Billy Burch, Shorty Green and the NHL's First Players' Strike

"It used to be a game. Now it's a business."

It's a favourite lament of sports fans, and no fan has more reason to despair than the puckhead, staring at the likelihood of an NHL season wiped out by a labor dispute. Hockey fans long for the days when pure-hearted players did it all for the love of the game.

Sorry to break the news, but it's always been about the money. The hockey business has a long and sometimes ugly history, dating back to the drop of the first puck. If you're pining for the good old days, take a moment to consider the story of two players who led the first strike in NHL history.