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LeBrun: NHL made new offer to NHLPA on Thursday (12/27)
I get the feeling this is going to be the last offer by the NHL. I think if the players turn this down we can forget about any hockey being played in the NHL this year.
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Exhibit A as to how hockey doesn't matter on ESPN:
Last night an ESPN program was discussing how the Detroit Pistons needed a hero citing the heroes on the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions and no mention of the Detroit Red Wings. All this despite the Red Wings probably being the most succesful team in Detroit right now.
Don Fehr only cares about himself and the highest paid players. The players who need the season are sacrificial to him.
Don Fehr Bettman only cares about himself and the highest paid players the lowest revenue team, which is the one he is trying to sell. The players Fans who need the season are sacrificial to him
Don Fehr Bettman only cares about himself and the highest paid players the lowest revenue team, which is the one he is trying to sell. The players Fans who need the season are sacrificial to him
Yes, but the Owners told him he can't cancel the season. So this is all on Don Fehr now. What I said and you changed stands.
I get the feeling this is going to be the last offer by the NHL. I think if the players turn this down we can forget about any hockey being played in the NHL this year.
Read that some NHL owners have told Bettman that cancelling the season is not an option.
Not sure how much weight that carries, but sounds like Bettman has to cut some kind of deal to save his job.
I think a deal gets done, probably will take it right to the "deadline" though..
Fehr does not want to get a deal done. The PA hired him to fight this out and win, not cut a deal. The only thing that's going to end this lockout is the league caving completely, and that's going to be up to the Board, not up to Bettman.
Oh that's fine, I wouldn't care if there was no longer a salary cap. But the players can stick their guaranteed contracts where the sun don't shine. Buh-bye.
Which would you rather have?
The league doesn't survive without a cap. At least not as we know it. Maybe if they contract 6-8 teams but without larger revenue numbers and massive revenue share program small market teams will never survive without a cap. Which in turn would put 20 percent of the NHL players out of work. Ironic isn't it?
Pretty much. I see it is a mini tweak, and more importantly one last knock on the PA's door to see if they'll open it. And as mentioned by others; it shows the courts and the public that the NHL are taking an initiative towards further negotiations, as opposed to the PA sitting back and looking at ways to leverage the NHL. This can be used to counter the PA's claim that the NHL is using a "take it or leave it" stance.
Do you have a link? If he can't cancel the season, I guess we're going to use the old CBA afterall.
We'd only go to the old CBA if the players don't mind the idea that some teams might be cut eventually, thus losing player jobs. The whole reason for the lockout was teams not being able to survive much longer with the old CBA. That's what they say anyways.
The whole reason for the lockout was teams not being able to survive much longer with the old CBA. That's what they say anyways.
Yes, that's the party line. It's not true - there is sufficient revenue to make everybody whole and profitable without changing the CBA at all - but I do agree that is the party line. And I also understand why the owners would want to negotiate some of that sharing load into the next CBA.
Then the PA will be rewarded for brinksmanship if it truly is an acceptable option to them.
I think this has always been about brinksmanship, which only really gets serious when negotiations are "at the brink". It also assumes that neither side is willing to let the negotiation fail (i.e. season to be cancelled). I can't imagine that either side will want a cancelled season, and we have only now reached the "brink". So, as long as both sides don't lose their cool and this doesn't get excessively emotional, I think we'll see a deal within a couple of weeks.
Fehr does not want to get a deal done. The PA hired him to fight this out and win, not cut a deal. The only thing that's going to end this lockout is the league caving completely, and that's going to be up to the Board, not up to Bettman.
I agree. The only other way I see a deal happening is come the summer the players revolt against the PA leadership and take a deal behind Fehr's back. I am actually amazed they have stayed unified this long. I am sure a good majority of them are pissed about this and would go back to work on the owners first offer. The reality is the average NHL player will NEVER recoup the money lost during this lockout.
I agree. The only other way I see a deal happening is come the summer the players revolt against the PA leadership and take a deal behind Fehr's back. I am actually amazed they have stayed unified this long. I am sure a good majority of them are pissed about this and would go back to work on the owners first offer. The reality is the average NHL player will NEVER recoup the money lost during this lockout.
A line that is spoken every time there is a lockout or strike but people still do it decade in decade out. Principle is a big motivator for most things in life.
What percentage of NHL players do people think really know what's going on in the lockout?
Probably about the same percentage as fans.
With the possible exception of the union reps, I really doubt most players are fully aware what's been going on any more than we are. Fehr has been blowing so much smoke it's hard for anyone to really cut through it and get down to the bone.
