NHL - Game on?

[SALvation]

On Thursday a bunch of rumors started that players were meeting behind Goodenow's back to come up with a new agreement for the NHL. All rumors were denied, but now bigger names are getting involved and there will be meetings this weekend between the NHL and NHLPA to un-cancel the season.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news?slug=cp-nhl_lockout&prov=cp&type=lgns

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news?slug=nhllabor&prov=st&type=lgns

There just may be some hope left. I'm guessing that on Wednesday, 740 players and 30 owners woke up and realized what had they had actually done. I've been pretty pesimistic since the lockout started, but something tells me you will see an agreement with a $44-45 million cap this weekend. *Crosses fingers

[ME BIGGD01]

i can only blame the fans if they actually watch or go to any of these games. people really need to look it this and turn their backs on any sport that forgets about it's fans.

[Pure_Evil]

Honestly, it would be sad if they reached a agreement in that range. Today, the blue collar fan can't afford to go to a lot of games. I'd rather see the season end, scab players next year and $25 tickets again! Nothing worse than dropping $50 per seat to sit up in the rafters and watch a bunch of millionars skate 3/4 speed and give a half ass effort for it. Listening to the WFAN today, they hit it on the head, ticket prices wont drop because of the cap, no matter what, we lose! :down:

[ME BIGGD01]

pure, we lose no matter what because no one sticks together. i say let them start the season and nobody pay attention to it. don't buy their jackets or shirts or anything that will support them. let them paythose salaries for a bunch of overpaid players for nothing. to hell with going to their games also. like baseball, the non pro players can be a fun day out and a fun game to watch. money ruins everything.

[SALvation]

The Hockey News is reporting that a deal has been reached IN PRINCIPLE for $45 million. Expect much more news to come out tomorrow.

http://www.thn.com/en/headlines/detail.asp?id=27358&cat=954945254360

[PJ'l_Master]

i would think that the owners would really just be at the mercy of the players to some extent considering the teams could just go out and find new owners, leaving the previous ones stranded....

[JIMINATOR]

"bargaining tool" damn, am i right or what...

[Mr Clean]

The owners already won this whole silly thing when Goodenow agreed to the salary cap....why in the world Bettman cancelled the season when they were only 6.5 million apart in per team cap size is just incredible to me...

I love hockey, I think no sport offers more total action and more action per minute than hockey. I have suffered through this BS and this winter has really sucked because of it.

Still, I used to be able to go to a game for $5, and now that doesn't even buy a beer. Is it really worth it anymore to support a team with your wallet?

We'll see what Lemieux and Gretzky can do....

[HotDog]

Point of order...

45 million dollars is a ****ton of money, you'd think people could agree to that much cash0la.

that is all...

[Pure_Evil]

:eek:



NHL COLLECTIVE BARGAINING UPDATE, FEBRUARY 19

NEW YORK (February 19, 2005) - Representatives of the NHL and NHLPA met for approximately 6-1/2 hours today to discuss collective bargaining matters but made no progress toward a new agreement. No further talks are scheduled. The League was represented by Bill Daly, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer; Wayne Gretzky, Managing Partner, Phoenix Coyotes; Mario Lemieux and outside counsel Bob Batterman. The NHLPA was represented by Ted Saskin, Senior Director; Trevor Linden, NHLPA president; Vincent Damphousse of the Colorado Avalanche; Mike Gartner, Director of Business Relations, and outside counsel John McCambridge.

Following the meeting, Bill Daly released the following statement:

"We met for six hours today in New York to further explore the possibility of reaching a new Agreement with the Players' Association. Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux joined and participated in today's meeting, at the request of the Union. We talked through the parties' respective positions on the numerous elements that would be involved in designing a new salary cap-based system. The talks were cordial and informative, but revealed that there remain significant differences that need to be discussed and resolved by the parties. No new proposals were made by either side. While no new meetings are scheduled, we remain committed to continue working through the process until a new Agreement can be reached."

Wayne Gretzky made the following statement:

"Mario and I were happy to be part of the process and everyone seemed to work very hard together. We had a constructive meeting and we only hope they will continue meeting for the betterment of the NHL and its fans."

Mario Lemieux made the following statement:

"I hope all parties continue talking and come to a solution for the betterment of the game. I certainly appreciate the work Gary and Bill have done a lot more, now that I have been part of one of these sessions."



GG

[Pure_Evil]

NEW YORK (TICKER) -- The 2004-05 NHL season officially will remain on ice.

After concluding a 6 1/2-hour meeting Saturday, the league and the Players Association announced no collective bargaining agreement could be reached in hopes of saving the season, which was canceled by commissioner Gary Bettman on Wednesday.

"It's 100 percent certain coming out of today's meeting that nothing will develop that could possibly impact the cancellation of this season," NHLPA senior director Ted Saskin said.

While Bettman and union executive director Bob Goodenow were in attendance, NHL executive vice president Bill Daly was joined by Phoenix Coyotes managing partner Wayne Gretzky and Pittsburgh Penguins co-owner Mario Lemieux in an attempt to find a resolution to the labor strife that has prevented the league from operating since mid-September.

However, the two sides squashed the ground swell of optimism created by Friday's rumors a deal to save the season was imminent.

"The talks were cordial and informative but revealed that there remain significant differences that need to be discussed and resolved by the parties," Daly said in a statement.

"It became apparent as we got into the meeting that the parties were, in fact, much further apart than everybody thought we were on Tuesday," Saskin said. "Everyone's clear on the result of the fact that it accomplished nothing."

Saskin was joined by NHLPA president Trevor Linden, committee member Vincent Damphousse and union director of business relations Mike Gartner. Each side also had its legal counsel present.

"Where we go from here, I don't think anyone is quite sure," Linden said.

"I think that was pretty much the last chance," Damphousse added. "We thought when the league called us that they really had some new things to show us, and they did. They did show us some things and we're disappointed on how their (salary) cap looked and when we found out all the details, it was actually worse than we thought."

A part of the negotiations for the first time, Gretzky had a different view of Saturday's gathering.

"As silly as it sounds, I thought the talks were pretty positive," he said. "I think that both sides made sure they tried to bargain in good faith. ... Unfortunately, they just couldn't come to an understanding."

With no hope of the league operating this season, no meetings are planned for the near future.

"No further meetings are scheduled, nor do I see any need to have any meetings at the present time," Saskin said.

Daly did not paint as bleak a picture as his counterpart.

"While no new meetings are scheduled, we remain committed to continue working through the process until a new agreement can be reached," he said.

Despite the inability to secure a deal, both sides were commended for their efforts.

"I certainly appreciate the work Gary and Bill have done a lot more now that I have been part of one of these sessions," Lemieux said in a statement.

"I'm really happy with our executive committee for going back to (the league) and trying to get something done, almost swallowing our pride and really trying to do what was best for the game and trying to get a deal done at the last moment," Chicago Blackhawks forward Matthew Barnaby said. "I think all the players can sleep well at night knowing we tried to do everything in our power."

The Hockey News reported on its website Friday that the labor meeting would result in a deal for a new collective bargaining agreement that features a $45 million salary cap. But officials from both the league and the union called that report "premature."

"I think there was a misconception that the two sides were close," Linden said. "I think it came from the side of ownership."

According to Rogers Sportsnet of Canada, several NHL players in Europe were pulled from their respective games Saturday to avoid injury. Colorado Avalanche goaltender David Aebischer, who currently is playing in Switzerland, reportedly packed his belongings in anticipation of a settlement.

The possibility of reviving the season may have hinged on the willingness of the Players Association to reduce its salary cap proposal from its last offer of $49 million to $45 million and the owners moving up from their "final" offer of $42.5 million.

But Saturday's talks apparently did not even reach that stage.

"We did not discuss numbers," Saskin said. "What was more important today (was) to discuss what was going into that number, what system was around that number and how that number might adjust. And the position they took on those issues alone made it 100 percent certain we could make no progress.

"It's far more than just a number that separates us. It's all the systemic details around that number that are critically important in how they affect players, and there was a much larger gap in those areas."

Saskin did get into specifics in a statement released by the union.

"The NHL today revealed a number of significant differences between our respective positions, such as: While we expected the upper limit number on payroll would increase over the six-year term of the deal as hockey revenues increased, the NHL's position today was that the upper limit would remain a fixed number for six years, regardless of any growth in hockey revenues.

While we were told earlier in the week that the NHL's revenue-sharing plan would not decrease over time, the plan they revealed today could decrease significantly over the term of the agreement.

While we anticipated a minimum team payroll number in our proposal, the NHL was today not interested in providing any minimum team payroll number, but only a maximum number.

While we had anticipated using our December 9 system changes with a couple of exceptions to be discussed, the NHL today outlined more significant exceptions which they were seeking, particularly in the area of salary arbitration and qualifying offers."

Both sides made considerable concessions Monday as the NHL wiped out linkage from its offer and the union backed off its hardline stance against a salary cap. But after Bettman's announcement of the cancellation of the season, both figureheads declared their offers were no longer on the table.

With Bettman's dismal proclamation Wednesday, the NHL became the first North American major sports league to lose an entire season due to a labor dispute. It also ensured a Stanley Cup champion would not be crowned for the first time since 1919, when the Finals were canceled after five games due to a Spanish Flu epidemic.

Updated on Saturday, Feb 19, 2005 9:21 pm E

[mod]

Life sucks up here in canada.





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[JIMINATOR]

at least you can go skiing most of the year... :hmmm:

:P

[Alexis SC430]

I just learned the other day that "The Mighty Ducks" are a real hockey team! Can you believe that they really named a team after that stupid movie?

[solid snake295]

at least you can go skiing most of the year... :hmmm:


i really hope your joking about that :hmmm: :P

[mod]

I just learned the other day that "The Mighty Ducks" are a real hockey team! Can you believe that they really named a team after that stupid movie?


well it is walt disneys team





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[SALvation]

well it is walt disneys team
mod*
Actually, it WAS Disney's team until today...

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news?slug=afp-ihockeynhlduckssale&prov=afp&type=lgns