9 replies to this topic

[TheMazz]

http://espn.go.com/n...talks-nhlpa-yet


TAMPA, Fla. -- NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says formal negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement with the players' association haven't started.

Bettman said there is contact on a regular basis with the union, and he thinks talks will begin "sooner rather than later, but we're not there yet."

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So...when's the time to worry?

[sundstrom]

i don't expect any conversations until after the season - these things always go down to the wire and almost always go past it.

best case scenario - they lose most of training camp and delay the season by a month.

[Marshall]

So...when's the time to worry?

It's been time for a long time.

[GoArmySports]

i don't expect any conversations until after the season - these things always go down to the wire and almost always go past it.

best case scenario - they lose most of training camp and delay the season by a month.

Most likely that game against the Isles in Brooklyn will be canceled.

[Chuck the Duck]

So...when's the time to worry?

The moment the NHLPA hired Donald Fehr as it's head. That guy will crash and burn this sport to squeeze out an extra dollar. He almost killed baseball, and his stewardship of that union led to the cancellation of the 1994 World Series. If anyone thinks he won't lead this union into another cancelled season, you're sorely mistaken.

[DevilMinder]

Hmmm, time to rename this site and figure out an alternative team to focus on.

[Devilsfan118]

I'd imagine both sides know that another lockout would be the nail in the coffin for hockey in the USA.

[sundstrom]

i cannot fathom another 100% lost season. the CBA is up in September. I would imagine that it will look pretty dire over the summer and there will be a lockout when players are expected to report to camp - camp won't happen and we'll hear about guys skating at south mountain arena to keep in shape and have informal practices. they'll cancel the first month and during october is when negotiations will really start to happen in earnest and we'll hear about both sides heading closer to middle ground - which will essentially be what we have now with a greater share going to the owners, hence rolling the cap back, salary roll back and amnesty buyouts.

thinking about it, the only possible buyout i could see the devils entertaining might be volchenkov and that's only because of the length and possibility that 4.2MM for a non-1st pairing defenseman will be too high.

[Triumph]

The moment the NHLPA hired Donald Fehr as it's head. That guy will crash and burn this sport to squeeze out an extra dollar. He almost killed baseball, and his stewardship of that union led to the cancellation of the 1994 World Series. If anyone thinks he won't lead this union into another cancelled season, you're sorely mistaken.

Baseball, unlike any of the other 4 major sports, has not had significant labor strife since that happened. The players actually played without a CBA for that 1994 season.

The union does not want a canceled season - that's money that they just can't get back, especially now that salaries are tied to revenues. The owners are once again going to ask for the world, and we'll see just how much the players give back.

[Mayday]

not good D: