I guess it’s appropriate to start by saying that we’re all unimaginably happy about the return of hockey. That said, we’ve learned a lot over the four-month lockout, and this seems like the appropriate time to take stock.

Lesson 1: Mario Lemieux was right

The NHL is a garage league. I’m not talking about riff-raff players spoiling up the staid finesse hockey of a bygone era; I’m talking about business competence. Since my adolescence, the NHL has lost part or all of three seasons. Fans who have been following hockey for a decade have seen 20% of that time obscured or obliterated by lockouts.

Imagine running a business where you do work 80% of the time. The rest of the time you’re struggling to master a skill most functionally social humans learn in kindergarten: sharing. Your business plan is flawed.

The last lockout saw the NHL exiled to cable wilderness, almost literally. In an effort to limit salary expenses, the NHL ended up limiting their TV exposure for years, which had to have an appreciable effect on revenue. Revenue-sharing was at the heart of this lockout, so in some ways this lockout was just an extension of that one.

Or perhaps it’s an extension of expansion. We know many teams– particularly expansion teams– are drowning in red ink. Columbus and Phoenix have solubility problems. Nashville would be in dire trouble too if they weren’t such a good hockey team with a surging fan base. These teams exist because the NHL saw fit to spread itself into non-traditional (read: not northeast US and Canada) markets, but those teams have always struggled. Phoenix for a time was underwritten by the league itself.

I propose that the friction between established teams and small-market teams had as much to do with this lockout as friction between owners and players. In fact, the PA’s negotiating strategy initially tried to wedge the two apart. It seems hard to defend expansion as a business strategy when you consider a) the league has had to bail these teams out, b) the gap between small teams and big teams underpinned many of the NHL’s concerns in the lockout, and c) it’s ice hockey in the freaking desert– how is that a good idea?

I guess what I’m trying to say is: Gary Bettman is not good at his job. Feel free to agree or disagree.

Lesson 2: DC is not a hockeytown

Or at least, it isn’t right now. Flashback to April 2012: the Caps had captured the city’s imagination with a gritty style of hockey. The city’s football team was atrocious and without a good draft position. The city’s baseball team was plagued by injury and youth. The city’s soccer team had missed the playoffs a few years in a row. The city’s basketball team was a disgrace.

Since then, Dan Snyder made some deals to draft Robert Griffin III second overall, and RG3 then vaulted the team to an NFC East Championship. The Nationals were fantastic and made the playoffs (so did Baltimore, nyah nyah). Under coach Ben Olsen, DC United had its best year since they won  the MLS Championship in 2007. The city’s basketball team is still a disgrace.

The stack ranking of DC sports has flipped. It seems for now that the Washington Capitals’ moment has passed. It can certainly be recaptured, but right now we’re taking stock and that stock has definitely dropped.

Part of that is Ted Leonsis’ fault. The Capitals owner was listed among the league’s so-called hardliners spurring the stubbornness that led to breakdowns during negotiations. Unfortunately, Ted probably can’t comment on the CBA or his characterization as a holdout. When he talked about the NBA salary cap in September of 2010, Leonsis was fined $100,000. He’s not really in a position to defend himself, which is fine, because we’re not really in a position to give him a hard time about it. After all, he did keep the Capitals staff on payroll for the duration of the lockout.

Leonsis has the benefit of the doubt. Up until now (and excluding the Jagr era), he’s been a good owner for the fans. This is now his opportunity to reconcile with a community that has cooled towards him.

Lesson 3: Evgeny Kuznetsov and Dale Hunter were right to leave

Throughout 2012, Evgeny Kuznetsov vacillated over playing in the NHL or staying in the KHL. His new marriage and the upcoming Sochi olympics probably factored in to his eventual decision to stay in Russia for two more years, but the loss of half this NHL season makes that choice even more prescient. We’re no longer inclined to criticize a player for making a business decision that has worked out great for him so far.

Same goes with Dale Hunter, a coach for whom I had no shortage of criticism last season. Hunter chose to leave the Caps after just one partial season as head coach. He’s back in Ontario, coaching a team he also owns, which plays in a league that doesn’t implode every 7-10 years. However we disagreed with his coaching tactics, Hunter’s choice was the smart one for him, his family, and his farm. Even Bourne agrees.

Lesson 4: There was a cost

As The Washington Post’s Katie Carrera wrote last month, the lockout has been devastating to businesses near Verizon Center. The end of the lockout will come as great news to the Penn Quarter/Chinatown neighborhood, who rely on the collective thirst and hunger of Caps fans to pay their bills. Here’s hoping all our favorite joints can staff up in the coming weeks.

Same for the workers at Verizon Center, who lost hours due to the lockout.

Then there’s the marginal players who couldn’t make a pro roster once the ranks got crowded with eligible NHL players.

And don’t forget the esteemed hockey writers who had to lower themselves to menial and demeaning tasks like writing about football just to fill up the hours.

There’s lots of people with jobs related directly or tangentially to the Caps, and most of them had a leaner Christmas than usual because of the lockout.

It’ll take time for the coffers to fill and the wounds to heal, but it will require a spirit of reconciliation for that to happen. That’s why I’m not supporting any kind of boycott. Just the opposite actually: I want to go to Iron Horse and Clyde’s and Rocket Bar and scarf down a ton of food and a few too many adult beverages. I want to tip the good workers at Verizon Center and tell them how glad I am to see them again.

And I harbor no hard feelings towards Evgeny Kuznetsov or Dale Hunter for making the right choices for their careers and their families.

And I hold no grudge against Ted Leonsis for whatever role he played in the lockout. He’s got a sterling record of fan outreach, and I bet that will continue.

Gary Bettman, on the other hand? Well, let’s just say that when the Stanley Cup Finals arrive, I’ll be joining in on this tradition:

Alright, that’s my piece. What did you learn from the lockout? What did I get wrong?

During the third period of the AHL Showcase between the Hershey Bears and Norfolk Admirals, Caps fans broke into several “Fire Bettman” chants. It’s especially clear at the 4 second mark above.

Full disclosure: that noise at the 2 second mark is my ferret sneezing.

September 7, 2011 will be remembered as one of the worst days in hockey history. An airplane carrying the KHL’s Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team crashed just after takeoff from Tunoshna Airport, 11 miles southeast of Yaroslavl in central Russia. The team was on its way to Belarus, where they were set to begin their regular season against Dynamo Minsk.

The aircraft was an Yakovlev Yak-42, an outdated Soviet-era plane that was due to be phased out next year. In Russia the plane is known for its woeful air safety record, and just two months ago 44 people were killed when an Antonov-24 caught fire in midair before crashing in western Siberia. There have been eight fatal crashes in Russia just this year.

According to Slava Malamud of Sport Express, Kommersant, a Russian newspaper, reported Yak-Service, the airliner operating the plane, was ranked last by the European Air Safety Commission. The New York Times reported that the company, founded in 1993, was suspended for three months in 2009 by Russian authorities because of “major safety deficiencies.” The BBC reports that the aircraft broke into two pieces after hitting a radio mast before crashing into Volga river. The Times notes that eight Yak-42s have crashed over the years, killing 570.

“It was wobbling in flight, it was clear that something was wrong,” an eyewitness told the BBC. “I saw them pulling bodies to the shore, some still in their seats with seat belts on.”

There are 45 confirmed fatalities of Wednesday’s crash, including all but one player on Yaroslavl’s roster — which includes former NHLers Pavol Demitra, Ruslan Salei, Karel Rachunek, Karlis Skarastins, Josef Vasicek, and Alexander Vasyunov along with their head coach Brad McCrimmon.

“We have no team any more,” Lokomotiv spokesman Vladimir Malkov told The Times, “they all burned in the crash.”

Demitra, a three-time All-Star and Lady Byng winner, retired from international hockey in May. This video from his last game with Slovakia is poignant.

There are two known survivors of the crash — a male flight attendant and forward Alexander Galimov, who is listed in “extremely critical” condition according to Sport-Express.

The KHL’s season opener between Salavat Yulaev and Atlant was in progress when news about the tragedy broke, and was stopped after nearly 15 minutes had been played. KHL president Alexander Medvedev said the KHL season will go on as scheduled starting tomorrow.

According to RMNB’s Fedor Fedin, the mood across Russia is somber. Almost every channel on television is devoted to news of the crash, and grizzly pictures have been broadcast.

Meanwhile, reactions to the tragedy have come pouring in from the hockey community, and NHL.com has put together an extensive, though heartbreaking, collection of tweets from League players.

As for the Capitals, the catastrophe hits close to come for some players.

“I knew [Alexander Kalyanin] well, and I also know his father Igor Viktorovich well, who was a coach for Traktor,” Evengy Kuznetsov told KP Chelyabinsk. “It’s tough to talk right now. My condolences to his family.”

Former Capitals goalie Semyon Varlamov told Malamud he was ”in shock” and couldn’t say anything else. Varlamov played in Lokomotiv’s organization for four years, including two with the main club.

“It’s kind of a scary moment,” said a shaken Alex Ovechkin, via The Washington Times’ Stephen Whyno. “It’s a whole national tragedy.”

Fellow Russian Stanislav Galiev who, like Ovechkin, knew some of the players on the team, was also moved.

Candles are lit in tribute of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in Prague’s Old Town Square.

“I am shocked,” Galiev said, again via Whyno. “It’s very sad.”

Whyno also reports that new Capitals goalie Tomas Vokoun declined to comment on the crash, saying his best friend was on board.

“Gloomy day in DC and even worse news in Russia,” defenseman John Carlson tweeted. “Prayers to all the family/friends associated today.”

“I heard about the accident, and I can’t say anything other than what happened today is just awful,” Nicklas Backstrom told Hockeysverige.se, as translated by @Rabiesmalin, about countryman Stefan Liv. ”First, Stefan was a very good friend of mine, and then that the whole team was killed in the accident. You can say nothing bad about Stefan as a friend. He was a very happy and positive person and he always had a smile on his face. The news was awful to receive and hard to comprehend.”

The league echoed their players’ sentiments.

“Though it occurred thousands of miles away from our home arenas, this tragedy represents a catastrophic loss to the hockey world — including the NHL family, which lost so many fathers, sons, teammates and friends who at one time excelled in our League,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. “Our deepest condolences go to the families and loved ones of all who perished.”

The same goes for us at RMNB.

Photo credit: Mitchell Layton

In his first game back since January 8th, Alex Semin led the Capitals with four shots on goal in 17:47 of ice time. After a 12 game layoff that stretched over 26 days, Sasha Minor looked rusty and missed on several golden opportunities. The Capitals fell to the Sharks 2-0, and endured their eighth shutout of the season.

After the game, SovSport’s Pavel Lysenkov caught up with Semin and asked him how he felt in his return, his thoughts on Bruce Boudreau’s trap, and what it’d mean to him to open next season in Russia. RMNB’s Igor Kleyner has your translation below the jump.

I GOT INJURED IN DECEMBER

Semin played on the second line with Brooks Laich and Mathieu Perreault. Alex was so upset by the loss, it took some persuading to get an interview. “We have waited for a month for your groin injury to heal!”

“It’s kind of hard at first,” admitted Semin. “But I played out the game without any pain.”

Pavel Lysenkov – Do you remember how you got injured?

Alex Semin – No. it happened a long time ago, in December.

PL – Did you play on with injections?

AS – Why would I? This is not the playoffs. I played through the pain. When I couldn’t tolerate it anymore, I went to the doctors.

PL – Evgeni Malkin just came back after his injury, and went down again. Did Washington push you to return to the ice?

AS – Not at all. I finished my treatment and returned to the lineup.

PL – The team is playing more defensive hockey now. Does this style fit you?

AS – The coach chooses the tactics. I haven’t changed my game. You simply have to execute your assignment. But you do what you want in around the opponents’ goal.

PL – Washington has tightened the neutral zone coverage…

AS – That is one of the coaches’ ideas.

PL – Was the game against the Sharks playoff-like?

AS – No. We just did not score. Their goalie had a good game. What kind of tactics is it if we end up losing 2-0? We need to do something differently. We relaxed in the third period, and the game got away…

PL – Is the team talking about the need to overtake Tampa?

AS – I have not heard anything like that. We need to win every game. And not think about who we’ll get in the playoffs. And what’s the difference anyway?

BETTER TIMES ARE COMING

PL – It appears Washington is simply lacking emotions this season.

AS – We used to win a lot of games. For whatever reason, it’s not happening this year. We need to find ourselves and play like we can.

PL – You beat Tampa 5-2 a few days ago…

AS – That’s what I am talking about. Or the game against Pittsburgh: 3-0.

PL – Are you sick of the press-box? You sat up there while injured.

AS – Oh, totally. I even wanted to stop coming to the games. I was fed up with watching hockey from the sidelines. I wanted to go on the ice. But you can’t rush.

PL – Earlier this season, when everything was going wrong for him, Kovalchuk said, “Maybe someone put a spell on me.” Are you superstitious?

AS – To each his own. Yes, I do believe in such things. But I don’t know why anybody would put a curse on me. Who would want to do that?

PL – It seems the whole Russian Olympic team has been cursed.

AS – Things happen. We are all going through a dark period. But it will get better. You can’t get hung up on that.

PL – Do the words of the NHL commissioner Gary Bettman bother you? He doesn’t want to send his teams to Siberia.

AS – But he has never been there. It’s a longer flight from here to Los Angeles than from Moscow to Novosibirsk. It’s only four hours to my hometown Krasnoyarsk…

PL – Would you like to go there with Washington?

AS – From what I have read, we are opening our regular season in Peter [Saint Petersburg] against Buffalo. But I did not hear anything about playing against the KHL teams. We’ll play if we need to. And we will not be taking it easy. If you relax, it’s easy to get seriously injured.

PL – Ovechkin said: if the Capitals get to play at Khodynka, a half of Krasnoyarsk will gather there.

AS – There will be a lot of people supporting me. Although nobody has asked for a ticket yet. It’s still too early.

Additional reporting by Ian Oland.