19.

NHL Hockey Betting Game Odds: Bodog
Odds to win the 2005 / 2006 Stanley Cup:
Philadelphia Flyers 9/2
Pittsburgh Penguins 10/1
Detroit Red Wings 10/1
Ottawa Senators 12/1
Toronto Maple Leafs 13/1
For more NHL Betting Tips, Scores, Odds and Lines, just click here: PinnacleSports or Oasis Sportsbook. Other top NHL rumors, hockey betting news, NHL injury reports and predictions are available at NHL Betting Picks.

for more FIFA World Cup Soccer Betting Tips, Odds, Picks and Predictions, click here: World Cup Betting

Technorati: NHL, Hockey, NHL Hockey, NHL Lockout, Mark Messier, Wayne Gretzky , Detroit Red Wings, 2005 NHL, NHL 2005, National Hockey League

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The Moose is now gone: Messier calls it quits after 25 NHL seasons

2005-09-19T22:35:00.000-07:00

The NHL's changing of the guard continued as Mark Messier retired after a quarter-century of duty. Messier, 44, leaves with six Stanley Cups, 1,887 points and a legacy of leadership. His new hockey address will be the Hall of Fame.

Messier joins Scott Stevens, Al MacInnis, Vincent Damphousse and James Patrick in retiring on the eve of training camp, ending distinguished careers put on hiatus last season by the lockout. In his heyday, Messier cruised the ice like a shark. There was raw power mingled with a mean streak. He wielded power on and off the ice, taking on opponents and owners alike.

After bosom buddy Wayne Gretzky was traded to Los Angeles, Messier stepped up and led the Oilers to another Stanley Cup in 1989-90 - his fifth. But he left Edmonton in a dispute over money and went to New York for the 1991-92 season, helping restore Ranger pride. With Messier as captain, New York topped the league and won the Cup in '94, defeating the Canucks in seven games.

The ties that bind these former Oilers are strong. Messier, Lowe and Oilers teammate Paul Coffey were all grooms at Gretzky's wedding. Respect for Messier remains high, even though the Moose had slowed down in recent years.

The two-time league MVP (1990 and '92) leaves with 694 goals, 1,193 assists, 1,887 points and 1,910 penalty minutes in 1,756 games. He ranks second only to Gretzky in scoring. Messier says he will stay in hockey in some capacity, hopefully with the Rangers. His family also beckons - he just had a baby three weeks ago, adding to a family that already includes a two-year-old and an 18-year-old who is playing hockey in Texas.

The Rangers will retire Messier's number on Jan. 12, when the Oilers visit Madison Square Garden.

NHL Hockey Betting Game Odds: Bodog
Odds to win the 2005 / 2006 Stanley Cup:
Philadelphia Flyers 9/2
Pittsburgh Penguins 10/1
Detroit Red Wings 10/1
Ottawa Senators 12/1
Toronto Maple Leafs 13/1
For live Sports Betting Game Tips, Scores, Odds and Lines, just click here: PinnacleSports or Oasis Sportsbook.

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Technorati: NHL, Hockey, NHL Hockey, NHL Lockout, Mark Messier, Wayne Gretzky , Detroit Red Wings, 2005 NHL, NHL 2005, National Hockey League

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Sidney Crosby the latest 'next Gretzky'; Canadian teen is soon to be the NHL's No. 1 draft pick

2005-09-19T22:34:00.000-07:00

Before looking at the future of Sidney Crosby - the NHL's most ballyhooed prospect since Eric Lindros in 1991 â€“ check out the NHL's past for a little perspective.

Wayne Gretzky entered the NHL as an 18-year-old in 1979 and tied for the league scoring championship (with Marcel Dionne) at 137 points. Gretzky went on to lead the NHL in scoring for the next seven seasons, including four seasons of 200 points or more. Gretzky remains the only player in league history to crack the 200-point barrier.

Crosby has drawn comparisons to Gretzky because he has posted unreal numbers throughout his young career and shows an amazing ability to read the game and set up his teammates. However, the league has shown overexcitement in the past when it comes to finding "The Next One," including Lindros in 1991, Vincent Lecavalier in 1998 and Jason Spezza in 2001.

That said, Crosby is special. He is a two-time MVP of the Canadian Hockey League, and that's comparable to winning two Heisman trophies. He had 168 points in 62 games last season in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, winning the scoring title by 52 points.

Crosby has been on the NHL's radar since he was 7. At 14, he scored 95 goals and 193 points in 74 Midget games. He scored 72 goals and 162 points in 57 high school games with Minnesota superpower Shattuck St. Mary's. In his two seasons of major junior hockey, Crosby has 120 goals and 303 points in 121 games. He is the two-time MVP of major junior hockey.

He also is a defensively conscientious player, leading the league with a plus-78. Crosby's rapport with the media has helped net two major sponsors in Reebok and Gatorade (the Reebok deal has been reported at five years and $2.5 million). The NHL considers the bilingual phenom key to fixing the sport after the lockout.

Crosby is so coveted that teams pushed hard for an unweighted lottery to determine the order of this year's draft. The NHL wouldn't go that far, but it did allow every team at least one shot at Crosby. The draft order will be determined behind closed doors and announced Friday. Crosby might not be the next coming of Gretzky, but he is a very skilled player entering the NHL when the league is expected to open up the game.

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Technorati: NHL, Hockey, NHL Hockey, NHL Lockout, Colorado Avalanche, Wayne Gretzky , Detroit Red Wings, 2005 NHL, NHL 2005, National Hockey League

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Hockey's cold war is over

2005-09-19T22:33:00.000-07:00

For months there was nothing but bad news for the National Hockey League and its fans. On Wednesday there was finally a reason for celebration as the league and the NHL Players' Association announced a new collective bargaining agreement.

Both sides are expected to ratify the deal next week, ending a lockout that is in its 302nd day and cost the league and its fans the 2004-05 season.

While neither side discussed aspects of the deal publicly, details have surfaced about a bargaining agreement that looks like a Stanley Cup playoff win for the owners. Commissioner Gary Bettman got the link between player salaries and revenue that he gambled the 2004-05 season on. Payroll can't exceed 54 percent of revenues during the six-year agreement. This season, the salary cap range will be $21 million to $39 million.

The league is planning an entry draft, probably July 30 in Ottawa. A weighted lottery system will determine which team gets the first overall pick and the rights to 17-year-old phenom Sidney Crosby.

The lockout cost the league fan support and future television revenue when ESPN, in late May, declined an option to pay $60 million for the 2005-6 season, saying it would prefer to make a revenue-sharing deal rather than pay an upfront rights fee. The league refused, but will now be looking for a cable partner, whether it is ESPN or another network. Whether it can find one willing to pay a rights fee is questionable.

The NHL is considering major rules changes, the biggest of which is the addition of shootouts. If the rule is adopted, teams would play a shootout after an overtime period, and there would be no ties.

Regardless of its uncertain cable situation, the league does have a small, weekend-based broadcasting deal with NBC Universal Sports that involves sharing revenue after the network recoups production and distribution costs. And the lockout did not jeopardize the league's Canadian TV deals with the CBC and TSN.

The new agreement is expected to include changes intended to increase goals in a league that has become dominated by defensive teams with good goaltenders, a trend that has hurt the game's appeal. The changes could include smaller equipment for goaltenders and restrictions on their puck-handling, along with bigger nets and overtime shootouts.

The playoffs could also be altered, with 20 teams qualifying and the bottom four in each conference playing best-of-3 series.

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Technorati: NHL, Hockey, NHL Hockey, NHL Lockout, Colorado Avalanche, Wayne Gretzky , Detroit Red Wings, 2005 NHL, NHL 2005, National Hockey League

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NHL on its way back

2005-09-16T22:32:00.000-07:00

The NHL and the players' association have agreed in principle on a new collective bargaining agreement that will feature a hard salary cap linked to 54% of league revenue, a 24% rollback of existing contracts and qualifying offers, and a provision that will limit the salary of any single player to 20% of the team cap figure in any year.

The agreement, which is expected to be announced next week, also includes an NBA-style escrow provision under which 15% of each player's paycheck will go into an escrow account until revenue is calculated after each season. If league-wide spending on salaries exceeds 54% of revenue, the difference between the salaries paid and the negotiated percentage will be paid to teams from the escrow account. If teams spend less than 54%, the escrow money will revert to players.

Negotiators are estimating revenues The All-Star game will be dropped next season, mollifying owners who opposed repeated interruptions. Each team also will have an equal chance in the lottery for the No. 1 pick in this year's entry draft. Canadian forward Sidney Crosby, touted as the next Wayne Gretzky, will probably be the top prize.

Overall, the agreement is a resounding victory for NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, who locked players out Sept. 15 in an effort to bring about sweeping economic changes and achieve cost certainty for owners. The average NHL salary rose from $730,000 in 1994-95 to $1.83 million in 2003-04, but Bettman contended that revenue did not keep pace and that teams lost a collective $1 billion in the decade preceding the lockout.

The NHL, which became the first major professional sports league to lose an entire season to a labor dispute, will become the last of the major North American leagues to adopt salary controls. The agreement will be presented to the 10-member NHL executive committee in New York next week, and the Board of Governors will rubber-stamp it later that week.

Players will debate and vote at a meeting that could be contentious; if they approve, a 10-day period will begin for teams to sign players they drafted in 2003 and other players on their reserve lists. The season probably would start in early to mid-October.

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Technorati: NHL, Hockey, NHL Hockey, NHL Lockout, Colorado Avalanche, Wayne Gretzky , Detroit Red Wings, 2005 NHL, NHL 2005, National Hockey League

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NHL Betting Picks and Odds

NHL marquee matchup: Crosby, Ovechkin vie for bragging rights

Technorati: NHL, Hockey, NHL Hockey, NHL Lockout, Sidney Crosby, Wayne Gretzky , Detroit Red Wings, 2005 NHL, NHL 2005, National Hockey League

Shining Star: This Sidney Crosby kid is no shrinking violet, that's for sure

NHL Hockey Betting Game Odds: Bodog

Technorati: NHL, Hockey, NHL Hockey, NHL Lockout, Sidney Crosby, Wayne Gretzky , Detroit Red Wings, 2005 NHL, NHL 2005, National Hockey League

NHL Power Rankings: Red Wings still the team to beat

NHL Hockey Betting Game Odds: Bodog

Technorati: NHL, Hockey, NHL Hockey, NHL Lockout, Sidney Crosby, Wayne Gretzky , Detroit Red Wings, 2005 NHL, NHL 2005, National Hockey League

Amidst the tumult, Detroit remains Hockeytown

Technorati: NHL, Hockey, NHL Hockey, NHL Lockout, Sidney Crosby, Wayne Gretzky , Detroit Red Wings, 2005 NHL, NHL 2005, National Hockey League

NHL schedules huge opening night

Technorati: NHL, Hockey, NHL Hockey, NHL Lockout, Mark Messier, Wayne Gretzky , Detroit Red Wings, 2005 NHL, NHL 2005, National Hockey League

The Moose is now gone: Messier calls it quits after 25 NHL seasons

NHL Hockey Betting Game Odds: BodogOdds to win the 2005 / 2006 Stanley Cup:Philadelphia Flyers 9/2Pittsburgh Penguins 10/1Detroit Red Wings 10/1Ottawa Senators 12/1Toronto Maple Leafs 13/1For live Sports Betting Game Tips, Scores, Odds and Lines, just click here: PinnacleSports or Oasis Sportsbook.

Technorati: NHL, Hockey, NHL Hockey, NHL Lockout, Mark Messier, Wayne Gretzky , Detroit Red Wings, 2005 NHL, NHL 2005, National Hockey League

Sidney Crosby the latest 'next Gretzky'; Canadian teen is soon to be the NHL's No. 1 draft pick

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Technorati: NHL, Hockey, NHL Hockey, NHL Lockout, Colorado Avalanche, Wayne Gretzky , Detroit Red Wings, 2005 NHL, NHL 2005, National Hockey League

Hockey's cold war is over

For live Sports Betting Game Tips, Scores, Odds and Lines, just click here: PinnacleSports or BODOG.

Technorati: NHL, Hockey, NHL Hockey, NHL Lockout, Colorado Avalanche, Wayne Gretzky , Detroit Red Wings, 2005 NHL, NHL 2005, National Hockey League

NHL on its way back

For live Sports Betting Game Tips, Scores, Odds and Lines, just click here: PinnacleSports or BODOG.

Technorati: NHL, Hockey, NHL Hockey, NHL Lockout, Colorado Avalanche, Wayne Gretzky , Detroit Red Wings, 2005 NHL, NHL 2005, National Hockey League