Tonight is the championship hockey game for the next, foreseeable future. Tomorrow the NHL falls in on itself, similar to the Las Vegas casino that is collapsed, to make way for the new.

I am excited about the World Cup game tonight. I have faith in our Canadian team. This is in direct opposition to the Riders, who I no longer have any faith in. Finland has the hottest goalie around right now, but that alone, I don't think, is enough to stop Canada. Brodeur is the best goalie in hockey, even if Kiprusoff is the current bright star. I think we will win.

What I don't think we can win is the NHL labour crisis. And I put the blame for this on the shoulders of the NHLPA. The economics for their argument don't make sense. I would further suggest that you don't have to examine any books to come to that conclusion. When the arenas aren't full for every game, and the CBC is your main source of television revenue, you can't pay million dollar salaries to every player, and superstar money to grinders that have more more penalities than goals.

I think the answer to the NHL labor crisis can be distilled into one question. The answer to the question will illuminate who needs to make the concessions necessary to see hockey played this year, or any year to follow.

Does anyone think the players deserve to keep recieving salaries that are bankrupting the league?