TAMPA - The strange thing about the new collective bargaining agreement between the NHL and the players union is how few people know its details.
It appears the only ones in the know are those who were actually in the room when the CBA was drafted.
The NHL will invite the league's owners, governors and general managers to New York early next week to go over the details. Meantime, the players are expected to report to Toronto around the same time to review the document that is more than 600 pages. The reviews will take several days.
"I really don't know all the details of it," Lightning general manager Jay Feaster said. "That's why they're bringing everyone in. I'm anxious to see it."
Minnesota Wild player representative Dwayne Roloson told the St. Paul Pioneer-Press, "They didn't tell us anything. They said, "Guys, it's better for us to go over 600 pages in person than go over it on the phone and have you guys explain it to your players.'
"We're going to lay it out piece by piece in person to every player so they can ask the questions that need to be asked. As long as there are questions, we're going to keep on answering them until we finally have a vote."
STARTING OVER: The first order of business for the league after the lockout officially ends is to win back the fans still sour over a season being wiped out because of a labor dispute.
Look for discounted tickets, promotions and player appearances in the community.
Lightning defenseman Nolan Pratt thinks the fans need an olive branch but also believes fans will return for one reason.
"I think the game itself is our only selling point," Pratt said. "I truly believe it is the greatest game in the world. For those people who are sitting on the fence? I don't know. Hopefully the game itself will bring those people back."
Meantime, Feaster said he expects no animosity between management and the players.
"Time will tell, but my belief is we love our guys," Feaster said. "We loved them when this thing started. We loved them throughout this. Not being able to have that day-to-day contact with them was hard. That's what I'm pumped up about. I want to be able to see and talk to them again without getting fined."
Tim Taylor, the Lightning's representative to the union, said, "Now is the mending time. The bad stuff is behind us. Now it's time to move forward and work together."
READY TO GO: No player might be better prepared to play after the long lockout than Lightning goalie Nikolai Khabibulin. Remember, Khabibulin sat out most of two seasons over a contract dispute with Phoenix. In his first full season back with Tampa Bay he played 70 games with a 2.36 goals-against average.
"He was phenomenal that first year back," Jay Grossman, Khabibulin's agent, said. "He works extremely hard when he's not playing, and right now he's back in Phoenix working hard, and he'll be ready to go when the season starts."
Grossman said Khabibulin has been working out this summer with Mark Verstegen at Athlete's Performance on the campus of Arizona State.
Meantime, Grossman likely will be busy soon fielding calls from teams interested in signing Khabibulin, an unrestricted free agent. Detroit tops the list of teams expected to make a pitch.
Around the league
REDWINGS: Mike Babcock, who led the Anaheim Mighty Ducks to the Stanley Cup finals two years ago, agreed to terms and replaces Dave Lewis as coach in Detroit.
DEVILS: Larry Robinson, who led New Jersey to a Stanley Cup title in 2000 but was fired less than two years later, is returning as coach. He replaces Pat Burns, who was diagnosed with cancer for the second time in little more than a year.
