Pronger, McKenzie Eye Hockey in 2006

[RowdyFan42]

Pronger, McKenzie Eye Hockey in 2006

Thu Dec 16, 3:49 AM ET

By ROB GILLIES, For The Associated Press

TORONTO - NHL veteran Jim McKenzie thought about accepting a salary cap during the last lockout 10 years ago.

He's glad the union didn't.

"I would not be where I am now if 10 years ago the guys had given in," said McKenzie, a forward for the Nashville Predators (news). "Ten years ago for me was tempting. I was sitting there with a young family. They weren't in school so you got up everyday and they are staring back at you. I was 22, 23 and didn't have a lot saved."

The journeyman enforcer was thrilled when the season wasn't wiped out.

"There was a real chance that the season would have been canceled. We're fortunate that it wasn't," he said.

But McKenzie and St. Louis Blues (news) defenseman Chris Pronger think this lockout is far worse than the one that wiped out half a season a decade ago.

They don't think they'll be playing again until 2006.

"I think you're looking at, at the very earliest, January '06 for the start of a season," McKenzie said Wednesday.

Pronger is just as pessimistic.

"I think Jimmy hit it on the head. Probably December of '05 and going into January '06 we're going to be in the same position we are in now, trying to come to a resolution," Pronger said.

On Tuesday, the season moved a step closer to being lost when the league rejected the players' association proposal and made a counteroffer that was turned down by the union.

No new meetings have been scheduled, making it quite possible the NHL will become the first North American sports league to cancel a full season because of a labor dispute.

The major roadblock between the sides remains a possible salary cap. The NHL wants a cap to achieve what it calls cost certainty. The players' association says it will never accept that.

There might be a month left to salvage the season, but the sides could be too far apart when it comes to a cap. The last NHL lockout ended with a deal on Jan. 11, 1995, allowing for a 48-game season.

"It's very disheartening. The majority of the players that I've talked to are worried about the fact that if there is no season, how is the league going to be able recover?" Pronger said. "I hear Gary talk and say 'Oh, we'll be able to recover.' He doesn't know."

The union rejected NHL commissioner Gary Bettman's salary cap proposal on Tuesday, ending the meeting that came on the 90th day of the lockout.

The league proposal contained a cap, which, based on last year's economics, would see team player payrolls range between a minimum of $34.6 million and maximum of $38.6 million.

The league also revamped the union's 24 percent rollback offer by significantly reducing the salaries of the richest players and leaving others untouched. Players making less than $800,000 would not have their salary decreased. Those making $5 million or more would have 35 percent taken away from their existing contracts.

McKenzie's $700,000 salary wouldn't be affected, but Pronger, the league's MVP in 2000, would see his $10 million salary reduced to $6.5 million.

"If it weren't so disappointing it would be comical," McKenzie said. "Basically, the league has taken our 24 percent rollback, put it in their pocket and said, 'Thank you' as it though it were some kind of tip, and then said, 'Now we'll negotiate and we'll go back to getting this cap.'"

McKenzie thinks the league is trying to divide the union by trying to woo the 349 players who make $800,000 or less.

"I'm surprised they didn't try it sooner. They're like 'Don't worry about it. You're going to get your money,'" McKenzie said. "In the end we're all going to end up losing on this anyway. The first thing I thought of, because I played in New Jersey, is Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer and Marty Brodeur, it's kind of like saying 'Hey, thanks for winning that Cup and getting my name on it. I'm going to throw you under the bus now.'"

(The Kool-Aid is no longer strong in this one. )

[Risky]

I like Jimmy Mac and all, but if there's ever an example of a guy who should just keep his mouth shut other than saying "just glad to be here, skip," it's him.

Cap? Great! Huge cap? Teriffic! Big pay cut? Super!

So much rhetoric. Let's see what happens when we actually know the "drop dead date" for the 2004-2005 season. Let's see what happens when they know that the soonest they could see another paycheck is in October.

[msweet]

Dividing the league will work because the league is divided.

Gurein's living on the interest off his investments, and Jay Pandolfo has a family to feed.

If they start a new league next year, most of those 349 players will sign up. What choice do they have?

This all comes down to supply and demand. Lot's of supply (paid hockey players) and little demand (essentially one league that will pay for them).

The player's best chance for their best deal is NOW!!!!

[Swede]

there is just no way anyone on either side can defend taking so long to reach an agreement. in that case both will be losers (and stupid ones to boot)

[Pepperkorn]

Well their comments would all be well and good if the NHL was healthy -- but it's not. Fact is Pronger, -- Bettman can say with total confidence the NHL WILL recover because it's at rock bottom now. It can't get worse. Playing or not playing the NHL has to bounce back from the same place.

For all nitpickers out there yeah -- they can sink lower (if they keep playing under the old CBA that is) but fact is if you're so deep you can't resurface before drowning anyhow - well who cares how much lower you go? It's the same as rock bottom.

Edited December 16, 2004 by Pepperkorn

[Pezzer]

"In the end we're all going to end up losing on this anyway. The first thing I thought of, because I played in New Jersey, is Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer and Marty Brodeur, it's kind of like saying 'Hey, thanks for winning that Cup and getting my name on it. I'm going to throw you under the bus now.'"

Instead, it's "Hey fans, thanks for paying more than you could afford all these years so that my salary could be ridiculously inflated. Now we're going to throw you under the bus."

[Pepperkorn]

yeah-- Jimmy me boy can invoke Scott Stevens all he likes but I don't see how the NHL's proposal hurts or under-appreciates their efforts all that much.

Well... actually I CAN say that Marty's respective drop in salary DOES suck because he DID excersize restraint when forging his deal. And you've gotta give Lou kudos big time... now we see why Madden and Gomez got seemingly huge raises. I really think Lou was protecting his own - his style probably won't change that much in any revamped system. Because 3 million is the fair Madden salary he made it over 5. Etc and so forth. I wonder how he'll work things out with Marty because I truly beleive he will find a way to make sure he's fairly compensated one way or another.

and Scott is retiring anyhow... Man can't I just get one big juicy before its' too late and we're all happy electrons merging in and out with one and other any old time we feel like it in the cosmic hereafter? doggoneit! I HATE wanting stuff - stupid stuff and stuff and digressing and stuff too -- that sucks. I mean I said something meanign ful and had to go digress and get all ... randy and stuff

[redruM]

here's the joke to me....

guys like Broduer should get pais 50% more than any other player on his team, becuase without him the devs would be just another team....

yes stevens and Neids are important... but they ar not Marty important.

I hate owners... i hate players.... I hate anyone ssociated w/ this lockout right now...

DAMN!!! I'm back on strike... for some ungodly reason I actually thought they would resolve this thing... Now Iknow they won't so My final word on the the subject is this....

THEY ALL SUCK!!!