NHL Notebook: Put Fans in CBA; Rating League's Best Coaches

With thousands of empty seats in NHL arenas almost every night, perhaps the league and the Players Association will think of the fans this time before agreeing to a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

They can start by writing in a minimum of 15 mandatory, annual personal appearances in the Standard Player's Contract.

You know how it has always worked: athletes and franchises only really show their love for fans when a labor-management dispute leads to a long work stoppage. Call it desperation. "We want you back so badly, we need you back so badly, we're ... we're ... uh, we're gonna sign a lot of autographs!"

No one is going to buy that line again, just like so many are not buying tickets for the first quarter of the 2010-11 NHL season. The Columbus Blue Jackets appear to be this season's easy target for the Attendance Police -- also known as the Chamber of Move 'em to Canada -- but the problem extends far beyond Ohio. It's possible I missed it, but I don't seem to recall the usual October league press release proclaiming 30 rinks sold to 99 percent capacity. This could be because one-third of the league isn't playing before anything close to standing-room-only crowds.

The NHL has become superb at the Big Idea -- the Winter Classic and vast internet platforms being the obvious examples -- but have the league and its member clubs succeeded at growing their individual businesses to strengthen the whole? There are sections of empty seats in Anaheim, Long Island, New Jersey, Atlanta, Columbus, Florida, Dallas, Tampa Bay, Phoenix and Colorado. This cannot just be about winning and losing; if it was, a 30-team league could never survive.

Hockey has some of the most gracious athletes in pro sports, and no one can say most NHL teams do not give back to charities in significant numbers. But most clubs also don't do nearly enough for their customers, their fans. Or, just as importantly, for prospective ticket-buyers. This goes for the teams not having much trouble selling out their rinks, and especially the franchises desperate enough to offer $100 face value tickets for $20 just 48 hours before the opening faceoff.

The Pittsburgh Penguins' organization is one of the few that gets it. On the final Saturday in September, the Penguins filled the new Consol Energy Center for a preseason game against the Blue Jackets. However, they didn't sell a single seat. Branding the event the "Ultimate Hockey Game," Mario Lemieux and his staff gave away 5,000 tickets to area college students, the Tickets for Kids Foundation, the Pennsylvania Amateur Hockey League and the Penguins Kids Club.

Want to grow the game? Make every player sign a contract mandating at least 15 two-hour appearances on behalf of the club in the community in a given year.
Wonderful. You could say the Penguins could make such a generous offer because they are operating in a position of strength -- winning team, profitable franchise, new arena. Or you could credit the Penguins for being a winning team, profitable franchise and community beacon because the team is run by smart people who take pride in their work.

Teams hardly ever take the time to thank their current fans and attempt to create new ones like the Penguins did. Part of the reason is that the NHL season and offseason are so crammed, the game's leaders and star attractions are too busy and tend to forget what makes the entire enterprise possible -- the fans.

Before it's too late in some cities, the league and its teams need to reach out to the public more often and with more sincerity. Don't just leave it up to the game's top good guys to do all the player appearances, all the selling. Want to grow the game? Make every player sign a contract mandating at least 15 two-hour appearances on behalf of the club in the community in a given year. The boys can handle the workload. Most will be happy to do it.

After that quick negotiation in the CBA, the heads of the league and the union can get to work on ticket prices. Contrary to what the owners sold us last time, the salary cap did not lead to a cap on the cost of seats to a game. It's incredible that such smart businesspeople seem to ignore the basic principle of supply-and-demand when it comes to owning their hockey teams. In the buildings where there is plenty of inventory, a partnership to make sure at least 5,000 seats for every game are affordable for the average fan sounds about right.

The customers could use a bargain out of the next Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Magnificent 7: Head Coaches

It's a little early to canonize Guy Boucher, Scott Arniel and Davis Payne, despite the strong starts to their careers. Just one man's view of the best coaches currently leading NHL teams.

1. Mike Babcock, Detroit Red Wings: Knows how to handle stars, refuses to coddle young players until they've earned the respect of their coaches and teammates. Babcock (right) is a unique soul. The fact that few seem to know what he's really thinking works wonderfully for him.

2. Joel Quenneville, Chicago Blackhawks: The defending Cup champion coach has the perfect persona for today's NHL. He's a rare combination of teacher, role model and motivator. And when he has to be, Quenneville will turn angry to send a message.

3. Peter Laviolette, Philadelphia Flyers: Ended the Islanders' long playoff drought in his first season as an NHL head coach. Led the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup in his first full season with them. Inherited the deep, but freefalling Flyers midseason and led them to the Stanley Cup Final. Tough to argue against facts.

4. Dave Tippett, Phoenix Coyotes: His resuscitation of the Coyotes on short notice was not just the best coaching performance of last season. It was one of the best in this generation.

5. Barry Trotz, Nashville Predators: No coach has done more with less over the last decade, and Trotz has done it quietly in the same franchise. If the Predators ever decide to make a change, Trotz would be unemployed for less than a week. He's the Jeff Fisher of the NHL.

6. Todd McLellan, San Jose Sharks: No-nonsense and ego-free, McLellan gets results while treating everyone with class. Look how he turned around Dany Heatley's image in one season in San Jose. McLellan must prove he can coach the skilled Sharks to a title, but he's got some time ... like a year or two.

7. Lindy Ruff, Buffalo Sabres: Even more than the Trotz-David Poile relationship, Buffalo GM Darcy Regier's working partnership with Ruff is the envy of managers across the league. Let's see how they persevere through what could be a tumultuous season for the low-budget Sabres.

Hero of the Week

"Campbell For Kids," the foundation run by Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell, continues to do exceptional work to raise funds for autism charities. Campbell will host his second annual Texas Hold 'Em tournament on Jan. 18 at Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Ind. Details can be found at www.campbellforkids.com.

"Once I signed my free-agent contract with Chicago, I wanted to start my own charitable foundation as a way of giving back," Campbell told NHL FanHouse earlier this week. "Foundations take a while to get operating, and so does going about fundraising the right way, but I'm glad I did it."

Last year's poker tournament raised $100,000 for autism charities, including Autism Speaks and the Beard School in Chicago. "Autism is an important cause and these charities can really use the funds," said the defenseman.

Bravo to Brian Campbell. As he said, the establishment of a personal charitable foundation takes time and money. But there's no reason why dozens more of well-compensated NHL players cannot start their own.

Dump-Ins

-- We see it time and time again in hockey; a team loses one of its go-to stars and -- at least for a few weeks -- inexplicably starts to win more than you'd expect. The Devils beating the Blackhawks in Chicago on Wednesday after learning they'd be without Zach Parise (torn meniscus) for three months was typical. Don't be surprised, especially with the return of Anton Volchenkov, if New Jersey finds an identity and hangs in the playoff race while Parise is out.

-- It's a credit to the rebuilding Edmonton Oilers that they may finish in the bottom three in the West -- and maybe the entire league -- but every pro scout I know makes a point of watching their games. Not necessarily to scout, but for the pure fun of it.

-- More good news for the retooled Tampa Bay Lightning: Brett Connolly, a risky pick in June at sixth overall because of a lingering hip ailment, is healthy and has scored 14 goals in his first 17 games with Prince George of the WHL.

-- As Tim Thomas continues to rack up the shutouts, Dennis Seidenberg should get more notice. He is a pure stay-at-home defenseman who does everything to keep opposing snipers off the scoresheet. The downside to Seidenberg's selfless shot-blocking is usually an annual appearance on the injured list. The Bruins need him healthy for the playoffs this season.

-- I wonder how many teams regret not buying into the Jaroslav Halak sweepstakes at the cost of a pair of young, bottom-six forwards. The steal of the summer for John Davidson and Doug Armstrong.

-- NHL Elite Four -- 1. Los Angeles 2. Washington 3. Detroit 4. Tampa Bay

-- NHL Bottom Four -- 27. Florida 28. New Jersey 29. Edmonton 30. Buffalo.

-- Today's Three Stars -- 1. Stan Jonathan 2. Garry Howatt 3. George McPhee