Any good owner would have no choice but to make those deals. Imagine the criticism if they didn't form deals based around what they currently allowed under the current CBA, and instead tried to lowball their best players for a price they thought actually fair? You don't have to imagine it, you just need to look back at the criticism Jacobs got for doing just that. His image still hasn't recovered after spending to the cap for as long as the cap's been in place (over that even at times) and bringing a Stanley Cup to Boston. Nashville might has well of closed to the doors to the arena if they didn't match for Weber even though it was well outside their comfort level.
The owners are in it to make money, this is a business. Making millions of dollars a year for investing/owning/running a national sports franchise isn't ludicrous (or shouldn't be). Making millions of dollars to play a game however...
I understand wanting to be fairly compensated and treated properly. At what point do the demands for such become ridiculous? They're well past that point in professional sports imo.
Kaoz, I don't disagree with you on any of your comments. But at the same time they put their names on those contracts, they should honor them to the fullest.
I hear you about the refusal to negotiate early, but I give them a pass on that because I"d like to think they wanted to focus on playing the game at the time (who wants cba drama in the locker room come playoff time). Fehr is a hard ass and there is no doubt they wanted a hardass after eating **** the last time through.
Yes fan boys always give the cool players a pass.
Greed. End of story here folks. Don't try to complicate it.
Agreed. Just tired of the common belief being propagated that it's all on the owners and the players are innocent victims. They league will die as the league is structured. The players are just as guilty and should not be getting half of the revenue when they don't assume any of the league costs. Said it before but it bears repeating. Nobody is innocent in this one.
The hiring of Fehr made me think there wouldn't be a season this year, so maybe that's why I'm not that shocked or upset... I do like how he gets under the skin of Bettman though...Hard to get under the skin of a cockroach.
I used to wonder how Bettman could sleep at night until I remembered that roaches don't sleep at night.
It's funny, I wrote off the beginning of this season too and, as a result, kind of like hearing how fehr is playing headgames with ownership.
I am not following this stuff after Thursday but I still think there is a season. Imagine if we did miss a season, Chara a year older, Thomas decides to return....a bunch of the kids are ready- would we ever see Shawn Thornton in a Bruins uniform again? Seguin legal.
The quality of the AHL though will do wonders for the development of Sauve, Caron, Spooner (wow, last night), Knight, Krug, and many of the others; Hamilton will have another year under his belt, as well as Subban and others
I'd hate that we get that stupid weighted lottery and the Leafs are loaded to finish near the bottom of choicey picks
still, no way this many folks allow this season to miss- it may be a round robin starting on St Patricks Day but they'll be a season. I'd be all for a two losses and your out playing everyone in your division and then moving on to the playoffs
As much as I hate that the NHL isn't happening right now, I realized that there is other hockey out there.
I went to a Springfield Falcons game on Friday night. Fantastic game. 2-0 win by Springfield. Got to see them play against the Connecticut Whale. Watched Chris Kreider for the first time live. McIlrath is also on that team, but he was a scratch.
But it was refreshing to watch pro-level hockey again. And it's CHEAP!
I am not following this stuff after Thursday but I still think there is a season. Imagine if we did miss a season, Chara a year older, Thomas decides to return....a bunch of the kids are ready- would we ever see Shawn Thornton in a Bruins uniform again? Seguin legal.
The quality of the AHL though will do wonders for the development of Sauve, Caron, Spooner (wow, last night), Knight, Krug, and many of the others; Hamilton will have another year under his belt, as well as Subban and others
I'd hate that we get that stupid weighted lottery and the Leafs are loaded to finish near the bottom of choicey picks
still, no way this many folks allow this season to miss- it may be a round robin starting on St Patricks Day but they'll be a season. I'd be all for a two losses and your out playing everyone in your division and then moving on to the playoffs
As I understand the weighted lottery, we get one ball in the bin where the Leafs would get three. There's still a chance our ball could roll out first. Regardless of the odds we could have the first pick. Unlike the normal system where we wouldn't have a shot at that pick if we finished with a high spot in the standings.
As much as I hate that the NHL isn't happening right now, I realized that there is other hockey out there.
I went to a Springfield Falcons game on Friday night. Fantastic game. 2-0 win by Springfield. Got to see them play against the Connecticut Whale. Watched Chris Kreider for the first time live. McIlrath is also on that team, but he was a scratch.
But it was refreshing to watch pro-level hockey again. And it's CHEAP!
This, I know for a lot of the hardcore fans who have played and or been watching the NHL for years the AHL may leave them wanting. However for a casual fan turned "more than casual" it's just as fun to watch and much cheaper. My only regret is that I live 2 hours away from an AHL team so I can't see as many live games as I'd like.
NBCSports should threaten to pull the TV contract. They need some pressure from the outside...
I have been wondering the same thing since this started.
I must be naive, but I can't for the life of me think why NBC hasn't given the players and the owners a hard deadline. NHL simply cannot be that big a crown jewel for NBC can it? If it was NFL, yes. But NHL in USA??????
As much as I hate that the NHL isn't happening right now, I realized that there is other hockey out there.
I went to a Springfield Falcons game on Friday night. Fantastic game. 2-0 win by Springfield. Got to see them play against the Connecticut Whale. Watched Chris Kreider for the first time live. McIlrath is also on that team, but he was a scratch.
But it was refreshing to watch pro-level hockey again. And it's CHEAP!
I have been wondering the same thing since this started.
I must be naive, but I can't for the life of me think why NBC hasn't given the players and the owners a hard deadline. NHL simply cannot be that big a crown jewel for NBC can it? If it was NFL, yes. But NHL in USA??????
The NHL got a 10 year deal partially on the premise that all of its issues would be solved in the upcoming CBA negotiations.
Doesn't matter what anyone of us believe. NBC gives the NHL an ultimatum : Settle by Nov 1st or we cancel the deal ?
Players win by a landslide and it isn't even close. NHL would have to give into every one of the players demands to get the deal done by then. There's no threat to the players to settle in that event.
NBC knew there was a possibility of losing the season. That's why they got the "free" year tagged on at the end in the event the season was lost.
It's also not out of the realm of possibility that the longer this goes, that NBC would be better off with a lost season. Pay $200 million for a 48 game season or $200 million for 0 games with a free 88 games tagged onto the end (accounting for expansion there )
I wish I had reasons to be optimistic but I don't see them. Fehr vs. Bettman was gonna be really tough from the start. For the people who think a deal gets done, when? And what changes before then? Wasn't DKH's date November 15th? Coming up awfully fast.
As I understand the weighted lottery, we get one ball in the bin where the Leafs would get three. There's still a chance our ball could roll out first. Regardless of the odds we could have the first pick. Unlike the normal system where we wouldn't have a shot at that pick if we finished with a high spot in the standings.
Pretty sad that the NHL has a standing policy for ordering the draft after a lockout cancels an entire season.
I wish I had reasons to be optimistic but I don't see them. Fehr vs. Bettman was gonna be really tough from the start. For the people who think a deal gets done, when? And what changes before then? Wasn't DKH's date November 15th? Coming up awfully fast.
yes, and I am so embarressed over this I am thinking of driving to Toronto and buying one of the Leafs paper bags to wear in public. As I stated before I have the blueprint up for a penalty box that I will build in my backyard Friday morning and go sit for 2 minutes in shame.
If they get past my date, just forget it- take a year off, a couple, maybe long enough to outlive some owners.
I am kinda liking saving about 10 grand in NHL related money and going to Providence games anyways.
But yes, November 15th is the date the mods shut off my account here and I slink away in shame to the abyss
yes, and I am so embarressed over this I am thinking of driving to Toronto and buying one of the Leafs paper bags to wear in public. As I stated before I have the blueprint up for a penalty box that I will build in my backyard Friday morning and go sit for 2 minutes in shame.
If they get past my date, just forget it- take a year off, a couple, maybe long enough to outlive some owners.
I am kinda liking saving about 10 grand in NHL related money and going to Providence games anyways.But yes, November 15th is the date the mods shut off my account here and I slink away in shame to the abyss
Me too.. going friday night for draft and dog night. I plan on having entirely too much fun.
yes, and I am so embarressed over this I am thinking of driving to Toronto and buying one of the Leafs paper bags to wear in public. As I stated before I have the blueprint up for a penalty box that I will build in my backyard Friday morning and go sit for 2 minutes in shame.
If they get past my date, just forget it- take a year off, a couple, maybe long enough to outlive some owners.
I am kinda liking saving about 10 grand in NHL related money and going to Providence games anyways.
But yes, November 15th is the date the mods shut off my account here and I slink away in shame to the abyss
DKH, not only are you keeping my optimism up, but you're keeping my sense of humor going as well...and for that I thank you!
yes, and I am so embarressed over this I am thinking of driving to Toronto and buying one of the Leafs paper bags to wear in public. As I stated before I have the blueprint up for a penalty box that I will build in my backyard Friday morning and go sit for 2 minutes in shame.
If they get past my date, just forget it- take a year off, a couple, maybe long enough to outlive some owners.
I am kinda liking saving about 10 grand in NHL related money and going to Providence games anyways.
But yes, November 15th is the date the mods shut off my account here and I slink away in shame to the abyss
Lol, I've always tried to keep my hopes up and thought your date sounded good. Disappointing lack of progress last week.
Lol, I've always tried to keep my hopes up and thought your date sounded good. Disappointing lack of progress last week.
Reading all the tweets, leaks and Press spin, both sides appear to be very close on the revenue split; the contentious issue outstanding appears to be what are the players getting in return for their reduced revenue split:
1. FA age reduced by a year or 2 as opposed to the NHL's request to raise it?
2. Contract lengths left as is as opposed to 5 year limits?
3. No changes to arbitration?
4. What %age of the players' salary will be paid this season if there is indeed a season.
Will it take the BOG dismissing Betteman for a deal to get done as the players' animosity towards him seems to be at an all time high?
