24 replies to this topic

[Daniel]

It would scare a lot of players who are in favorable contract situations (like say Anton Volchenkov). Also losing your job is scary no matter how good you are at it.

Scares me as a Devils fan. If all contracts are voided, kiss goodbye Larsson, Henrique, Zajac, Josefson. And that's if you're optimistic.

[Devilsfan118]

Something that absurd would be the nail in the coffin for me as a fan of this league.

[Triumph]

Scares me as a Devils fan. If all contracts are voided, kiss goodbye Larsson, Henrique, Zajac, Josefson. And that's if you're optimistic.

All contracts will not be voided, nor does the league even want that as an outcome. It's a clear scare tactic. The whole suit is a joke, as was aptly pointed out by multiple journalists - the league has constantly been trying to end run around Fehr and/or break the union, and now it thinks the players must have a union. It needs a players union - but it will only take one that's broken and willing to sign any deal it hands over.

[halfsharkalligatorhalfman]

the league has constantly been trying to end run around Fehr and/or break the union, and now it thinks the players must have a union. It needs a players union - but it will only take one that's broken and willing to sign any deal it hands over.

Yeah the more I read about this the more I'm convinced that we may be witnessing the end of big sports players unions. The NFL players definitely would be better off without a players' union. They have the worst CBA by far and their league makes insane money. The NFL will easily support 32 teams and entertain fans even in a world without a salary cap or even maybe an NFL draft.

The NHL I'm not as sure because the stability and rules of the CBA helps ensure 30 NHL teams can function and makes the product more entertaining for fans, I'm not sure what that impact would be on league revenues and the warm weather teams, if the big revenue teams just pay for the best players and the best young prospects. Regardless if it works for the NFL other unions will probably follow suit, or maybe the NHL will make concessions next CBA expiration to ensure the union (and salary cap / draft process) still exists.

In any case we could very well be seeing the last time the big 4 pro sports operate under a CBA.

Edited by halfsharkalligatorhalfman, 16 December 2012 - 06:05 PM.

[Triumph]

I think the reason why unions will persist even though it's been argued convincingly that they are superfluous and ultimately hurt players (at this point - no doubt they made huge strides in the 70s and 80s towards getting players fair compensation) is because players in a union are incentivized to have one while players not currently in the NHL are incentivized to not have one. Top draft picks would get huge money. Meanwhile rank and file types would get much less.

Also the stability of a CBA keeps municipal governments handing out money to sports teams, I'm not sure that would be the case if teams picked up stakes (like they would have to if the union became decertified). But you can see why NBA owners changed their tune when the players disclaimed.

Edited by Triumph, 16 December 2012 - 06:09 PM.