The NHL returns Saturday with all three locals playing the first of 48 regular season games over a span of just 14 weeks. The compressed schedule means each squad will play a game just about every other day on average.

Fourteen weeks and 34 regular season games per team were lost after the NHL locked out its players before the season.

As in most work stoppages involving two parties represented by experienced negotiators, the time wasted reaching a final compromise eats up gains sought by the respective sides at the start of talks. I’ve not seen a solid number on the money lost from this lockout. League revenue was $3.3 billion last year, so it’s safe to say at least a billion alone evaporated from the lost games.

The revenue pie under the new deal will get sliced a little bigger for owners over the next eight (perhaps up to ten) seasons and there will be new constraints on jumbo contracts for elite players. Assuming quick forgiveness by the fandom, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman appears to have won a small tilt in favor of the ruling class. This is how these things go. Contract expiration opens up a management effort to alter the model on the expense side of the equation. Labor resists. Labor eventually gives in and goes back to work.

Yeah, the forces leading the two feuding parties were well off financially before – and will be well off after. The attempt to restructure the economics of the sport was messy and time-consuming. Given the thin-sized amount of gains won by the controlling interest, it’s likely there is deep regret that it took so long to reach a deal. But what’s done is done. Bargaining is a dare, a bluff, a game. And now it’s over.

What I don’t like in all this is the widespread sentiment by fans who believe they’re a deeply injured party and deserve an apology and/or enticements before they come back to the game.

I missed hockey starting at about Halloween – and really started missing it once the football Jets season ended. But I view the time lost as time gained on other endeavors. I don’t hold it against the sport that there was an attempt to reorganize it.

The collective bargaining process played out. Players will still get long-term deals and will still make a lot of money. Small market teams gain a slightly better chance of survival. The puck will drop and the game will be as entertaining as it was before the lockout.

Lots of regular season dates are packed into a three month period. Fans can whine about the games gone, act like they’re hurt and stay home.

Or they can be glad the sport is back and pick up where we left off.

Devils GM Lou Lamoriello is one of the league’s more respected management voices. Speaking to Francesa Thursday afternoon, Lou summed up the lockout as the voice of reason he is. Said Lou: “I don’t think it matters whether something was gained or lost. It’s an unfortunate thing we went through. I think both sides feel good it’s ended. Now it’s solidified for the next ten years. The bottom line is: it’s over and now we’re playing hockey.”