1718 replies to this topic

[Jas0nMacIsaac]

This was a tactical strategy to get Fehr out of the negotiating room. The owners don't need Bettman to be hardliners.

[NJDevs4978]

Hell, having Jacobs in the room is worse than having Bettman in the room. Fehr's brother is still in the room anyway (as is Daly), it's not really a big deal they get rid of Don to talk to six players, a couple of which will be hardliners anyway. They're not empowered to negotiate anything, this is just another stupid PR ploy.

[MadDog2020]

Hell, having Jacobs in the room is worse than having Bettman in the room. Fehr's brother is still in the room anyway (as is Daly), it's not really a big deal they get rid of Don to talk to six players, a couple of which will be hardliners anyway. They're not empowered to negotiate anything, this is just another stupid PR ploy.

. I'd like to think Daly and Steve Fehr being there without Don or Bettman could be a positive thing, seeing as how the two of them have actually seemed to have some constructive conversation with each other during the process. But you're probably right about it being another bullsh!t PR stunt, this is the NHL we're talking about here. I've come to always expect the worst with these dipsh!ts.

[Marshall]

I'm not sure how much this can accomplish anyhow. Only Don Fehr can sign a CBA for the PA.

[Triumph]

If you're saying that it's in the PA's best interests to make the NHL move first, well yeah. It's always better in a negotiation to be the side that's holding to what it wants and not be the side that's moving towards the other's demands. But that doesn't have much to do with reaching an agreement. Making the deal is simply about feeling like you are better off making it than not making it (obvious statement is obvious). I think that we've already passed the point where one side should be thinking, "Sure, the deal we could make right now is acceptable, but if we hold out longer we can really screw the other side!" Each side, I think, has shown that it is not willing to just be demolished in this negotiation, so if we're not moving on, then at least one side must be feeling that the doable deal right now really is worse than continuing to cancel this season's games. So then the question is why does that side feel that way.

I don't disagree with any of this, but it works both ways. Both sides have passed the point where, at least to save this season, neither side is really going to 'cave' fully. Still, they've already lost so much, so how can they justify losing that if they don't get something out of it? What's the point of going this long for the owners without breaking the players? And what's the point of the players taking the deal the owners offered them 6 weeks ago, having already lost 3 more paychecks?

For there to be a compromise now, the NHL has to give something up. I think the players are more than open to making a deal, but they can't be seen as losing the negotiation outright. And that's the kind of thing you can do when your union averages $2 million a season.

Or do you disagree? You think that League still believes it can tighten the screws on the players to get more out of them than in an acceptable deal that's available right now?

I definitely think it's part of the league's end game to force the PA to overthrow Fehr and to accept far worse terms than they did in 2005, but I don't think that's their central strategy, because that means losing at least a season.

[thefiestygoat]

I refuse to get optomistic at all but I saw these floating around twitter. Take them however you want:

https://twitter.com/wbzsports#

"WBZ's Steve Burton reports #nhl talks have made great progress behind closed doors and it looks like the season will be salvaged - @JoeGiza"

"WBZ's Steve Burton reports that a deal to save the #nhl season could be announcement tomorrow or Wednesday - @JoeGiza"

"WBZ's Steve Burton reports that a deal to save the #nhl season could be announced tomorrow or Wednesday - @JoeGiza"

https://twitter.com/HackswithHaggs#

"I will say this about @wbzsports Steve Burton. He also broke news Phil Kessel had testicular cancer few yrs back. So theres that #Bruinstalk"

[Jas0nMacIsaac]

I didn't realize Gary Bettman invited Donald Fehr over for a slumber party this past weekend. I can see why they didn't want to have that leaked.

[jagknife]

I refuse to get optomistic at all but I saw these floating around twitter. Take them however you want:

https://twitter.com/wbzsports#

"WBZ's Steve Burton reports #nhl talks have made great progress behind closed doors and it looks like the season will be salvaged - @JoeGiza"

"WBZ's Steve Burton reports that a deal to save the #nhl season could be announcement tomorrow or Wednesday - @JoeGiza"

"WBZ's Steve Burton reports that a deal to save the #nhl season could be announced tomorrow or Wednesday - @JoeGiza"

https://twitter.com/HackswithHaggs#

"I will say this about @wbzsports Steve Burton. He also broke news Phil Kessel had testicular cancer few yrs back. So theres that #Bruinstalk"

Just saw that too, but I too refuse to get too excited over it.

[Triumph]

The only thing that has me not immediately rejecting that report 100% is that it came out of Boston, where Jacobs controls the league. But I think it's really, really, really unlikely.

Edited by Triumph, 03 December 2012 - 07:44 PM.

[thefiestygoat]

Yeah, I'm still not buying it and there seems to be a lot of skeptics out there. The last lockout taught me to never get my hopes up until the ink was dry on the CBA.

https://twitter.com/adater

"Bill Daly denying @wbzsports on-air story saying NHL-players could announce a deal tomorrow or Wed. Steve Burton a good reporter though"

https://twitter.com/kluedeke29

"Can't find anything of substance on lockout's potential end but on eve of scheduled owner-player meeting color me a skeptic"

[Zubie#8]

Anton Tibaldi ‏@antontibaldi
Owners/Players only meeting a ploy to divert media attention while Bettman/Fehr hold secret meetings? #conspiracytheory

[Marshall]

I wanna try this too:

A deal to save the #NHL and sign a new #CBA could be announced at any time from right now and up until any point in the future

Look, I'm an insider!

Edited by Marshall, 04 December 2012 - 01:32 AM.

[Devil Dan 56]

I wanna try this too:

A deal to save the #NHL and sign a new #CBA could be announced at any time from right now and up until any point in the future

Look, I'm an insider!

Looks like we finally found Incarcerated Bob!

[Colin226]

Apparently the meeting between owners and players is still going on.. What the hell could they be talking about for this long?

[Zubie#8]

John Shannon ‏@JSportsnet
Hearing that progress was made in the meeting. Owners expect to continue talks tonight.

Edited by Zubie#8, 04 December 2012 - 07:53 PM.

[Triumph]

If the owners moved, it could be over soon - by soon I mean by the end of the week they could have an agreement in principle.

[Zubie#8]

Sounds like Pens owner Burkle had a big impact on the players during this meeting.

[Dead]

Would be interesting as my nephew woukd go absolutely freaking insane that games would be played...

[DevsMan84]

Some of the NHL "experts" i see in my twitter feed are already starting to position themselves to later backtrack on their mocking of Steve burton.

I know nothing has happened yet but I will find it hilarious if he was right.

[Triumph]

Some of the NHL "experts" i see in my twitter feed are already starting to position themselves to later backtrack on their mocking of Steve burton.

I know nothing has happened yet but I will find it hilarious if he was right.

He isn't right. Even if it's over tomorrow, he isn't right.