The discussions, which were described as appropriate earlier this week, have taken a bit of a turn with the news of the owners' recent proposal. The initial offer from the owners would call for a dramatic restructuring of the distribution of hockey-related revenue, shorten the maximum length of a contract to five years and institute a slew of other changes, according to Renaud Lavoie of RDS.

For starters, the owners want to take back a chunk of hockey-related revenue from the players. How much exactly? Well, the players are currently in control of 57 percent of that revenue, and the owners want to slash that number to 46 percent, which would immediately cut into players' salaries.

Next on the docket for the owners are those lengthy contracts players have been receiving. Under the owners' proposal, contracts would be limited to five years. This would eliminate teams using lengthy contracts to bring down a player's cap hit. The players won't be thrilled about this part of the proposal, but at least the owners are, for now, letting the players keep their guaranteed contracts, something NFL players are not afforded. Those five-year contracts would come without a signing bonus and with the same salary in every season, according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post.

The owners weren't as friendly when it comes to free agency. Players are already forced to wait until they are 27 years old, or have seven years of professional experience (in North America) before they can hit unrestricted free agency, but the owners are trying to push that to 10 years, which would take a bite out of the free agent market. The proposal also calls for an end to salary arbitration and extending entry-level contracts from three years to five years.

The list of demands is long and ambitious, but it's just a launching point for the discussions. The players aren't just going to roll over and accept this one-sided deal. In fact, the proposal shows just how far apart the two sides are.

But before hockey fans start panicking, fearing another lockout, it's worth noting that the NHL's current collective bargaining agreement is not set to expire until Sept. 15. The two sides still have time to come to an agreement.

After the NFL's talks came down to the wire last summer and the NBA missed the first two months of the regular season, another messy negotiation is well under way in the NHL. The league and its fans have felt this frustration before, which will make the coming months even more nerve-racking. The locked-out season of 2004-05 was a huge blow to the popularity of the league, but the league is finally starting to bounce back. Another lockout would be devastating.

The initial offer is ambitious, Gary Bettman and the owners are notoriously stingy, and plenty of issues need to be fixed in the current bargaining agreement. But time is still on hockey's side. A lockout isn't a done deal just yet.

Matt Hasselbeck has been firmly entrenched as the Titans' staring quarterback, leaving Locker to make do with repetitions with the second team offense.

But Locker isn't going to be kept quiet much longer. In fact, he's already splitting first team reps with Hasselbeck this year.

Starting in the preseason of his rookie year, Locker has looked impressive in the limited game action he has received. Locker finished the season with a 99.4 passer rating, four touchdowns and not a single interception.

His talent is evident. He has a strong arm, quick feet and play-making ability — all traits Hasselbeck lacks at this point in his career.

Hasselbeck may have a better grasp on Tennessee's offense, and his awareness and ability to break down coverage is better than Locker's. But his physical shortcomings are stunting the growth of the Titans offense.

This offense could be quite dangerous in a few years. First-round pick Kendall Wright joins Kenny Britt at wide receiver to give Tennessee a pair of formidable options at the position. Throw former 2,000-yard rusher Chris Johnson into the fold, and the Titans have explosive play-makers to turn to all over the field.

But the offense can't reach its true ceiling until the players form chemistry with one another. Hasselbeck is standing in the way of that.

Locker's first stint as an NFL starter won't be without bumps in the road, but those bumps are going to be there regardless of whether Locker starts this year or next. His talent is undeniable. He showed the ability to take the Titans to a different level offensively in his brief spurts of playing time last season. The Titans believed in him enough to make him the No. 8 pick overall last April. Why delay the inevitable? Let the kid play.

Tennessee may have a chance at the playoffs this season, and maybe Hasselbeck is a safer option at quarterback. But Hasselbeck is not going to help the Titans win a Super Bowl. Locker might.

Locker has learned all he can from the veteran. His next step is on the football field as a starting quarterback.

The competition between Locker and Hasselbeck will continue throughout training camp, but if Locker continues to perform like he has, the Titans won't have any choice but to start the youngster.

And then he blocked a shot, resulting in a broken bone in his foot. The budding power forward was injured again.

The broken foot came after van Riemsdyk spent 15 games on the mend with a concussion and missed another five games with a pulled muscle in his abdominal region. Add a lingering hip injury to the list, and the 2011-12 season was not going as planned.

It was supposed to be his breakout season. The Flyers had traded away Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, the team's two leading scorers, opening the door for van Riemsdyk and Claude Giroux to take the reigns in Philadelphia. The 23-year-old winger from New Jersey was supposed to carry the torch.

But injuries held him back, and trade rumors began to surface. He eventually made it back for the second round of the postseason against the New Jersey Devils. Though the Flyers were largely outclassed, van Riemsdyk's play was a bright spot. Again, he was showing the physical play, offensive aggressiveness and tools to live up to the hype that had surrounded him his entire career. His best hockey is surely ahead of him.

But it won't be played in Philadelphia. Saturday — exactly one year to the day after Paul Holmgren traded away Richards and Carter, making van Riemsdyk a cornerstone of his new roster — the Flyers general manager traded the former New Hampshire Wildcat to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for the similarly slow-to-develop Luke Schenn to bolster the blue line.

After all the patience the Flyers organization showed with their 2007 first round draft choice, they are going to have to sit and watch as he plays the best years of his career in Maple Leaf blue.

The injuries and slow development may have been frustrating for the Flyers' brass, but van Riemsdyk was steadily improving and will continue to do so. He is blessed with ideal size and has a lethal shot to go with sneaky speed. His 24 points in 43 games this season didn't do much to back up his talent, but he was also playing with lesser linemates against tougher defensive pairings than he saw during the 2010-11 season. Next year, in theory, van Riemsdyk could be playing between Joffrey Lupul and Phil Kessel, if the rumored switch to center becomes a reality. Playing alongside a pair of All-Stars would be a huge boost for van Riemsdyk.

Defensively, he could be better. And he will have to be if he does indeed play center in Toronto, but power forwards take time to develop. He is 23 years old and still developing as a player, both physically and mentally. Given a bit more time, van Riemsdyk could mold into a first line player. If his development slows, he has still proven to be a reliable top-six forward, which is nothing to scoff at.

Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke is taking a gamble with this trade, but top-six talent was needed up front in Toronto. As long as van Riemsdyk's progression continues, though, Burke should get the best years of the power forward's career.

Whatever the reason, Mikhail Grigorenko fell in the 2012 NHL Draft. Once considered a lock for the top five, Grigorenko waited until pick No. 12 to hear his name called, when the Buffalo Sabres gladly did him the honor.

Gringorenko's tumble was puzzling. Sure, he's Russian, and the threat of the KHL is always looming, but Grigorenko repeatedly stated that he was committed to playing in North America. And yes, Grigorenko struggled in the QMJHL Playoffs, but doesn't the kid get a break for playing through the postseason with a case of mono? With a little digging, the rumors of Grigorenko's age are also unfair, with no way to prove their accuracy.

Picking apart Grigorenko on the ice is a bit more warranted, though. He is known for having a spotty work ethic, and his lack of grit and willingness to go into the corners isn't an ideal trait. In that sense, Grigorenko has to mature. But in every other aspect of hockey, the Russian-born center is wise beyond his years.

The QMJHL had its hands full with Grigorenko this season. The 6-foot-3-inch playmaker collected 85 points in 59 games this season with the Quebec Remparts, displaying outstanding vision, hands and scoring touch throughout the year.

That's the type of production generally seen from top 10 picks, but the Sabres got their hands on Grigorenko later than expected after an early run that saw eight defensemen drafted in the first 10 selections.

Offensive prospects like Grigorenko don't grow on trees, and teams drafting in the top 10 may kick themselves once he develops. Despite his perceived baggage, Grigorenko presents as much upside as any prospect in this class. It wasn't long ago that debate was stirring over whether Grigorenko could pass Nail Yakupov and be the first player off the board.

Letting upside like Grigorenko's slip away is risky. And as a result of 11 teams taking that risk, the Sabres now have a stud center prospect to go with their 2011 first-round selection, Joel Armia, and their other first-rounder in 2012, Latvian forward Zemgus Girgensons.

Slowly but surely, the Sabres are piecing together a stable of forward prospects that will be tough to contain in a few years' time. Eastern Conference defensemen and goaltenders should be on notice.

Players get decked out in their best suits, the league's best personalities flood Las Vegas and this year plenty of intrigue surrounds the biggest awards to be handed out on Wednesday night.

For the Vezina Trophy, Jonathan Quick captivated the hockey world with his incredible string of play during the Los Angeles Kings' run to the Stanley Cup. But the voting committee will not soon forget Henrik Lundqvist's regular season dominance.

While Evgeni Malkin is a runaway for the Hart Trophy, the Norris Trophy is once again a hot debate. Erik Karlsson racked up tons of points, while Shea Weber and Zdeno Chara can each make a case for being the league's best blueliner.

Pavel Datsyuk has won the Selke Trophy as the NHL's best defensive forward in three of the last four seasons, but Patrice Bergeron may give him a run for his money with his league-best plus-36 this season.

And was Ken Hitchcock's turnaround with the Blues more impressive than Paul MacLean leading the Senators to the playoffs or John Tortorella helping the Rangers claim the top seed in the Eastern Conference?

Take a look at the predictions for all of the major awards, and be sure to tune in on Wednesday for what should be an entertaining end of the year celebration.

Click here to see predictions on this year's NHL Awards winners >>

A year after reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, the Tampa Bay Lightning came back to earth in 2011-12. Their goaltending situation was a big reason for their step backward.

Dwayne Roloson, whom the Lightning traded for in 2010, was not the same standout goalie that helped the team come within a game of the Stanley Cup Finals. Instead, he started just 31 games this season with a 3.66 goals against average. His backup, Mathieu Garon, wasn't much sturdier between the pipes, either.

The goaltending situation was priority No. 1 for general manager Steve Yzerman this offseason, and he wasted no time upgrading the position, trading for former Nashville Predators backup Anders Lindback, a 2008 seventh-round pick.

Lindback has performed well in limited NHL action but will now have the pressure of being a starting goalie in the National Hockey League. Considering the hefty trade package the Lightning had to put together, expectations will be reasonably high for the 24-year-old Swede. But as is the case with any young goaltender, patience is required for the Lightning to reap the benefits from this trade.

Any goaltender changing teams needs time to adjust, and that's especially true of Lindback, who has never been an NHL starter. He will be changing conferences, playing in a new defensive system and living in a new area. He'll need time to adjust to his workload and surroundings before tapping into his full potential.

But the potential is huge for the 6-foot-7-inch goaltender. Lindback plays a similar style to Pekka Rinne, the Vezina-nominated goaltender he backed up in Nashville, and he learned a ton from Rinne and goalie coach Mitch Korn. He plays aggressively but has refined technique, making the most of his massive frame.

He doesn't have much starting experience, though, and has had injury trouble in the past. This move is more about Lindback's enormous potential than it is about what he has accomplished in his NHL career.

Lindback has proven in the past that he can adjust quickly. He transitioned smoothly to the NHL, and the Lightning hope he adapts to the starter's role in a hurry.

Tampa Bay could have made a push for Roberto Luongo or another veteran goaltender this offseason, but Lindback offers long-term stability between the pipes, something the franchise has lacked in recent years.

With a bit of patience, the Lightning will reap the benefits of this trade for years to come.

Thumbnail via Facebook/Anders Lindback

Colt McCoy

On December 9, 2011, James Harrison delivered a blow to McCoy's head that effectively ended his time as a starting quarterback in the NFL.

McCoy stumbled in and out of the Week 14 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers but didn't start another game for the rest of the season. And now, he may not start another game in the NFL for a long time.

The Cleveland Browns selected Brandon Weeden, who is three years older than McCoy, with the 22nd pick of April's draft. 

That's not a great sign for McCoy's future.

The Browns have placed McCoy on the trading block, but his potential suitors will likely be looking at him as just a quality backup option. And that is where his future in the league lies.

Since bursting onto the scene as a rookie in 2010, McCoy has shown little in the way of long-term potential. McCoy's lack of arm strength is the most glaring obstacle facing him in his quest to find the top of another depth chart.

Certain throws are required of a legitimate starting quarterback in the NFL. McCoy can't make all of those throws, which limits the offensive play-calling. His 5.9 yards per attempt, which ranked 33rd in the NFL last season, shows his lack of arm strength.

McCoy's physical shortcomings are no secret, either. He was the fourth quarterback off the board in a somewhat uninspiring 2010 quarterback class. A star at Texas, McCoy wasn't highly thought of as a prospect due to his lack of height and arm strength.

But the Browns had faith in him and gave him a fair shot to start, which is all McCoy could have ever asked for. He didn't make much of his chance, though, going 6-15 as a starter, and those results make it unlikely that he will ever be anything more than a spot starter for the rest of his career.

Given the age of Weeden, the Browns have to move on with him under center immediately. McCoy won't fetch much on the trade market, but any value Cleveland can salvage is a bonus. Seneca Wallace will be able to provide plenty of stability at the backup quarterback spot as well, making McCoy even more expendable.

McCoy is never going to be a franchise quarterback in the NFL, and the Browns are wise to move on.

Thumbnail via Facebook/Colt McCoy

It's June, and the Sox are sitting in last place in the American League East with a record below .500, which is uncharted territory for a team that has finished third or better in the division every year since 1997.

Injuries have decimated the Red Sox' lineup, but that hasn't slowed down the offense much — Boston ranks in the top 10 for all major hitting categories. But the pitching staff is lagging behind considerably, ranking 28th in baseball with a 4.45 ERA.

Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz headline the Red Sox rotation, and all three have been to the All-Star game in their careers. And yet, each pitcher has an ERA over 4.00, and Buchholz is the only one with a winning record. The No. 4 starter, Felix Doubront, has actually been the most consistent Boston starter this season with a 6-3 record. But the inconsistency of the bullpen at times has made life even tougher on the Sox' rotation.

Beckett, Buchholz and Lester have all turned things around a bit, and each has delivered some quality starts, but it hasn't been enough. The Red Sox don't have an ace pitcher they can lean on. And with injuries to the lineup and bullpen, a No. 1 starter would do this team a lot of good.

Pitching is winning in the major leagues right now. The Washington Nationals gave the Sox a firsthand look at that over the weekend, sweeping Boston thanks to quality starts from Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez and Jordan Zimmermann.

The Red Sox could try to shore up their starting pitching on the market, but trading for quality is easier said than done. And even though the Red Sox have pieces to move, the answer to their pitching woes can be solved internally.

Between Beckett, Lester and Buchholz, the Red Sox have the makings of an elite rotation. Add in a healthy Daisuke Matsusaka and Doubront pitching the way he has this season, and the Red Sox have five quality starters. But they all need to pitch to their ability, and to do so consistently.

Bobby Valentine can't anoint an ace of the staff. The ace needs to emerge and take control of this rotation. The bullpen will get healthier over time, and the offensive production, which is among the best in the American League, should only improve once players return to the lineup.

But the Red Sox need to find consistency at the top of the rotation and throughout the pitching staff in order to get back to the winning ways they have become accustomed to.

Tim Thomas, who is entering the final year of his contract, posted on his Facebook page Sunday that he plans to take a break from hockey next season to focus on his friends, family and faith. A year removed from carrying the Bruins to a Stanley Cup, Peter Chiarelli also said Thomas is worn down.

After waiting until age 31 to get his break in the NHL and finally working his way into the league’s elite, Thomas is taking a step back from the game. But rather than retire out right, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner is simply taking a year off.

Even if Thomas had decided to retire instead of taking the year off, not much would change in terms of how this all affects the Bruins. Because he signed his contract after the age of 35, the Bruins are on the hook for his $3 million salary and $5 million cap hit.

The Bruins will now have no luck trading him, and his contract will limit the offseason moves the team can make. But what’s done is done. Thomas is moving on to focus on his family and whatever else he chooses, and the Bruins need to move on to the elite goaltender that is going to take his place.

Lucky for the Bruins, Tuukka Rask is a more than capable replacement for Thomas. Long considered the goaltender of the future, Rask will now be given the reins on a full time basis, and he’s ready for the increased role.

The last two seasons have been injury-riddled for Rask. He suffered through a knee injury during the 2010-11 season, and closed out an outstanding 2011-12 campaign with an abdomen injury just a month before the playoffs. Prior to the setback, Rask was outplaying Thomas.

Injuries aside, the Finnish netminder is talented and seasoned enough to start for the vast majority of NHL teams. While the 2009-10 season may have ended in an unceremonious exit from the playoffs, Rask started 39 regular season games, posting a 1.97 goals against average and .931 save percentage, proving himself capable of handling a full season of work.

The time is now for Rask to take it to the next level. With Thomas out of the picture, Rask will get a chance to settle into more of a rhythm, knowing he will start close to 60 games if healthy. At times in his career, Rask has shown lapses in focus, resulting in inconsistent play. But that lack of focus stemmed from his not knowing when he would play next, which won’t be an issue moving forward.

This is Rask’s team now. And he has the opportunity and ability to go from a backup one season to an elite, No. 1 goalie the next. The Bruins will have a strong defensive unit again next season, especially if Dougie Hamilton cracks the roster, and Anton Khudobin, who was recently signed to a one-way deal, will be able to spell Rask to keep him fresh. The situation is as close to ideal as Rask could ask for.

Thomas’ decision, however, is not ideal, but the Bruins are prepared to deal with it. And the team won’t miss the headache and distractions that accompanied Thomas this season with his Facebook postings and skipping out on the White House trip.

The Bruins have long awaited Tuukka Time, and it is finally here. Next season, Jack Edwards will get plenty of use out of his quirky phrase regarding the spelling of Rask’s first name: “Two U’s, Two K’s, Two Points.”

That pick was used on Rick Nash, the first and only face of the franchise Columbus has ever had.

Nash has since evolved into one of the best power forwards in hockey. Unfortunately, the Blue Jackets have not evolved with their all-time leading scorer, managing just a single postseason appearance since joining the league.

Now, Nash appears to be on his way out of Columbus, according to the Columbus Post Dispatch. The Blue Jackets are pursuing trade options for their 27-year-old superstar, who has amassed 547 career points with the club.

Things can’t get much worse in Columbus.

But where did it all go wrong?

Columbus has definitely had the draft picks to accumulate talent. In fact, the Blue Jackets have entered the offseason with a top 10 pick in 12 of the last 13 years. But they have very little to show for it.

Nikolay Zherdev, Derick Brassard and Nikita Filatov all haunt Jackets’ fans dreams, and the current roster is left in shambles as a result of that poor drafting.

The 2011-12 season may have been the worst they’ve seen in Columbus. General manager Scott Howson got aggressive last offseason, signing James Wisniewski and trading for Jeff Carter, instilling hope in the fan base.

That hope burnt out quickly, though. Carter and Wisniewski both suffered through injuries, providing the Jackets with very little production. By the trading deadline, less than a year after trading the No. 7 overall pick and Jakub Voracek to obtain him, Howson dealt Carter to the Los Angeles Kings and toyed with the idea of dealing Nash as well.

As the season drew to a close, the Jackets were at least favorites to land the No. 1 overall pick after finishing with the league’s worst record. And Nail Yakupov was just what the doctor ordered for a team in such disarray.

But as the story often goes in Columbus, the Jackets did not win the draft lottery. Could it get much worse?

For Blue Jackets fans, it has gotten worse.

Nash, the only success story the franchise has ever known, is back on the market, and his departure seems imminent, which will only further deplete the roster.

The Jackets are likely to get a big return for Nash, but this roster needs a ton of help. Draft picks will likely be included in the deal as well, but given Columbus’ draft luck and history, fans will be hesitant to get excited over picks.

Plus, how will the Blue Jackets handle the Nash trade negotiations? The front office has not done a ton to show much ability in this area, and the market for Nash will be very sensitive. First, he will have to approve the team to which he is traded, limiting the market. And then the team will have to be able to fit his $7.8 million cap hit under the salary cap and meet Columbus’ demands.

Will the Jackets settle for less just to deal Nash? Is dealing Nash going to solve anything?

It certainly seems like things can’t get much worse in Columbus right now. But as the Blue Jackets have proven in the past, there is always a new, rockier bottom to hit.

Roger Goodell has made it a point to improve player safety during his time as commissioner. While concussions have been the league's biggest concern, Goodell also thinks more pads would be a good idea, and he doesn't see any drawbacks with the new rule.

The players aren't exactly on the same page as Mr. Commissioner on this one, though. Several have already voiced their objections. Other veterans of the game say it will just take some adjusting.

"It's psychological. Less pads, you are faster, skinnier. That's just the way I was introduced to the (pro) game," former Pro Bowl safety Troy Vincent told The Associated Press. "It's a culture shift. They will adjust."

Leg pads aren't really the issue here, though. Players will get used to them, and if the pads prevent a handful of injuries each season, the rule will have been a success.

But is the NFL missing the bigger picture?

Concussions have been discussed for hours on end, and the NFL is at least attempting to try to resolve that issue.

But the new mandatory pads rule is something the NFL will merely point to when accused of ignoring player safety. What seems to be missing from the discussion is how the NFL's own rules have made the game more dangerous.

So, the league wants everyone to wear leg pads? Awesome. Strap them on. But what about the massive helmets players wear today? Are those supposed to increase safety? Because with increased head shots in the league, helmets are used as a weapon as often as they are used for protection.

And what about forcing defenders to play off the line of scrimmage? The decrease in contact makes players safer while increasing scoring, right? In reality, the new pass interference rules have created way too much open space, resulting in high-speed collisions and, you guessed it, more head injuries.

Leg pads aren't going to have a huge impact on the game. The new rule is a start, but more signifcant changes are needed if player safety is the true goal. Players, fans and league officials can't be satisfied with this small victory.

But Ray Rice may be taking things a bit too far. The Baltimore Ravens running back is believed to be seeking a contract worth $10 million per year, according to the Chicago Tribune.

It's easy to understand where Rice is coming from with his demands. After all, running backs don't have a large window of opportunity to score a big pay day. Very few backs stay among the league's elite beyond age 30.

Rice is 25 years old and just finished the final season on his rookie contract, which was only worth $2.805 million plus his $1.1 million signing bonus.The Ravens slapped the franchise tag on the dual-threat back this offseason, setting him up to make $7.7 million this season.

But Rice is seeking the financial security of a long-term deal, and rightfully so. With 6,612 all-purpose yards and 29 touchdowns in his four-year NFL career, it's safe to say Rice has earned the faith of the Ravens organization.

The short lifespan of NFL running backs could make Baltimore hesitant to break out the checkbook, though, especially considering the recent market price on running backs.

A handful of rushers have been in Rice's shoes over the past few offseason, including Matt Forte and LeSean McCoy, two highly regarded young running backs, this summer. The Carolina Panthers skewed the market a bit by giving DeAngelo Williams $8.6 million a year last offseason, and LeSean McCoy's newly signed contract, worth $9 million annually, will only further fuel Rice's desire for a big paycheck.

It's becoming a common theme. Running backs burst onto the scene and want to be compensated for it, but the negotiations can be taxing on the team and the player. Chris Johnson went through a lengthy holdout last offseason, and once the Titans gave in to his demands, he delivered a dud of a season.

Hence the hesitation from teams.

Plus, in a passing league, how important is having an elite running back? Surely the Ravens enjoy having No. 27 in the backfield, but at what cost? Paying Rice $10 million per season would make him the third highest paid player at his position. While he very well may be the third-best running back in the league, that doesn't mean a team is wise to invest that type of money in a ball carrier.

In fact, recent league history seems to show the opposite. Adrian Peterson and Chris Johnson are the two richest running backs in the league, and neither has won a Super Bowl. Steven Jackson, LeSean McCoy, Arian Foster, Williams, Marshawn Lynch and Maurice Jones-Drew are all among the highest paid running backs in the NFL, and there is not a single Super Bowl ring between them.

Quarterback has always been the most important position on the field, and that's becoming even more apparent with each passing season. A strong running game will only take a team so far these days.

So, while it's easy to understand where Rice is coming from with his demands, the Ravens have to be careful about the type of money they throw at their elite running back.