The owners just need to break the union. These stoppages every 5 years are killing the game. Lock them out for as long as it takes, break the union, and start over.

A few lost seasons in exchange for ending this garbage? I'll take that deal.
- brianb0422

Break the union?? The owner's did, last lockout, and they still aren't satisfied. I was pro-owners last (owner's) lockout but you know, it is not the players who are the bad guys this time IMO. Owners grew the game 50%+ with "cost certainty" and they still want more. Sorry, but the players are, and should, play hardball here. They got "broken" bare-back style last time. And they have agreed to 50-50. Why should they just accept the owner's proposal, like Eklund proposes?

IMO, it's the owners who are the problem here, pure and simple. If they want a roll-back of salaries, then declare every free agent who signed this summer as a free-agent again and see if those "poor" owners sign them to anywhere near the same terms. Not a chance.

#NHLplayersAndNHL2Eklund No one cares about your blog that much. Blogs are entertainment, not starting points for negotiations in a major sport.
- trolleytracks

Shhhhh, or his wife will FIST u!

With the NHL locking out at midnight on September 15, 2012, Fehr has become the only Executive Director to be directly involved in work stoppages in two sports. Six of the eight contract negotiations he has been involved in have resulted in work stoppages, including five consecutive negotiations between the MLBPA and Major League Baseball.
- Donnie27J[10]

And Gary Bettman has never negotiated a contract without a work stoppage.

Baseball, based on the last contract Fehr negotiated, has had years of labor peace. God, who'd want that? That woudl be terrible!

Break the union?? The owner's did, last lockout, and they still aren't satisfied. I was pro-owners last (owner's) lockout but you know, it is not the players who are the bad guys this time IMO. Owners grew the game 50%+ with "cost certainty" and they still want more. Sorry, but the players are, and should, play hardball here. They got "broken" bare-back style last time. And they have agreed to 50-50. Why should they just accept the owner's proposal, like Eklund proposes?

IMO, it's the owners who are the problem here, pure and simple. If they want a roll-back of salaries, then declare every free agent who signed this summer as a free-agent again and see if those "poor" owners sign them to anywhere near the same terms. Not a chance.
- rebel

the union was never broken last time.... there was internal turmoil and fighting for power that had nothing to do with the cba negotioations.
as for breaking the union, that is definitely on the table... i think the term is de-certify, at least that is what i overheard 1 owner say.
by that i am referring to a lucky elevator i was in. i had my earbuds in and wisely turned the volume down when i realized who was getting in the elevator. during my short trip, i heard that there is a group of 8-10 owners wanting to go a full year without the season so that this can be accomplished...
only question i would have, is, does that mean september 16th next year before they can decertify and startup as they wish? or can they do that in july?

Past US Thanksgiving.

Wow, that's a bit unexpected.
- Atomic Wedgie

Yep -- two weeks would have left a door open. I think this pretty well kills the Winter Classic

the union was never broken last time.... there was internal turmoil and fighting for power that had nothing to do with the cba negotioations.
as for breaking the union, that is definitely on the table... i think the term is de-certify, at least that is what i overheard 1 owner say.
by that i am referring to a lucky elevator i was in. i had my earbuds in and wisely turned the volume down when i realized who was getting in the elevator. during my short trip, i heard that there is a group of 8-10 owners wanting to go a full year without the season so that this can be accomplished...
only question i would have, is, does that mean september 16th next year before they can decertify and startup as they wish? or can they do that in july?
- Rockhead_37

Call it what you will, but they totally capitulated, turfed their executive director, and gave the owners everything they wanted, every single thing. Sure they weren't decertified, but they were a scrambled, disorganized and disspirited group. They were done! If that isn't "breaking" them, then i don't know what is.

Call it what you will, but they totally capitulated, turfed their executive director, and gave the owners everything they wanted, every single thing. Sure they weren't decertified, but they were a scrambled, disorganized and disspirited group. They were done! If that isn't "breaking" them, then i don't know what is.
- rebel

And yet, ended up making more money out of the deal than if the hard cap the NHLPA had proposed, rather than linkages to revenue they ended up signing.

Devil is in the details, and those details were exploited.

The NHL will get what they want, and the reality, the GMs, agents, and players will find some loopholes to exploit it somewhere down the road.

Not sure there has ever been a CBA in any sport that has not been exploited to some extent.

I'm going as an NHL player for Halloween. Wearing sandals, shorts, crew neck shirt and a New ERA MLB hat of a team I cant even name 2 players on.

With the NHL locking out at midnight on September 15, 2012, Fehr has become the only Executive Director to be directly involved in work stoppages in two sports. Six of the eight contract negotiations he has been involved in have resulted in work stoppages, including five consecutive negotiations between the MLBPA and Major League Baseball.
- Donnie27J[10]

And Bettman has never negotiated a CBA without a lockout.

I don't understand why Fehr gets the blame for the lockout. This is on the players and the owners.

These brillant billionaire owners can't figure out how to run a team without losing money....... And the players don't realize the money they are losing right now will never be made up.

All-Star Game won't be cancelled. Money goes to the NHLPA, so cancelling it is going thermonuclear.

There doesn't even have to be an announcement to cancel the All-Star Game - if the lockout goes into January, season is done (feel free to point to 1995, but I don't see a 48 game sked this time around).

And Bettman has never negotiated a CBA without a lockout.

I don't understand why Fehr gets the blame for the lockout. This is on the players and the owners.

These brillant billionaire owners can't figure out how to run a team without losing money....... And the players don't realize the money they are losing right now will never be made up.
- rayc16

okay, we all know that the players are of average intelligence at best.... they are only doing what fehr is telling them... and so far that has been to reject everything and submit thier own fantasy proposals that are not based upon anything the nhl has presented them.. it's the nhl's business and the players keep bringing thier own proposals based on how they think the owners should run thier business. why not counter propose based on the owners offer? all they are doing is moving further apart... as for money never being made up? the cap is like your property taxes, calculated with a formula that guarantees it goes up.... they'll get thier money regardless, they just want more. greedy pigs taking your game away from you.

All-Star Game won't be cancelled. Money goes to the NHLPA, so cancelling it is going thermonuclear.

There doesn't even have to be an announcement to cancel the All-Star Game - if the lockout goes into January, season is done (feel free to point to 1995, but I don't see a 48 game sked this time around).
- Atomic Wedgie

John Buccigross ‏@Buccigross
NHL sources tell me the NHL will cancel Winter Classic and All Star Game. Announcement presently scheduled for Monday.

John Buccigross ‏@Buccigross
NHL sources tell me the NHL will cancel Winter Classic and All Star Game. Announcement presently scheduled for Monday.
- Symba.007

Good.

Keep them cancellations coming.

All-Star Game won't be cancelled. Money goes to the NHLPA, so cancelling it is going thermonuclear.

There doesn't even have to be an announcement to cancel the All-Star Game - if the lockout goes into January, season is done (feel free to point to 1995, but I don't see a 48 game sked this time around).
- Atomic Wedgie

All Star game matters to sponsors -- if there are any left

how is fehr any better than goodenow?

not signing a contract and costing the PA 1.6 billion because he does not want to lose 1.3 billion over 6 years.

And yet, ended up making more money out of the deal than if the hard cap the NHLPA had proposed, rather than linkages to revenue they ended up signing.

Devil is in the details, and those details were exploited.

The NHL will get what they want, and the reality, the GMs, agents, and players will find some loopholes to exploit it somewhere down the road.

Not sure there has ever been a CBA in any sport that has not been exploited to some extent.
- JDJ

Agreed, but it is owners, GMs who are as guilty of exploiting this as much, or more, than anyone. The players demand the world, but it is the owners who pay them.

Someone explain to me if you worked for a company that grew by 50% in 6 years with unprecidented revenues, would you accept a pay cut??? Not a chance. If they cut your year-end bonus despite these record revenues as they cried poor mouth, would you believe them? Again, not a chance. So to paraphase the players, why should they accept a pay cut?

John Buccigross ‏@Buccigross
NHL sources tell me the NHL will cancel Winter Classic and All Star Game. Announcement presently scheduled for Monday.
- Symba.007

How bad is it now, we're quoting John Buccigross????

okay, we all know that the players are of average intelligence at best.... they are only doing what fehr is telling them... and so far that has been to reject everything and submit thier own fantasy proposals that are not based upon anything the nhl has presented them.. it's the nhl's business and the players keep bringing thier own proposals based on how they think the owners should run thier business. why not counter propose based on the owners offer? all they are doing is moving further apart... as for money never being made up? the cap is like your property taxes, calculated with a formula that guarantees it goes up.... they'll get thier money regardless, they just want more. greedy pigs taking your game away from you.
- Rockhead_37

OK. please explain something to me.

Gary Bettman is only doing what his owners are telling him to do? He is purely their mouthpiece, poor Gary, and he is not calling the shots.

Yet teh players, all 800 of them, are being led like sheep by Don Fehr. Not a single independent thought there. No sir!

Give me a break with this bullpoop.

There is no business without the players. Fans don't pay $100 a pop to see Ed Snyder or Jeremy Jacobs.

OK. please explain something to me.

Gary Bettman is only doing what his owners are telling him to do? He is purely their mouthpiece, poor Gary, and he is not calling the shots.

Yet teh players, all 800 of them, are being led like sheep by Don Fehr. Not a single independent thought there. No sir!

Give me a break with this bullpoop.

There is no business without the players. Fans don't pay $100 a pop to see Ed Snyder or Jeremy Jacobs.
- rebel

I stopped reading when someone named Rockhead commented on the intelligence of anyone.

how is fehr any better than goodenow?

not signing a contract and costing the PA 1.6 billion because he does not want to lose 1.3 billion over 6 years.
- joshs

How much is he really costing the players? Don't their contracts get tolled if the season is cancelled?

How much is he really costing the players? Don't their contracts get tolled if the season is cancelled?
- Snotbubbles

they lose a contract year if there is no season

how is fehr any better than goodenow?

not signing a contract and costing the PA 1.6 billion because he does not want to lose 1.3 billion over 6 years.
- joshs

this, and how stupid are these players for following him...not to mention the fact that he is not gonna get it even after a year

Agreed, but it is owners, GMs who are as guilty of exploiting this as much, or more, than anyone. The players demand the world, but it is the owners who pay them.

Someone explain to me if you worked for a company that grew by 50% in 6 years with unprecidented revenues, would you accept a pay cut??? Not a chance. If they cut your year-end bonus despite these record revenues as they cried poor mouth, would you believe them? Again, not a chance. So to paraphase the players, why should they accept a pay cut?
- rebel

Because accepting the owners' last proposal would leave them better off, financially, than holding out for a better offer and losing the entire season. Or even half of the season.

That's it, in a nutshell. Don't worry about record revenues (which is not the same as profits, by the way). Don't think about who is right and who is wrong. Don't think about how contracts have already been signed. It is all irrelevant.

What is best for the players? Taking the deal now.

I stopped reading when someone named Rockhead commented on the intelligence of anyone.
- Canada Cup

I know, i should have too. I feel shame.

Agreed, but it is owners, GMs who are as guilty of exploiting this as much, or more, than anyone. The players demand the world, but it is the owners who pay them.

Someone explain to me if you worked for a company that grew by 50% in 6 years with unprecidented revenues, would you accept a pay cut??? Not a chance. If they cut your year-end bonus despite these record revenues as they cried poor mouth, would you believe them? Again, not a chance. So to paraphase the players, why should they accept a pay cut?
- rebel

Because one of the alternative would be to contract 4 or 5 teams that are no longer financially viable. That's 125 or so NHL level jobs, and another 125 or so AHL level jobs.

I'm not totally sure how HRR is calculated, but I assume that having less teams lowers the HRR, which in turn, lowers the salary cap, which in turn, lowers player salary.