29 replies to this topic

[LucifersDog]

With the NFL finally looking like they have settled their lockout after 136 days. On, September 15, 2012, the NHL CBA expires and that is after the NHL draft and free agency. There will be a lockout because Bettman and company want to impose some strong changes to the new CBA like raising the age for UFA and the players will resist this. I expect a lockout for the entire season. So it is up to the Devils to make the best of this coming season and go far in the playoffs. Marty will sure be done by 2013/14, I hope. BTW this is why Lou won't sign Parise to a long term contract and why he signed Larsson. If Parise isn't signed and the age is raised for the UFA then maybe Parise can't run away and Lou doesn't have to pay him big bucks. Signing Larsson now and if there is a lockout for the 2012/13 season then when the lockout is over Larsson has to play for the Devils for 2 years at the signing salary. It's all about the money and the new CBA.

Be careful NHL, you could lose paying fans.

Edited by LucifersDog, 25 July 2011 - 09:32 AM.

[Colin226]

I just don't see Lou trying to screw Zach like that.. I realize it's a business but players always talk about the respect Lou shows them, so I can't see him using potential rule changes to enslave Zach under a lesser contract.. Not only does that kill Zach's relationship with the Devils and Lou, but other players take notice and remember

Also, isn't the NHL afraid to: 1) Cause the same anger fans had and risk losing/alienating fans like the last lockout? 2) Lose out on 1 year of their awesome deal with NBC

[Quinn01]

Lou isnt the type to play games with his players. If he wants Zach back he will make it happen. He doesnt waste his time or the players time with bullsh!t.

However it will be interesting to see what happens as far as another lockout, which I hope doesnt happen.

[Dadds]

If their is another full season lockout this soon I may loose all hope in humanity

[Baggy Spandex]

Lou isnt the type to play games with his players. If he wants Zach back he will make it happen. He doesnt waste his time or the players time with bullsh!t.

x2.

What was the story of that one player that was late for a flight or wasn't dressed properly and Lou traded him almost immediately afterwards?

[MadDog2020]

The NHL isn't going to have a second season-cancelling lockout. I think business suicide isn't something they're looking to commit.

Edited by MadDog2020, 25 July 2011 - 06:03 AM.

[NJDevs4978]

Here's what I don't get about this premise, the CBA expires in mid-September but Zach's going to be unsigned three months after FA starts?! If the CBA ended in June it's one thing but no big FA's going to stay unsigned that long, even if there was a threat of a lockout. Someone's going to give him a deal before then, it makes absolutely no sense for Lou to leave him unsigned. The only thing a lockout would do is cut/prevent most players already signed for 2012 (that don't have a lockout clause) from getting paid that season.

And the NHL really doesn't have a good reason to stay out another year, they went from a free market system that was bankrupting teams to a hard cap of $39 million cause of the lockout, that saved some franchises. It's not quite that dire this time, they don't need radical changes (there's no way we're going from a cap to no cap) - just tweak the numbers.

[Devilsfan118]

If the NHL locks out again, I'll seriously lose faith in this sport. It's my #1 sport, and going an entire year without it is like torture.

I'd be VERY surprised if:

a) The NHL does lock out again

and, if it does:

b) The league ever recovers in the US

[LucifersDog]

Lou isnt the type to play games with his players. If he wants Zach back he will make it happen. He doesnt waste his time or the players time with bullsh!t.

Remember what he did to Scott Neidermayer and Scott held out for a while.

[USC09]

I'd be surprised if there is another lockout in the NHL. The NHL and the NHLPA will learn from football and basketball and try to avoid it at all costs. They simply cannot afford another lockout, because the league can fold from any future work stoppages as it almost did in 2004-2005. Fans will definitely lose interest in the game. Even 1 games missed will be costly. I think the salary cap should stay as is, but the issues that are likely to be discussed are:

-Contract Term Limits (Expect League to impose a maximum length on contracts, but current long-term contracts can stay as is. I think 8 years per long-term contracts should be mximum)

-Front Loaded Contracts (Expect NHL to construct Maximum Salary on a front loaded contract, for Example Kovy will make $11.8 million is one of the years, expect maybe no more than $8-10 million on any new deal.)

-Safety of Players (Further Head Shot and injury evaluation)

-Mandatory Visors (Issue will definitely come up due to Malhotra's eye injury.)

-Keep Salary Cap Inflator

-Olympic Participation in Sochi, Pyeongchang

-3rd National TV Broadcast Network (I expect NHL to return to ESPN and have them as the 3rd National TV Broadcast along with NBC/Versus. No way ESPN will wait 10 years for another shot at NHL. Turner Sports will also make a bid. Remember NBA has 3 National Networks in ESPN/ABC/TNT.)

-All Star Game format and Draft Rules

-NHL/IIHF transfer agreement (NHL will have to try to implement rules so it can be the best league in the world and not have players go to KHL or any other leagues in Europe.)

So, I doubt there will be a work stoppage, expect Fehr and Bettman to start negotiations in January on new CBA.

[MadDog2020]

Yeah, the NHL can have another work stoppage at their own peril. Basically, even Bettman and this group of idiotic owners can't be THAT stupid.

[Amberite]

Two lockouts in the same decade would not only destroy all the momentum that the league has built up since the last stoppage, but would also probably shrink the league's fanbase drastically.

I'm sure the people running the league understand that a 2nd lockout so shortly after the previous one would be catastrophic, so I have a lot of hope that something can be agreed upon before the deadline. After all, they still have all the knowledge and experience from that first fiasco, plus front row seats to the NBA and NFL ones.

Edited by Amberite, 25 July 2011 - 10:48 AM.

[Triumph]

Two lockouts in the same decade would not only destroy all the momentum that the league has built up since the last stoppage, but would also probably shrink the league's fanbase drastically.

I'm sure the people running the league understand that a 2nd lockout so shortly after the previous one would be catastrophic, so I have a lot of hope that something can be agreed upon before the deadline. After all, they still have all the knowledge and experience from that first fiasco, plus front row seats to the NBA and NFL ones.

they went 10 years between the last two lockouts, and the 2nd lockout did not hurt the game severely. I expect there to be another lockout, although I think it will get settled relatively early.

[Amberite]

they went 10 years between the last two lockouts, and the 2nd lockout did not hurt the game severely. I expect there to be another lockout, although I think it will get settled relatively early.

True, albeit it was almost 10 years apart. Regardless, this is starting to become a pattern with the NHL and I'm sure that fans are starting to get weary of this. I know that even myself, as a huge hockey fan, am seriously tired of having to deal with this every few years. For the average fan, this is likely to be enough to get them to switch to another league.

[SMantzas]

they went 10 years between the last two lockouts, and the 2nd lockout did not hurt the game severely. I expect there to be another lockout, although I think it will get settled relatively early.

This. Although you have to think the NHL got lucky with the Crosby/Ovechkin rivalry. However, I really think they can't afford another lockout. Enough has to be enough at some point

[MadDog2020]

I'm just tired of sports labor problems, period. Every couple of years, its a different sport with this sh!t. Enough. Thank God the NFL appears to be back today (in the words of Manta: Odin be Praised! ).

Edited by MadDog2020, 25 July 2011 - 11:17 AM.

[Triumph]

True, albeit it was almost 10 years apart. Regardless, this is starting to become a pattern with the NHL and I'm sure that fans are starting to get weary of this. I know that even myself, as a huge hockey fan, am seriously tired of having to deal with this every few years. For the average fan, this is likely to be enough to get them to switch to another league.

What other league? The AHL? If fans were starting to get weary of it, it sure didn't show after the last lockout.

The problem, as maxpower has pointed out, is the date that the CBA expires - right before training camp. This is stupid. The NFL is about to settle - it's unclear whether they will miss a preseason game, but they won't be truncating the regular season. Yet the lockout lasted more than 4 months. The NBA lockout I expect to go into the season, but I don't expect them to shut down the entire year.

[Amberite]

What other league? The AHL? If fans were starting to get weary of it, it sure didn't show after the last lockout.

Why does it have to be hockey? If you're a hockey fan, you can very easily switch to football, or soccer. In fact, Wikipedia even has a blurb about the previous lockout and its effects on Canada's football league:

"Canadian sports fans also turned to the Canadian Football League, and the CFL recorded significant increases in attendance and television ratings during the final weeks of the 2004 CFL season compared to 2003, ultimately setting a new record for total playoff attendance."

[Devils731]

Why does it have to be hockey? If you're a hockey fan, you can very easily switch to football, or soccer. In fact, Wikipedia even has a blurb about the previous lockout and its effects on Canada's football league:

"Canadian sports fans also turned to the Canadian Football League, and the CFL recorded significant increases in attendance and television ratings during the final weeks of the 2004 CFL season compared to 2003, ultimately setting a new record for total playoff attendance."

That was when there was no hockey, the fans came back and the league has been setting new revenue heights every year since.

[Triumph]

Why does it have to be hockey? If you're a hockey fan, you can very easily switch to football, or soccer. In fact, Wikipedia even has a blurb about the previous lockout and its effects on Canada's football league:

"Canadian sports fans also turned to the Canadian Football League, and the CFL recorded significant increases in attendance and television ratings during the final weeks of the 2004 CFL season compared to 2003, ultimately setting a new record for total playoff attendance."

The fact that you don't list basketball is a giant indictment. Football is the easiest sport to follow and I think most of the people who post here are already football fans. Soccer isn't even in season here in North America when hockey season's on.

People always say they won't be fans anymore, but most of them will come back.