230 replies to this topic

[DuffMan]

ESPN: Talks expected to resume this week

http://espn.go.com/n...ted-resume-week

You forgot to mention that

"Major economic issues aren't on the agenda,"

[DuffMan]

We have an actual update to discuss!! The league has just made the NHLPA a new offer, and looking over some of the details that are highlighted in the following articles it looks pretty legit! Here's a link to two separate articles that are worth checking out.

http://espn.go.com/n... ... ed-revenue

http://aol.sportingn... ... t=hp_t2_a5

The owners are asking for a 50-50 split of revenues now, and there's a mechanism in place to protect all contracts currently on the books. The owners also gave a little more in other areas: arbitration, start of FA for a player, length of entry level contracts.

Looking it over it's a pretty fair offer, and while the NHLPA might not agree with everything I think there's enough value there that they can come to agreement.

This is the most hopeful I've been in a while that they get a deal done!

[You Play to Win the Game]

Really hope this does it. Very relieved to see the league make a legit offer. I finally have some hope that we will see hockey return sooner than later.

[Oriole85]

Obviously it would be nicer if it returned sooner, but I'm thinking if it returns with the Winter Classic on New Years, it will be like the NBA returning on Christmas last year.

[DJ MC]

http://deadspin.com/... ... t=53538295

You're going to hear a lot about "shared sacrifice" from the NHL in the days and weeks to come. That's the word from inside a secret emergency PR focus group, in which a top Republican Party strategist tested pro-ownership messages on a captive audience of hockey fans. One of those fans shared the documents with us, for a sneak preview of the propaganda campaign the NHL will be unloading on the public as the lockout drags on. Here's a look at the bullshit on the menu before the league serves it to you.

[DuffMan]

Really hope this does it. Very relieved to see the league make a legit offer. I finally have some hope that we will see hockey return sooner than later.

Leading up to and throughout this lockout the Players have had the support of the fans on their side while almost all of the blame has been directed towards the owners. Now that the owners have made a much more legit offer the ball is in the NHLPA's court. With most in agreement that this is a pretty fair offer, the players will lose alot of that good will they had earned if they can't use this offer as the starting point to getting a deal done.

[DuffMan]

Need a reason to worry that they might not get a deal done, here's Don Fehr's first response to the offer in a letter sent to players and agents.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=407542

- "Simply put, the owners' new proposal, while not quite as Draconian as their previous proposals, still represents enormous reductions in player salaries and individual contracting rights. As you will see, at the 5 per cent industry growth rate the owners predict, the salary reduction over six years exceeds $1.6 billion. What do the owners offer in return?"

Having said that the sides are set to meet tomorrow in Toronto, but I don't like these comments Fehr is making.

[JeremyStrain]

Need a reason to worry that they might not get a deal done, here's Don Fehr's first response to the offer in a letter sent to players and agents.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=407542


Having said that the sides are set to meet tomorrow in Toronto, but I don't like these comments Fehr is making.

The owners are still trying to make it about something else and divert attention from the fact they want a rollback on all contracts they already agreed to. They already got that once this decade, and that was one time too many. Players are never going to agree to a deal with a rollback.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Leading up to and throughout this lockout the Players have had the support of the fans on their side while almost all of the blame has been directed towards the owners. Now that the owners have made a much more legit offer the ball is in the NHLPA's court. With most in agreement that this is a pretty fair offer, the players will lose alot of that good will they had earned if they can't use this offer as the starting point to getting a deal done.

I agree with this. I've always felt a 50/50 split was fair for both sides, and I think this is a huge step in the right direction.

[JeremyStrain]

I agree with this. I've always felt a 50/50 split was fair for both sides, and I think this is a huge step in the right direction.

All that putting the public terms out thing was, was a stunt to try to win fan support. They knew the PA wasn't going to accept an offer with a rollback in it, so they put it out to make it look like they are the good guys in this.

The players came back today and gave 3 options and the owners said, oh this is a shame, it's a step backwards, after we tried SOOOO hard.

Sidenote: Backstrom signed to play with Ovi in KHL during lockout. So much for a rift between those guys as some rumored last year.

[Oriole85]

ESPN: NHL cancels more games; total at 135

http://espn.go.com/n...ar-season-nov-1

And more bad news appears to be on the way.

The NHL is expected to make much more significant cancellations by the end of next week if a deal is not reached, a source with knowledge of the league's thinking told ESPNNewYork.com.

[DJ MC]

ESPN: NHL cancels more games; total at 135

http://espn.go.com/n...ar-season-nov-1

I think this is good news. If the league didn't believe that there is a real chance of starting on November 2, they wouldn't bother waiting to postpone further.

[Oriole85]

ESPN: NHL GMs spoke with players

http://espn.go.com/n...sal-end-lockout

[JeremyStrain]

I think this is good news. If the league didn't believe that there is a real chance of starting on November 2, they wouldn't bother waiting to postpone further.

This is going for the long haul. The players are livid and didn't like the PR move the league tried to make by making their offer public. The rollback of contracts is still the big problem.

[DuffMan]

This is just so incredibly frustrating, I think the worst part is that there's been so few negotiations between the two sides. I know the players don't want the rollbacks, but I still feel like that there's some way a deal can be made. It's not like last time where they were blowing up the whole system and creating a salary cap. They already have a system in place, but getting these two sides to agree on anything right now is almost impossible. Ugh I just want to watch some hockey, is that too much to ask?

[JeremyStrain]

The problem is both sides adamantly want the one issue for or against. Neither wants to budge, the owners figure the players will give in because they did last time. The players did last time because they didn't want to rob another season from the fans, the owners figure they caved once and they will do it again they just have to be patient.

It's a mess. All these "negotiating" sessions are a joke, and have really just amounted to grandstanding. The most negotiating they have done so far is the exchange of offers, and non-face to face. That's never going to get it done.

[Oriole85]

The problem is both sides adamantly want the one issue for or against. Neither wants to budge, the owners figure the players will give in because they did last time. The players did last time because they didn't want to rob another season from the fans, the owners figure they caved once and they will do it again they just have to be patient.

It's a mess. All these "negotiating" sessions are a joke, and have really just amounted to grandstanding. The most negotiating they have done so far is the exchange of offers, and non-face to face. That's never going to get it done.

ESPN: NHL, NHLPA can't agree to meet

http://espn.go.com/n...tion-agree-meet

[Oriole85]

ESPN Gary Bettman running low on hope

http://espn.go.com/n...-82-game-season

"Unfortunately, it looks like an 82-game season is not going to be a reality," Bettman said

According to a source with knowledge of the league's plan, there is likely to be a significant round of cancellations by the end of this week if no progress in negotiations is made. That source also told ESPNNewYork.com that the league's marquee moneymaker, the Winter Classic, is very much in jeopardy.

[You Play to Win the Game]

It would be a travesty if we don't get to see the Winter Classic in the Big House on New Years. I've been looking forward to that.

[JeremyStrain]

It would be a travesty if we don't get to see the Winter Classic in the Big House on New Years. I've been looking forward to that.

They will have it there next season. The problem is that the players can only survive so long so the owners are content to starve them out. My NHL friend is looking at retiring early because of it. Sucks.