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Owner-Player meeting only, no Bettman or Fehr (UPD: 12/4 in NYC)
Makes both Bettman and Fehr look silly that the players and owners are trying to work out a deal without them.
Or maybe they had a deal worked out all along and wanted to turn this into a pr stunt that the players and owners deeply care and will bring back hockey in spite of bettman and fehr. Maybe that guy from Boston was right about a done deal.
Yeah, I can just see Bettman and Fehr coming in after all this and screwing up any progress that was made. Hope not though.
I now have this image in my head of the owners and players building sandcastles or houses of cards together, and then evil Bettman and evil Fehr walking by afterwards and kicking the things over while laughing.
i'm calling it right now, the season will start January 1st with every team playing and it will be much like Hockey Day with Nationally televised games at 1pm 7pm 10pm
for bonus points the nationally televised games will be 1pm Boston vs NYR 7pm Pittsburgh vs Philly 10pm Detroit vs Chicago, alternatively if they want to keep all games within division 1 pm can be Boston vs Buffalo
For me, my initial reaction is "ugh" but at the same time if they are joining the meeting, it could mean that progress has been made. I only worry that the 2 screw it up, but I hope the owners-players have made progress.
I don't want Fehr or Bettman to hijack a productive meeting at this point.
That's kind of my thoughts as well... however at some point they need to be involved.
__________________ "It’s not as if Donald Fehr was lying to us, several players said. Rather, it’s as if he has been economical with information, these players believe, not sharing facts these players consider to be vital."
i'm calling it right now, the season will start January 1st with every team playing and it will be much like Hockey Day with Nationally televised games at 1pm 7pm 10pm
for bonus points the nationally televised games will be 1pm Boston vs NYR 7pm Pittsburgh vs Philly 10pm Detroit vs Chicago, alternatively if they want to keep all games within division 1 pm can be Boston vs Buffalo
The players will ride in on unicorns and Santa Claws will drop the puck. Also, leprechauns.
i'm calling it right now, the season will start January 1st with every team playing and it will be much like Hockey Day with Nationally televised games at 1pm 7pm 10pm
for bonus points the nationally televised games will be 1pm Boston vs NYR 7pm Pittsburgh vs Philly 10pm Detroit vs Chicago, alternatively if they want to keep all games within division 1 pm can be Boston vs Buffalo
Honestly, the first is the worst possible day to do that kind of thing. Jan first is a college football day first and foremost. You have like 10 bowl games including the Rosé and Orange (BCS games). I love the idea, I just think it would need to be a different day.
Or maybe they had a deal worked out all along and wanted to turn this into a pr stunt that the players and owners deeply care and will bring back hockey in spite of bettman and fehr. Maybe that guy from Boston was right about a done deal.
Bingo...this whole thing smells like a PR stunt, like most of this process has been (only this is a beneficial PR stunt, finally).
Besides, you have hard-liners in the room on both sides. If even they're endorsing what's going on Bettman and Fehr can't torpedo that.
Honestly, the first is the worst possible day to do that kind of thing. Jan first is a college football day first and foremost. You have like 10 bowl games including the Rosé and Orange (BCS games). I love the idea, I just think it would need to be a different day.
I hope its Rangers at Boston because I am a Rangers season ticket holder and I will still be hung over
i'm calling it right now, the season will start January 1st with every team playing and it will be much like Hockey Day with Nationally televised games at 1pm 7pm 10pm
for bonus points the nationally televised games will be 1pm Boston vs NYR 7pm Pittsburgh vs Philly 10pm Detroit vs Chicago, alternatively if they want to keep all games within division 1 pm can be Boston vs Buffalo
If they come to an agreement the next few days, there's no reason they have to wait that long. Besides, they haven't officially canceled games from the 15th on, the 15th's a Saturday, it wouldn't shock me if that was the target start date if this somehow gets done in the next couple days. Or Christmas if it gets slightly more drawn out.
If they come to an agreement the next few days, there's no reason they have to wait that long. Besides, they haven't officially canceled games from the 15th on, the 15th's a Saturday, it wouldn't shock me if that was the target start date if this somehow gets done in the next couple days. Or Christmas if it gets slightly more drawn out.
The only downside to starting the season before Christmas is Canada's WJC team won't be so stacked. I'd be willing to live with that though .
If they come to an agreement the next few days, there's no reason they have to wait that long. Besides, they haven't officially canceled games from the 15th on, the 15th's a Saturday, it wouldn't shock me if that was the target start date if this somehow gets done in the next couple days. Or Christmas if it gets slightly more drawn out.
I think you realistically need 10 days - 2 weeks to get everybody back from overseas in for physicals and have a week of practice. I am really interested in how they could come up with a revised schedule in a short period of time and what those will look like.
Well they were prepared to start the season something like November 11 when they had that infamous November 2 '82 game' offer, I think. Nine days would fit the timeline from say, day after tomorrow to the 15th. Christmas might be a more realistic timeline but I really do think the league wants to squeeze in a 2/3 schedule so they don't have to cough up money to sponsors.
Well they were prepared to start the season something like November 11 when they had that infamous November 2 '82 game' offer, I think. Nine days would fit the timeline from say, day after tomorrow to the 15th. Christmas might be a more realistic timeline but I really do think the league wants to squeeze in a 2/3 schedule so they don't have to cough up money to sponsors.
the problem with starting the season on the 15th is that unlike the NBA in the NHL the players get a Christmas break, so they would start the season just to take a few days off, I feel they should take the weeks before Christmas to do training camp and maybe a couple preseason games and then start the new year off right with the season in which they still fit about 50 games without things getting too hectic
the problem with starting the season on the 15th is that unlike the NBA in the NHL the players get a Christmas break, so they would start the season just to take a few days off, I feel they should take the weeks before Christmas to do training camp and maybe a couple preseason games and then start the new year off right with the season in which they still fit about 50 games without things getting too hectic
You might be thinking of the holiday roster freeze, the actual hockey break is only two days - they get the 25th and the 26th off, it's not that complicated to have the majority of the league playing on the 24th and 27th. Maybe some teams get three days off and have a back-to-back right after.
I don't think the NHL bothered to have a preseason in '94/95. The NBA had a mini (two-game) preseason last year but the NHL does have the sponsors consideration, they need to cram in max games now.
Yeah, I can just see Bettman and Fehr coming in after all this and screwing up any progress that was made. Hope not though.
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