Pierre LeBrun at ESPN.com has a fascinating proposal this morning.
Stealing A Page From Major League Baseball: The NHL Summer Meetings?
↵↵I suggest we gather all 30 NHL front office staffs, player agents and media in a hotel June 29-July 3 and let the fireworks go off baby. Buzz city!
↵[...]
↵The start of NHL free agency is July 1, but there is a lot of chatter on June 29-30 as teams try to re-sign players before the market opens.
↵Somebody please tell me how this is isn’t a great idea?
↵↵This is basically identical to what Major League Baseball is doing this week with their widely publicized Winter Meetings. The hype and attention that the event brings to baseball is second to none. During an otherwise quiet time of the baseball year, SportsCenter and the Internets are abuzz with MLB rumors. I mean, seriously, major news outlets are liveblogging the events. Why shouldn’t the NHL steal a page from baseball’s book and start up the “NHL Summer Meetings?”
↵Gary Bettman and company would be smart to give themselves a similar platform. Besides, it’s no secret that, as one agent told LeBrun, “the best way to consummate deals is, and always has been, face to face.” Putting everybody in the same hotel for three days would likely boost the amount of activity surrounding the opening of free agency on July 1, and hockey could gain some exposure at the same time.
↵Mr. Lebrun, it is a great idea.
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