All I can say is....

......ITS ABOUT FRIGGAN TIME!

I know I'm a little late to the game regarding the new (old) schedule news but this was an absolute no brainer.

Look I don't mind watching division games but 8 times a year? Holy overkill batman. I do find it funny that all these media outlets are preaching this format they released as its some brand new schedule format when in fact its the exact same schedule format they used prior to the lockout.

Kudos to the NHL for finally listening to its fan base -- although I thought it was a crime they didn't vote this through last year as there were rumblings that GMs/Owners from the East put the kibosh on it because they didn't want to travel and that the league wanted to see what the outcome in Pittsburgh would be before addressing the schedule but that is neither here nor there now...

So for Jacket fans this is one less game at home where we have to stomach the local Red Wings fans (or turncoats as I like to call em) turning in their Jackets jerseys for a game to root for that other team up north. Its more opportunity to see teams from the East who feature starts like Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin (who will make his Columbus debut Feb 2nd - I'm not missing that one), Vincent Lecavlier (who leads the league in points) and Ilya Kovalchuk (who leads the league in goals). In fact a whopping 13 of the top 15 scorers in the league right now are from the Eastern conference.

There are also whispers around the league that the schedule may still be tweaked more. Word has is that NHLPA boss Paul Kelley and his players are in favor of a proposal floated by the Red Wings of an 84 game schedule *if* the preseason is limited to 5 games max. That would enable the division to play each other 6 times, then 3 games with out of division conference opponents and then a home at home with every team in the East. It would also save season ticket holders money on needless preseason games most don't attend anyways. Sounds like a no-brainer to me. Some would argue that only 3 games against the rest of the conference isn't "weighty" enough - I would argue that no matter what the best teams are going to rise to the top and that its worth the trade off to give fans the chance to see every player in the NHL (barring injury of course) at least once a year.

The NHL finally got this one right.

-LTL