It ain't over 'til it's over, folks

[Rock]

Stan Fischler

It ain't over 'til it's over, folks

http://www.msgnetwork.com/content_news.jsp...ther&league=nhl

Feb 04, 2005

When is an NHL season over -- yet not over?

Answer: When it's the first weekend in February with Gary Bettman and Bob Goodenow still unable to agree on anything but disagreeing.

After two days and more than a dozen hours of talks with no deal, one would have assumed that "closure" finally was applied to the 2004-05 season.

But that has not happened. Not by a slapshot, at least. NHL chief negotiator Bill Daly describes the talks as "extensive and constructive."

"By going home," one NHL general manager tells me, "they could take advantage of the weekend to consult with their people."

The official NHL announcement is significant in that it notes, "we have agreed to keep the lines of communication open."

And even though the NHLPA boss exited the meetings in somewhat of a huff -- to others, he appeared shaken -- neither did Goodenow flash a red light on the campaign.

This means that negotiations are not -- N-O-T -- over.

"It doesn't sound or look good at this point but no one has told me the season is over," says Devils' mastermind Lou Lamoriello. "Until they do that, Yogi (Berra) still lives in New Jersey and I see him often, he's a good friend - it's never over until it's over."

Each side has the weekend to consider ways and means of bridging the "cap vs. luxury tax-revenue sharing" philosophical gap that has produced the stalemate.

"They could still finish a deal and start playing March 1st," says one insider who has closely monitored the negotiations.

An NHL general manager tells me, "Each side can now go back to its constituents and get some final approvals for a deal. Or, they can press the button for the final (end the season) explosion."

So don't be surprised if more meetings take place next week.

In the past two days, a pair of prominent NHL players have voiced conciliatory views on possibly considering the league's hard cap.

The first was the Islanders' Michael Peca followed on Friday night by Jeremy Roenick of the Flyers.

Peca offered, "It's always hard to go into a negotiation saying, 'I'm never going to accept that.' Because then you're not giving yourself much room to negotiate. I think both sides are guilty of that."

While Roenick did not endorse the owners' proposal, he suggested that by sweetening it, the NHL might make a cap palatable enough for the NHLPA to take it to a full vote.

"I really feel that maybe we can survive with a cap," Jeremy told ESPN. "Maybe we can survive with a cap - one that's not at a ridiculous level such as what's being offered. I really feel that maybe if there was a bone thrown to us, one that was acceptable, one that the players could gnaw on a little bit, it (a cap) might be feasible.

"But we haven't even got that. We haven't even got anything close to something acceptable. I think a lot of players might want to play for a cap, but not for the cap that they're offering. That bone hasn't been thrown."

That "bone" could be an increase in the current cap ceiling of $42 million up to $45 million. Don Cherry says that would be an offer that players could not refuse.

Meanwhile, Bettman will consult with his 30 owners, who, so far, have backed his no cap-no deal position. There is no indication of a move from this firm policy.

The league also went out of its way to dismiss an ESPN report on Thursday in which an NHL owner -- prior to the meetings -- supposedly claimed that the season was over.

"Despite several media reports to the contrary." the NHL announcement said, "we have no intention of making any further announcement relating to collective bargaining or the status of the season at this time."

[redruM]

UTS FRIGGIN OVER STOP WRITING ARTICLES ON THE NHL AND GET TO ALASKA>>> WE ARE EAGERLY AWAITIG THAT FIRST INTERVIEW W? DEMON>>> THE LEAD DOG ON THE FAVORED TEAM FOR THE ITAROD!!!!

[Weekes Head]

[MantaRay]

OK, football has taken temporary hold of my #1 sport right now, but after Monday I will just give up on the sports season for 2005 (untill Football camps open) with no hockey.

After a long work week I decided to stay in last night and watched TV for the first time in months. There was nothing on at all that even piqued my curiosity. I can only watch the Ottawa/Devils games 7 from 2003 season on the Stanley Cup DVD so many times.

I forgot that MSG & FSNY are even on my cable box. Why don't they play Rats/Wolfpack/Soundtigers/Titans or any type of hockey????? All we get is college basketball games played in front of 1/4 filled arenas---from the south????

I think hockey in the NY/NJ area is DOA for 2005

Can wait for August Football camp to start up already.

[SC Devs Fan]

Yeah, its not over yet. And I, theoretically, now have a chance with Jennifer Aniston.

Shows how much difference there is between theory and reality!

[Don]

After a long work week I decided to stay in last night and watched TV for the first time in months.  There was nothing on at all that even piqued my curiosity.  I can only watch the Ottawa/Devils games 7 from 2003 season on the Stanley Cup DVD so many times. 

Oh, I think I could watch that game forever.... "The Night The Horns Died".

After each playoff win, the Senators fans would take to the streets in their cars and honk their horns like they just won the Stanley Cup. With each win there would be more and more cars. After Game 6, I couldn't get to sleep until midnight from all the cars honking.... and the people here figured that momentum was on their side, this was a done deal. They more resembled peacocks than people the way they were struttin'. Which is why I have a picture of Freeze's goal hanging in my office at work. After that goal, this city went quiet. You could have dropped in pin in Orleans and hear it in Kanata.

Edited February 5, 2005 by Don

[LizDevil30]

Just before I popped onto the board, I was watching the 2003 DVD. The Ottawa game 7 was incredible. I also watched the other two Cups tapes earlier today.

[Zamode]

Amazing that this old perv gets paid to write.....