I agree with your initial point. If we truly don't care then why are we here? I want a season, call me a sucker, I love the NHL when it son the ice. Its the best product in pro sports, it survived and grew after the last lockout that killed a season. They will get this thing back on the ice where it belongs. When it does end, and we get this thing going toward and into April, we get the best part of the season in its enitirety! Did the NBA suffer?? They had one of the best post seasons in recent memory and now look at it, we forget there was even a lockout. We all care, I know when they drop the puck at MSG I will be and many of my Rangers faithful who read these blogs will be too...
- Blueshirts4ever

I agree and disagree. I agree in that we are all fans and deep down inside we can't wait for the lockout to end. That is honestly why we come back to this site,as well as other sites for hockey, because we love the game and our team. I agree that if/when this stupid lockout ends,and they have a longer contract in place, the NHL and all 30 teams will make money but until then we're all suffering. My team is the Cats, and I am fearful that I will lose my team because we haven't gotten to the point where we can make a profit and with this lockout, my team is losing money and I don't want it to be moved to another location. I want to see all teams being successful and have a healthy NHL.
I don't agree in that The NHL is no where near the popularity of the NBA. They had a great post season and no one is talking about it because it didn't happen 7 years ago. They have a huge fan base is probably the second biggest sport in the country behind the NFL. Hell ,even the MLB is bigger than hockey and there is no comparison on which is better (NHL). The NHL is being known for nothing but it's lockouts and it's quite embarassing. We all know why hockey is the greatest sport in the world, but it's hard to make it popular and educate other people if they continue to have lockouts ever 7 years, and then the players come out and flap their gums and sound like uneducated, greedy a-holes. The NHL cannot survive with this repetitive mistake every 7 years. Regardless of what the players/owners want,and whether we think they are being greedy and not thinking of the fans, they need to find a good,happy medium that will help ALL NHL employees (and owners) make a profit and stick to it for decades.


I also feel that when this is done, each and every team should give their season ticket holders free season tickets for the remander of this season (if we have) and next season as a way to say "Thanks" for being here as well as a personalized ,autographed jersey.

You bet I am. (frank)ing tea baggers
- bloatedmosquito

Time heals...

It's not a league problem if 100 jobs are lost from folding teams. It bothers me that players like Ian White can female dog about the league when if it wasn't for growth into markets that lose money, he probably wouldn't be in the league, becasue there would be less NHL jobs. Of course its a players problem. The players want non profitable teams to be able to lose money but continue to pay NHL salaries. And who pays for that - fans in profitable markets. Average fans pay $200 a game in Edmonton, so someone can pay $40 for a lower bowl seat in Florida to see Chris Versteeg make $4million.
- DJOilman

That is why I put in the word directly. In other words, that some teams are struggling is an NHL problem directly. Now there is no doubt that the players would benefit if more teams were in a better financial situation. Contraction isn't about to happen. Contraction would directly be a problem for the players. But that isn't part of the CBA negotiations right now. The players want non profitable teams to lose money. Where are you getting that from? And Ian White acted like an idiot. So what? That's irrelevant to the big picture imo.

doenst matter who's right or wrong anymore

while both sides are busy bickering all the momentum gained since the last lockout is all but gone and now you're both losing more money either way

so

slow clap for both the NHL and PA, keep it up, you're doing great!

We are missing the bigger picture - the fact that a players union exists.

Unions only exist to serve the union structure itself.
It does not serve the best interests of the players - there are low-earning players now being pinched financially, and high-performing players not able to earn their maximum potential.
It does not serve the owners - they are not able to hire players to put on a game to put on for the fans.
It does not serve the fans - whenever someone gets a bellyache everything goes haywire, and you end up with no hockey or twinkies.
It does not serve the interest of the game - remember when we would just pick sides, and play a game of hockey? Remember when hockey players were not out in front of a camera begging for the union? Remember when hockey players come back losing teeth and playing the game?

The problem is that the union exists in the first place.
- goavs1919

Not true. Without the players union, the NHL would be merely a shadow of it's current existence. The majority of top players would be playing in Europe.

Unfortunately your depiction of beer league or park rink hockey is slightly less complex than is the NHL.

In a billion dollar business the players need protection that is provided by the CBA, the owners also benefit from the CBA as well. Unfortunately, a strike or lockout situation like we have now leads people to believe the union is over stepping the boundaries of their main purpose for existing in the first place which is to ensure fair and equal treatment of all players under the CBA which is agreed upon by both sides. Contractwise, safetywise and salarywise.

doenst matter who's right or wrong anymore

while both sides are busy bickering all the momentum gained since the last lockout is all but gone and now you're both losing more money either way

so

slow clap for both the NHL and PA, keep it up, you're doing great!
- Habitants98

+1

Cancel the season!
- whipper334

Yup. I care less and less as the lockout goes on. (frank) them all really. Hope they choke on their own greed and screw the league up for years...

doenst matter who's right or wrong anymore

while both sides are busy bickering all the momentum gained since the last lockout is all but gone and now you're both losing more money either way

so

slow clap for both the NHL and PA, keep it up, you're doing great!
- Habitants98

I commend the 25% of fans backing Jamal!Just because these guys make millions does'nt make a union stance less important.Do you other 75% actually think a union should get kicked around repeatedly, without pushing back.Come on,I for one am very willing to give up my favourite game for a principle!

the players are a bright bunch...............

I commend the 25% of fans backing Jamal!Just because these guys make millions does'nt make a union stance less important.Do you other 75% actually think a union should get kicked around repeatedly, without pushing back.Come on,I for one am very willing to give up my favourite game for a principle!
- eagle50

falls on deaf ears.....sorry the sound of millions of dollars out weighs the moral issue. ok now that thats out of the way....go ahead and compare millionaire unions to unions where people only make 30k to 50k a year.

the poor players. now they will have to conserve and only buy 1 ferrari this year.

the poor players. now they will have to conserve and only buy 1 ferrari this year.
- joshs

poor owners may have to sell one of their 10 mansions.

poor owners may have to sell one of their 10 mansions.
- ShootingSemin

no they wont. they make money outside of hockey.

I commend the 25% of fans backing Jamal!Just because these guys make millions does'nt make a union stance less important.Do you other 75% actually think a union should get kicked around repeatedly, without pushing back.Come on,I for one am very willing to give up my favourite game for a principle!
- eagle50

This union (like many others) have outlasted their usefulness.

doenst matter who's right or wrong anymore

while both sides are busy bickering all the momentum gained since the last lockout is all but gone and now you're both losing more money either way

so

slow clap for both the NHL and PA, keep it up, you're doing great!
- Habitants98

Nailed it.

Can we change the title to "Do you still care about Jamal Mayers? + For/Against NHL season?"

Likely inaccurate information...but I heard that if the Union dissolved, since all contracts are signed through the union, they'd all become void and it would create a league-wide UFA scenario...ie: Players go to whatever teams they want.

Anyone know anything about this claim? Seems a little farfetch'd, but interesting none-the-less.

falls on deaf ears.....sorry the sound of millions of dollars out weighs the moral issue. ok now that thats out of the way....go ahead and compare millionaire unions to unions where people only make 30k to 50k a year.
- joshs

I said nothing of moral issues!As fans most just see the millions and can't agree.Sports is a poor comparison when it comes to the real world.Bottom line though,the owners will always be taking,unless stopped.

Toews, Hossa, Seabrooke and Keith, all olympians, Sure no stars.

St.L Blues are struggling to sell tickets, bad example again.
- moondawg

Ticket sales arent the problem. Its all the crappy deals Checketts made to make a quick buck.

Why are all the choices to resond to an NHL fringe player polite? Why not these choices:

1.
2.
3.


I would love a gag order on all players so they would shut up and leave me alone. When the game does comeback this year, everyone grab a newspaper. When they are introduced put it up and shun them. When they score don't cheer. Be the silent majority. Silence is the only way to get them to notice our anger. We can start cheering in the playoffs but the regular season it would be great if you could hear pin drop when OV scores let alone Jamal Mayers

I want an NHL season, any season badly
14%

Sorry....but if you fall into this category, you need to get a life. If you would rather watch a tainted 50 game season where the Lightning and Stars are in the Finals then nothing at all, then you clearly need a hobby. This season should already be cancelled and any games that do get played will be worthless.

True fans that have any self-respect will give the NHL the finger when they come back this year....

This union (like many others) have outlasted their usefulness.
- bloatedmosquito

I assume then you will be happy if they decertify?After all,a union seems to benefit the owners in todays sport union.

THE FINGER I SAY!!!!!

I assume then you will be happy if they decertify?After all,a union seems to benefit the owners in todays sport union.
- eagle50

I don't want them to decertify. I just want them to smarten the (frank) up. The players (as a whole) make close to 2 billion in wages. That's getting close to the GDP of some small countries. For someone to come out and say the owners just take, take, take must have a serious problem understanding basic concepts of value vs salary.