to me this feels like a deal... praise to whoever is the driving force behind most of these compromises. ultimately, we all hope that whatever deal they make is the groundwork not only to get this deal done... but to make sure this never happens again.
personally i want the 30 current teams to be healthy... and i want to see the game get healthy enough that expansion in the future becomes a realistic possibility. i want to see a league where my team has the option to get good players and keep good players. i want a league where the taxpayers arent the ones on the hook supporting 33% of the teams in a way that those teams wouldnt be viable without that taxpayer support.
and if the players get paid like other top entertainers... i dont care. just make sure the money is there to cover it without having to come to us taxpayers to balance the books.
this deal seems like a step in the right direction for everything i personally was hoping to see from it.
No and no.
Just guessing here, but everything is open to moving to one side or the other depending on when they agree to moving to 50-50.
For example, league says we'll give you binding arbitration for 5 years for a 50-50 split right away. NHLPA says no, in two years, and league says ok then binding arbitration for 3 years. They've agreed to it, but the terms are open to negotiation.
7 year max I very much enjoy. I think the most interesting part is that contracts can't drop more than 10% year to year. That's not a huge jump, and I think it will either drive prices up, since getting the AVG salary number down is harder, or it will cool the market considerably since many owners don't want to keep shelling out 7+ for multiple guys on their team.
Ultimately, I have a bad feeling that we'll go through the same thing in a half dozen years. Ownership will shoot themselves in the collective foot with ludicrous contracts repeatedly. It only takes one guy to set the market high.
You would think the 7 year max is to stop all those contracts to save on cap hit for teams when in actual fact its something the league wants because that's all they can insure a contract for. For example, only the first 7 years of Kovy's contract is insured. After that, it's the teams problem.
The 10% drop from year to year is however, to prevent cap circumvention. No more going from $10 million in year one to $1 million in year 7
You would think the 7 year max is to stop all those contracts to save on cap hit for teams when in actual fact its something the league wants because that's all they can insure a contract for. For example, only the first 7 years of Kovy's contract is insured. After that, it's the teams problem.
The 10% drop from year to year is however, to prevent cap circumvention. No more going from $10 million in year one to $1 million in year 7
Did not know that about the 7 year insurance, makes perfect sense. I think it's more than a reasonable term for the players as well.
The 10% rule is a little surprising to me. I can't imagine the NHLPA being crazy about that, because they won't get those huge money years up front any longer.
Just checking on Darren Dreger and Andy Strickland to see if they have any info tweeted and Strickland asks 'anyone else feel this whole lockout has been scripted?'....I have had this feeling and been posting this for two months
I wonder if Don Fehr has one more 'I just took a table spoon of rotten milk' look in him. Me thinks he might- but I just think there are to many antsy people on both sides not to get this done the week of November 12-15th. Veterans Day is the 12th and lets face it, for all intensive purposes November is Thank You month, not I'm going to take my puck and go home month.
I'd really like to see the 23rd first game but that might be pushing it and likely its December 2nd- HOWEVER, no reason they can't have a F-R-E-E exhibition game or two that day, maybe even import all the beer from Prague and charge $1.85 for a 20 oz like I think they do at those games.
Pierre LeBrun @Real_ESPNLeBrun
Statement from Bill Daly: ""Members of the National Hockey League's negotiating committee met for several hours today with ..." Con"t
Pierre LeBrun @Real_ESPNLeBrun
"... representatives of the National Hockey League Players' Association regarding a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The plan is to..."
Pierre LeBrun @Real_ESPNLeBrun
" resume those discussions tomorrow. Out of respect for the negotiation process, we will reserve comment until the subsequent discussions .
Bob McKenzie @TSNBobMcKenzie
Meeting for several hours, saying nothing afterwards with plans to resume meeting tomorrow is probably best anyone could've hoped for today.
They either get a deal based on these negotiations or the season is lost.
This is what I thought, they either get in a 60-65 game season or none at all.
They won't be playing some 48 game schedule starting in January.
That's what i'm thinking.
also
Renaud P Lavoie @RenLavoieRDS
Now we are hearing that the meeting is still ongoing. So let's wait for the next update.#NHL #NHLPA
Pierre LeBrun @Real_ESPNLeBrun
UPDATE: statement from NHL was prematurely released. Meeting between NHL and NHLPA in fact STILL GOING ON. Which is good!
They either get a deal based on these negotiations or the season is lost.
This is what I thought, they either get in a 60-65 game season or none at all.
They won't be playing some 48 game schedule starting in January.
I'm of that mind too.
Either someone steps up now and leads the way with a we're to close to blow this now approach or some nucklehead let's ego get in the way and does blow it. No middle ground, IMO.
I have finished (85% anyway) my master's thesis, which is due on Dec. 6, in large part because of the lockout.
Now that I am ready for the hockey season to begin, I've gotta say that when this gets resolved, I for one won't be happy unless it is an 8-10 year deal.
I have finished (85% anyway) my master's thesis, which is due on Dec. 6, in large part because of the lockout.
Now that I am ready for the hockey season to begin, I've gotta say that when this gets resolved, I for one won't be happy unless it is an 8-10 year deal.
Tired of this stuff every few years.
At least the lockout had one positive result. You can prepare your doctoral dissertation in seven years.
