The puck is finally down and the good times are rolling again in the NHL. With the ink still drying on the new collective bargaining agreement, here are 10 things to look for in this long-awaited 2012-13 season.
■ Unlike what emerged from the last lockout, we won’t be watching a New NHL. It’s the same game that was introduced for 2005-06, with the center ice red line deleted from the rule book and the overall emphasis on speed and hitting rather than playmaking and puck finesse. It’s that accent on the speed game that all but guarantees a mother lode of hamstring and groin injuries in the early going. Training camps lasted less than a week — not nearly enough to shake out the kinks.
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Anyone else had it with "Original 30"? On the other hand, Dupont did make it through one column without bashing Joe Thornton. Will wonders never cease?