This question has been asked a thousand times. But, if you had to choose, who would you choose, Jarome Iginla, your "heart and soul" captain, or Miikka Kiprusoff, your all-star, award winning goaltender?

When the new CBA was completed, ending the lockout, many detractors were quick to point out that this type of question would be asked too often. While the CBA was orginally determined to force big market teams to make decisions such as these, few people realized that small market teams would also be put in a similar situation. The trade of Ryan Smyth had NOTHING to do with the fact that he played in Edmonton, but more to do with the Oilers' management, and their decisions up to this point. While Edmonton had the money to sign Smyth, eventually opting to trade him instead, it was put in a precarious position during the last offseason, when Oilers management opted to re-sign several other "key" players (i.e. Pisani, Roloson, etc.) and make a few other additions to the roster (i.e. Sykora). No one in Edmonton complained at the time, but I'm sure if they knew the direction the franchise was eventually going to take, they would've disagreed.

Nonetheless, this same situation figures to present itself many times in the coming years. The debate over Iginla and Kiprusoff in Calgary is not unique. Even in Buffalo this offseason, the Sabres will be forced to pursue either Briere or Drury, NOT both, because of salary cap concerns (if they pursue either at all). Both mismanagement of the cap and the evolution of teams (i.e. player growth and development), not to mention the ever increasing player salaries, will play essential roles in determing the success of teams. No longer can teams "throw" money at a problem in hopes of fixing it. Teams must have the foresight to predict the future, unlike in past years, and for that I do give to Oilers GM Kevin Lowe. Scouting and development as are important as ever, and that certainly bodes well for the future of the league, no matter how many different teams those future stars play for.

Star players will be leaving both small and large markets for the duration of this CBA, with the institution of the salary cap. Teams can no longer add, year after year, key veterans to their team in hopes of picking up that one player, that puts above the rest of the competition in the playoffs.

Unfortunately, I have to agree with the notion that long gone are the days of identifying a certain player(s) with one team or organization. The league can wave goodbye to the era of players like Yzerman in Detroit, Sakic in Colorado/Quebec, Modano with Dallas/Minnesota, or Lemieux with Pittsburgh. When you think of those players (and obviously more), you think of those organizations, the commitment and dedication that player gave to that team and those fans, and the successes and struggles that player has competed through, at all costs. Nonetheless, those days are gone and if the plan was to level the playing field, the league has certainly done so.