Whoever voted for Steigerwald and Eerey should be banned.
- sammy87

I voted for Errey, he's pretty good. When the Pens get bounced from the playoffs he is one of the better analysts on the NHL Network. Steiggy drags him wayyyyy down.

I was fortunate enough and got to hear my one and only Mario Lemieuuuuuuuux in 2001 playoffs against Washington. Mario scored a bad angle goal early in the 1st. Sorry you missed out.
- Gunner Staal

Still to this day I will never forget being at Lemieux's comeback game in 2000, when Jagr set him up for a one timer. LEMIEUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUX! Never again was that stadium so loud. And of course my dad being the Pittsburgh dad that he is, wanted to leave early to beat traffic.

He had a very unique and classy voice for calling games. Not the monster truck voice most stadiums have.

With or without Steigy, Errey makes my ears bleed.

Whoever voted for Steigerwald and Eerey should be banned.
- sammy87

Errey is Fin hilarious. I laugh hard at least once per game. Staggerwald blows... but Errey makes them almost decent

Savvy offer by the NHL, onus is on Fehr and NHLPA now.

Savvy offer by the NHL, onus is on Fehr and NHLPA now.
- Gunner Staal

My guess is the NHL wont budge beyond 50/50 on HRR, but will allow contracts of 6 or 7yrs as opposed to 5 in the proposal. The NHLPA will have to pick their spots for a counter proposal, and if they are serious about getting the season started will need to counter in areas other than 50/50 HRR.

My guess is the NHL wont budge beyond 50/50 on HRR, but will allow contracts of 6 or 7yrs as opposed to 5 in the proposal. The NHLPA will have to pick their spots for a counter proposal, and if they are serious about getting the season started will need to counter in areas other than 50/50 HRR.
- Rawdog9755

They should be all over this proposal like a fat kid on a smartie. Get your poop together and play some hockey.

They should be all over this proposal like a fat kid on a smartie. Get your poop together and play some hockey.
- canadianpenfan

Agreed, but out of principle the NHLPA wont accept it outright.

Agreed, but out of principle the NHLPA wont accept it outright.
- Rawdog9755

There will be minor adjustments like you said. Shouldn't be a 5 year limit on contracts, should be 7 or 8.

Agreed, but out of principle the NHLPA wont accept it outright.
- Rawdog9755

No, but what they have remaining should be pretty simple. I don't imagine the owners will cancel a season based on the issues remaining. Like Gunner said, max contract length will no way be 5 years and the owners know that. But this is a starting point to getting down to hammering out the details.

Still think we get a full season.

If this is true James Harrison will be sitting in a dark room for the rest of his life within the next 5 years.


http://espn.go.com/nfl/st...-double-digit-concussions

If this is true James Harrison will be sitting in a dark room for the rest of his life within the next 5 years.


http://espn.go.com/nfl/st...-double-digit-concussions
- canadianpenfan

I find it ironic that he is promoting concussion prevention. When the league fined him for head hunting on every tackle he whined about it for weeks, never mind the retirement threats.

No, but what they have remaining should be pretty simple. I don't imagine the owners will cancel a season based on the issues remaining. Like Gunner said, max contract length will no way be 5 years and the owners know that. But this is a starting point to getting down to hammering out the details.

Still think we get a full season.
- canadianpenfan

We can hope. At least this is a positive move, IMO.

I find it ironic that he is promoting concussion prevention. When the league fined him for head hunting on every tackle he whined about it for weeks, never mind the retirement threats.
- Ben37

In fairness it went both ways. He's taken some horrific hits to his head as well. The NFL was just being a bit hypocritical

My guess is the NHL wont budge beyond 50/50 on HRR, but will allow contracts of 6 or 7yrs as opposed to 5 in the proposal. The NHLPA will have to pick their spots for a counter proposal, and if they are serious about getting the season started will need to counter in areas other than 50/50 HRR.
- Rawdog9755

Agree, this was a "real" offer compared to that initial trash. I'm glad they're putting an emphasis on max length of these deals. I actually see them allowing as much as 8 year deals, but please no more 12 or 13 year deals. As much as I love Sid, his deal freaks me a little.

I put nothing past Donald Fehr. He's probably thinking the NHL showed weakness and now it's time to really dig in his heals. (hate that guy)

In fairness it went both ways. He's taken some horrific hits to his head as well. The NFL was just being a bit hypocritical
- Deadstar

NFL being hypocritical.....No! Can't Be! As a looooooooong time season ticket holder, I really have trouble taking their product seriously anymore. Here's praying that tweedle dee and tweedle dumb can bridge the remaining gaps and we can get the NHL back.

By the way, the focus on head shots by the NFL has nothing to do with player safety, but everything to do with current and future law suits.

In fairness it went both ways. He's taken some horrific hits to his head as well. The NFL was just being a bit hypocritical
- Deadstar

I don't doubt he has, and don't argue that the NFL has been hypocritical when it comes to concussions, I just find it kind of funny that a head hunter like Harrison (by the way one of my favorite players was Brian Dawkins a guy who crossed the line) is taking serious concussion prevention steps after handing out concussions like free candy.

This moving letter by a fan has got to be one of the best reasons to get a deal done. Incredible letter. Wow. We need a deal now for this lady.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/

Agree, this was a "real" offer compared to that initial trash. I'm glad they're putting an emphasis on max length of these deals. I actually see them allowing as much as 8 year deals, but please no more 12 or 13 year deals. As much as I love Sid, his deal freaks me a little.

I put nothing past Donald Fehr. He's probably thinking the NHL showed weakness and now it's time to really dig in his heals. (hate that guy)
- madmike71

Maybe you should have a convo with Daman about how you are scared.

Shero should be applauded for not succumbing to those contracts that had circumvention qualities or were extremely long in term.

The new proposed deal is not going to be kind to a team like the Flyers:

http://www.broadstreethoc...-cba-flyers-paul-holmgren

I said it before and I'll say it again. Fehr will be the bad guy in these negotiations. He is too cocky to settle on a fair deal. He will have to "win". Problem is he wont win without leverage, he has none. Thus this has potential to last the whole year if the most recent offer isnt completed in the near future.

The NHL's offer isnt a take it or leave it yet, but it surely wont be significantly changed.

Here is a breakdown of the new deal I have

http://www.hockeyhurts.co...ate-offer-in-negotiations

This is still about small versus large market teams. The NHL proposal was more telling not that it was more favorable towards the players than its initial offer, but that it was more favorable towards small market teams than its initial offer.

This is still about small versus large market teams. The NHL proposal was more telling not that it was more favorable towards the players than its initial offer, but that it was more favorable towards small market teams than its initial offer.
- Deadstar

I think it was a step in the right direction. Healthy for both players and small markets. Big markets will always do well.

I think it was a step in the right direction. Healthy for both players and small markets. Big markets will always do well.
- Gunner Staal

I definitely agree. Fehr is too much of an egomaniac to bend on too much though.

I definitely agree. Fehr is too much of an egomaniac to bend on too much though.
- Deadstar

Fans will suffer. Unlike his dealings with MLB, he doesnt have the leverage in this situation. Owners arent going to break far off of their present deal. It is close to their best deal. Fehr has no skin in the game to get the games played. He doesnt care if they play or not.

There is a long shot that Bettman could look like sympathetic character if Fehr tries to use his similar MLB tactics. Who would have ever thought that?