70 replies to this topic

[Devs3cups]

Link

Hope the NHL and the NHLPA can agree for a new CBA.

"I re-confirmed something that the union has been told multiple times over the last nine to 12 months. Namely, that the time is getting short and the owners are not prepared to operate under this collective bargaining agreement for another season so we need to get to making a deal and doing it soon. And we believe there's ample time for the parties to get together and make a deal and that's what we're going to be working towards."

[DevilMinder]

Not surprising. I am curious if the NHL finally returned the requested financial documents the NHLPA asked for yet.

[Daniel]

There's really nothing new here. He was probably addressing a specific point in the old CBA that it can continue past expiration at the option of the owners. In other words, the owners could have said, we'll continue under the old CBA until we work out a new one. Bettman made it clear months ago that the owners weren't going to that.

[Devilsfan118]

Over/under on whether an agreement is reached by September 15th?

Edited by Devilsfan118, 09 August 2012 - 02:42 PM.

[Zubie#8]

Over/under on whether an agreement is reached by September 15th?

Both sides will be stupid to let this run into the regular season, they know how the NHL has been growing since the last lockout and they cannot jeopardize that. I think some preseason games will be cancelled.

Edited by Zubie#8, 09 August 2012 - 02:45 PM.

[Devilsfan118]

Unfortunately I think we'll need an NBA-like season this year.

As in, the season will resume around the allstar break.

[Zubie#8]

Unfortunately I think we'll need an NBA-like season this year.

As in, the season will resume around the allstar break.

[sundstrom]

My bet is that the season starts right around Thanksgiving. They do not want to lose Winter Classic money and you really need 24/7 from HBO as a central marketing piece for the NHL. I would expect a deal to get done late October and a 2-3 week abbreviated camp before the season starts.

[thelastonealive]

Unfortunately I think we'll need an NBA-like season this year.

As in, the season will resume around the allstar break.

Last time that happened, we won a Cup.

[njd3b1ink]

If there is a lockout this year it will be the third while bettman is commissioner. Why the hell is he still in charge?!

Last time that happened, we won a Cup.

Thats exactly what i thought of also, but i also think half a season would favor the rangers alot more. Less wear from all the flopping that will be going on.

[Triumph]

My bet is that the season starts right around Thanksgiving. They do not want to lose Winter Classic money and you really need 24/7 from HBO as a central marketing piece for the NHL. I would expect a deal to get done late October and a 2-3 week abbreviated camp before the season starts.

I really don't think 24/7 is that significant to the league, and I'd be surprised if that gets brought up at all. If anything, 24/7 can be a look at training camp leading up to the season opener as the Winter Classic - it would certainly save HBO some cash to be that way.

[sundstrom]

I really don't think 24/7 is that significant to the league, and I'd be surprised if that gets brought up at all. If anything, 24/7 can be a look at training camp leading up to the season opener as the Winter Classic - it would certainly save HBO some cash to be that way.

i may have given it too much credence, but not the winter classic. that's the cash cow for the league.

[devilsrule33]

A 60-66 game seaosn like the NBA just had wouldn't be something I'd complain about. The NHL season is way too long. I'm not one saying the league should shorten it since there is a lot of money to be lost, but I'll enjoy it if it happens.

[Satans Hockey]

After the long playoffs we just had my wallet will be perfectly happy with a shortened season.

[BlueSkirt]

Well, I never thought that MLB would cancel a World Series. And I sure as hell never thought the NHL would cancel an entire Season & their Stanley Cup Playoffs -- so obviously my instincts are just wrong.

While I think the Winter Classic is very important to the NHL, and would again think 'they'd never cancel that', I'm starting to believe that we just don't know how far each side is willing to push their position.

I'd like to think the American Thanksgiving date is a reasonable one to get a deal done by, I wouldn't be shocked if it took until Xmas.
It looks like I'll be watching more baseball/football this fall !

[eldon]

Fehr is a cancer to sports. In baseball there was $ to be had. In hockey, there's not. One reason I hate writers like Brooks, he writes articles telling how bad the players had it in the last CBA, that the PA needs strong leadership. I don't see any players crying cashing the checks.

[third man in]

Both sides are at fault...billionaires arguing with millionaires. It'll be a shame if any part of the season is lost, the NHL is finally gaining some real momentum in the US. If there's a third lockout on Bettman's watch, I'm sorry but he has to go...while he's done some good for the league, this would be the last straw for me.

[Triumph]

Fehr is a cancer to sports. In baseball there was $ to be had. In hockey, there's not. One reason I hate writers like Brooks, he writes articles telling how bad the players had it in the last CBA, that the PA needs strong leadership. I don't see any players crying cashing the checks.

The baseball owners were going to unilaterally impose a salary cap. While I think what the union did was disgraceful and I was much less of a baseball fan for the next 11 years, the owners don't get to blame the players.

Brooks is obviously a shill for the players' union - he knows where he gets quotes and it's not from owners - but if it comes down to the owner of the Maple Leafs getting more money or the guys who I like watching (which is, ultimately, what it's coming down to), I'll take the players.

[Daniel]

Both sides are at fault...billionaires arguing with millionaires. It'll be a shame if any part of the season is lost, the NHL is finally gaining some real momentum in the US. If there's a third lockout on Bettman's watch, I'm sorry but he has to go...while he's done some good for the league, this would be the last straw for me.

There is no "fault" here. It's what you would expect with any kind of labor dispute. Ownership wants to get away with paying as little as possible, and the players want as much as they can get. If you were one or the other, you'd be saying the same thing. Like any kind of negotiations, it comes down to whoever blinks first, or sometimes, getting a court to step in and split the difference.

From the fan's point of view, what side you take often is based on who you root for. If you're a Ranger fan, you're siding with the players, since the more the players get out of it, the better position they're in to buy up every player in sight, like the Yankees do. From a Devils standpoint, I'm looking for the most owner friendly deal possible.

[Matteau#32]

They need to come up with a REAL revenue sharing plan. One that calls for teams like the Leafs, Rangers, Flyers, to contribute a good chunk of their local tv deal into a centralized pool to help the smaller market teams. Without it, the CBA and threat of a lockout will come up every 6-7 years. As a Rangers fan, I could not possibly care less about whether Dolan takes a $50MM profit or a $5MM profit, or if he breaks even or even loses money. I just want to stop hearing about the CBA. In the 60's guys like the Maras and the Redskins owners (Not sure who it was back then) gave up their local tv deals for the good of the league and look at the NFL now. They print money. Obviously, the NHL could never have a full national deal like the NFL due to the schedule, but the bottom line is those guys gave up money for the good of the league, the NHL owners should do the same.

At the time, the 94-95 CBA was seen as a HUGE win for the owners. They wanted to control the RFAs. They were not worried about the UFA's thinking they wouldn't warrant such huge salaries. Well, advances in exercise science and sports nutrition in a short period of time, allowed these older players to keep playing at an elite level. Plus, if you look at the drafts from 92-98, for the most part they were pretty weak. You didn't have younger players pushing the older guys out. Well, 3-4 years into the deal, there was already talk that the owners needed more.

They lost a whole season over the salary cap. Bettman said they need this so that all 30 teams can be profitable. Well, 2-3 years in, the salary cap was already past (or close to it) the highest payroll pre-cap and there was talk that the owners needed more. The players could accept the current offer today, and in a few years we will be hearing grumblings that the owners are not happy with the deal and need more.

Edited by Matteau#32, 13 August 2012 - 08:16 AM.