NHL Fans Once Again in Uncomfortable Position With Potential Labor Unrest Looming

The big question NHL fans want answered is an obvious one: Will there be hockey in 2012-13?

The league's current collective bargaining agreement is set to expire in about six weeks, and when it does, it could jeopardize at least part of the 2012-13 season. That is, of course, unless a new labor deal is agreed upon.

Depending on who you ask, though, that may not happen, at least not before the mid-September deadline. With the lockout of 2004-05 fresh in hockey fans' minds, the league is playing with fire if they allow another work stoppage to occur just a few years later.