NHL Lockout Becoming More Real by the Day as Seguin, Ference To Play Across the Pond

The NHL officially locked players out 12:01 a.m. Sunday morning.  Since then, players have been dropping like flies, going overseas to play in Russia, Switzerland, Sweden, Germany, the Czech Republic and other countries.

Star players like Alex Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin, Ilya Kovalchuk and Rick Nash have already shipped out to keep their skills sharp if the lockout ends.  News hit home today with reports that two Bruins, Tyler Seguin and Andrew Ference would be taking their talents across the pond.

Seguin has signed with EHC Biel of the Swiss National A League, and Ference with Ceske Budejovice of Czech Extraliga.  Ference has some familiarity with the team, as he played for them during the last NHL lockout.

But there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, here, if you're down to travel to the Czech Republic.  Ference will buy you a beer.

Stirring the Pot - Tyler Seguin and Aly Raisman

Here at Three if by Strike, we give you a lot of facts, and a whole lot more opinions.  What we try to stray away from, is gossip-y news.  Now, there's a grey area when gossip meets the sports world, and for times like that, we'll play along.

Olympic standout, Aly Raisman has been targeted by the Boston media as being a good match for Bruins start Tyler Seguin considering their successes at such an early age -- 18 and 20 respectively.  Now, when Seguin tweeted about his new contract, Raisman jumped aboard and tweeted back.  That's as far as we'll take things, its in your hands now, readers.

Seguin Cashes In, Re-Signs with Bruins Through 2018-19 Season

Amidst the lockout talks and conflict surrounding the NHL, there is some good news to be found.  The Bruins signed 20-year-old forward Tyler Seguin to a six year deal, worth $5.75 million a season.

Seguin was the Bruins points leader last season with 67 (29 G, 38 A), the youngest player in team history to finish in the lead.  He joins line mate Brad Marchand as the second Bruins player to get a contract extension this week, with Marchand's deal going for four years, $4.5 million a season.

Those two join a list of young players in the NHL who have made their mark and been handsomely rewarded.  Colorado Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog was named team captain at age 19 for the 2012-13 season.  Former first overall pick in the 2010 draft by the Edmonton Oilers, 20-year-old Taylor Hall was inked for another seven years, $42 million.

This move should have been at the top of the Bruins offseason priority list, and clearly was.  Hall is a significant piece to the Oilers, who are still in the midst of rebuilding with a young, very talented team.  Seguin is a brilliant player on a well-established powerhouse in the East.  His 67 points put him at 26th overall in the league last season, and he shows no signs of slowing down. 

2011-12 was a breakout year for Seguin, and working alongside line mates Marchand and Patrice Bergeron is an added bonus that will make Seguin one of the premier wingers in the game today.