Does Goodenow want a deal?

[Rock]

McKenzie: Does Goodenow want a deal?

http://www.tsn.ca/columnists/bob_mckenzie.asp

TSN.ca Staff

5/10/2005

In the latest round of sniping between the NHL and NHLPA, a question was raised: Does NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow really want to get a deal done?

Now, far be it for us to get caught in the crossfire or rhetoric between the warring factions, but it's an interesting question, especially for those of us who have known Goodenow for as long as we've known him.

Obviously, Goodenow and Gary Bettman want to get a deal done. But now that it looks as though any deal will include a salary cap and more than likely linkage too, it is fair to ask if Goodenow is prepared to do this type of deal.

Because for as long as I've known Goodenow, I can't imagine he would willingly put his name on something like that. A salary cap? Linkage? Bob Goodenow? Superman was more likely to wear Kryptonite underwear.

In any case, the bigger issue is where is this whole CBA mess headed and what is Goodenow's strategy?

There appear to be three possibilities.

Possbility No. 1: Goodenow thinks he can still win this fight, that if he drags this process out long enough, the owners will break and they'll start cannibalizing each other. Goodenow told his players at the outset to be prepared for an 18 to 24-month battle and I'm sure in Goodenow's mind, this is rolling out exactly as predicted. But the questions the players are asking themselves are: Do we have the stomach for this; and, what if Goodenow's wrong? What if the owners don't cave, the same as they didn't cave to save this season? It's a good question to ask.

Possibility No. 2: Goodenow accepts the reality of a cap and some form of linkage, but figures the longer he can stretch out this process, the more likely he will be to extract some favourable considerations, that the players will get their best deal, under the circumstances, later rather than sooner. But what if Goodenow is wrong, that the deal is, as the NHL suggests, only going to get worse with time? That's another good question.

Possibility No. 3: Goodenow has no intention of ever putting his name to a capped and linked deal, not now, not ever, that he would rather stall, grind the league at every turn, get no deal done, maybe even risk losing his job and go out on his shield rather than sign off on this type of deal.

Maybe only Bob Goodenow knows for sure what his precise strategy is, but something tells me that when the NHLPA holds its general membership meeting on May 24th in Toronto, the rank and file are going to want to know what that strategy is, along with a realistic assessment of how Goodenow can execute it to the players' benefit.

[Devil Dog]

We may know more of what is in Bob's head after todays meeting between hockey's version of Dumb and Dumber.

[MadDog2020]

Maybe only Bob Goodenow knows for sure what his precise strategy is, but something tells me that when the NHLPA holds its general membership meeting on May 24th in Toronto, the rank and file are going to want to know what that strategy is, along with a realistic assessment of how Goodenow can execute it to the players' benefit.

And I'm sure when they ask him what his strategy is, he'll brainwash them with more propaganda and the rank and file will go quietly into the night and continue to show public support for their moronic leader like they have all along, instead of speaking up and taking control of their union.

[Ice Man]

Players will stay solid behind Goodenow.

[LizDevil30]

Players will stay solid behind Goodenow.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And pride goeth before the fall. . .

[CRASHER]

like the herd of cows walking over the cliff after the first one walks over the side

good thing I don't miss hockey that much anymore... we ain't seeing it for a LONG time...

[LetsGoDevils]

Players will stay solid behind Goodenow.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Lemmings

[Devil Dog]

Union won't look to make a deal until end of August at the earliest. My guess is we lose the first month, maybe first two months of the season.