GARTH: Miller Must Represent The Players On Tuesday
- garth

I think you need to pick those who are educated and well-spoken leaders, but at the same time represent the players from various talent levels, nationalities, and ages. With that in mind, my negotiation team would consist of:

David Backes/Jonathan Toews
Kevin Westgarth/George Parros
Henrik Zetterberg
Manny Malholtra
Martin Brodeur
Ryan Smyth

The latter two more so for their experience, league-wide esteem/respect, the fact that they've been through several lockouts, and that Smyth represents the group of veterans that have yet to put a Cup to their names.

How does it look?

I think you need to pick those who are educated and well-spoken leaders, but at the same time represent the players from various talent levels, nationalities, and ages. With that in mind, my negotiation team would consist of:

David Backes/Jonathan Toews
Kevin Westgarth/George Parros
Henrik Zetterberg
Manny Malholtra
Martin Brodeur
Ryan Smyth

The latter two more so for their experience, league-wide esteem/respect, the fact that they've been through several lockouts, and that Smyth represents the group of veterans that have yet to put a Cup to their names.

How does it look?
- MaximumBone

Toews is the player equivalent of having Jeremy Jacobs in the room.

Honestly, if players don't like it.. they should go find somewhere else to play. Plain and simple.

Send in Horcoff. He has a lot to lose, so he'll probably put in a real effort to get something done... plus he has degree in finance. As much as I hate him, and consider him to be a little b1tch, he would likely understand what was being said during the meeting... Unlike 99% of the other loud-mouths in the league.

Honestly, if players don't like it.. they should go find somewhere else to play. Plain and simple.
- chipiii

Yup.

Send in Westgarth. Harvard graduate.
- Deadmau55

George Parros is a pretty good choice. From Wikipedia:

"While at Princeton, Parros majored in economics and wrote his senior thesis on the West Coast longshoremen's labor dispute.[2] He was recently named the 4th smartest professional athlete by the Sporting News."

I cried when the Kings waived him. Then cried again when the Ducks picked him up. I'm an adult male. CRIED I tell you.

I think you need to balance the player representation to reflect contract concerns. One from each group.

A top player with a long term mega deal (Crosby, Stamkos, Suter)

A player near the end of his career (Alfredsson, Marleau, Brodeur, Thomas)

A young player on an entry level contract. (NuHop, Schenn, Landeskog)

A player without a deal (Campoli, Subban)

A fourth line or role player (Carkner, Oglethorpe)

A goalie (Miller, Lundqvist)

Henrik Zetterberg: "I know for a fact Russians will probably stay," Zetterberg said. "I can't blame them either. The Russian league treats players a different way. For them to play in their home country and not have these (labor) disputes every other year ... and they honor the contracts over there. If you sign a deal, that's the deal you get."

@TheFourthPeriod
Big news of KHL... Being told Automobilist is having HUGE financial problems, can't pay some of its players, and could end up folding.

Yep, NHL is evil and so unfair.

Henrik Zetterberg: "I know for a fact Russians will probably stay," Zetterberg said. "I can't blame them either. The Russian league treats players a different way. For them to play in their home country and not have these (labor) disputes every other year ... and they honor the contracts over there. If you sign a deal, that's the deal you get."

@TheFourthPeriod
Big news of KHL... Being told Automobilist is having HUGE financial problems, can't pay some of its players, and could end up folding.

Yep, NHL is evil and so unfair.
- Gunner Staal

The KHL does not honor their contracts. That's a fact. The KHL is like organized crime and those who think otherwise are foolish.

Ryan Miller does not care about the lower income players on the PA. Easy to say everything he says when he will not have to work at the end of his career.

Garth ,

you're suck fest with the players is pathetic.

Jacobs would eat Miller alive. Then Miller would stick around for a while to tell everyone who will listen that Jeremy Jacobs is a piece of sh!t.

The KHL does not honor their contracts. That's a fact. The KHL is like organized crime and those who think otherwise are foolish.

Ryan Miller does not care about the lower income players on the PA. Easy to say everything he says when he will not have to work at the end of his career.
- Champ

You hit the nail on the head. I want to see this season cancelled and perhaps even the next and see "who just wants to play hockey" then. I would love to see Ryan Miller lose 2 years of his salary and see how motivated he is at that point to get a deal signed.

You hit the nail on the head. I want to see this season cancelled and perhaps even the next and see "who just wants to play hockey" then. I would love to see Ryan Miller lose 2 years of his salary and see how motivated he is at that point to get a deal signed.
- atlsabsfan

I dont want to see more time lost, but point taken, they would all crawl back for 50% of their current salaries. Perhaps except for the top 5% who could find similar money in Europe.

I dont want to see more time lost, but point taken, they would all crawl back for 50% of their current salaries. Perhaps except for the top 5% who could find similar money in Europe.
- Gunner Staal

I am willing to give up this season. Next season wouldnt be fun, but if that is what it takes - I am open to that as well. The player's heads have gotten too big and its turning into something that historically it hasnt been, and its starting to smell like NBA a little bit in here.

GARTH: Miller Must Represent The Players On Tuesday
- garth

Didn't Miller say he wanted to decertify the union?

All this speculation about who to send as NHLPA reps is ridiculous. Nobody knows how good any player is at negotiating, nor does anybody know if they are there to actually negotiate (if this is all in the hands of Sidney Crosby, Allah help us).

Besides, at this point, it sounds like it's a matter of whoever caves first. Both sides must know what the other wants, but neither wants to give. Neither side gives a damn about this season and both sides are full of sh!t.

so your answer is to send in emotional, mouth-running owner haters and a guy in Sidney Crosby who has absolutely no clue what is going on. brilliant.
- scotch_tape

Send Ray Whitney, J. Jagr, A. Aucoin, M. Brodeur, H. Sedin and I. P. Nightly

You hit the nail on the head. I want to see this season cancelled and perhaps even the next and see "who just wants to play hockey" then. I would love to see Ryan Miller lose 2 years of his salary and see how motivated he is at that point to get a deal signed.
- atlsabsfan

Music to my ears, beautiful

Toews is the player equivalent of having Jeremy Jacobs in the room.
- Gunner Staal

Toews gas to go. I have lost all respect for this guy. New era of spoiled punks. Crosby, Doan, Miller are not good choices for this meeting. I really think Ray Whitney makes a lot of sense to me.

Ryan Miller sounds like a baby every time he opens his mouth, I'm sure the P A wants no part of him there. Maybe he would get away with "Mass Murder"

Toews gas to go. I have lost all respect for this guy. New era of spoiled punks. Crosby, Doan, Miller are not good choices for this meeting. I really think Ray Whitney makes a lot of sense to me.
- flyerdude17

Not really sure what Crosby has said to be lumped in that group. The guy issues more vanilla comments on the subject than anybody involved.

Not really sure what Crosby has said to be lumped in that group. The guy issues more vanilla comments on the subject than anybody involved.
- Gunner Staal

Considering 10% of all players in the league have contracts with lengths over 5 years and make more than 5 mil per, only 10% of those players should be in the room with the owners, the rest should be the Matt Ellis' of the league

Not really sure what Crosby has said to be lumped in that group. The guy issues more vanilla comments on the subject than anybody involved.
- Gunner Staal

Considering 10% of all players in the league have contracts with lengths over 5 years and make more than 5 mil per, only 10% of those players should be in the room with the owners, the rest should be the Matt Ellis' of the league

Considering 10% of all players in the league have contracts with lengths over 5 years and make more than 5 mil per, only 10% of those players should be in the room with the owners, the rest should be the Matt Ellis' of the league
- geo563

Why should only 10% of the union be represented, especially the 10% that will be OK no matter what deal is struck.

Fehr only represents the top 15-20% of the player "union". That is a majority of the problem. The rest of the NHLPA is losing, and losing big right now. 4th missed paycheck already.

Why should only 10% of the union be represented, especially the 10% that will be OK no matter what deal is struck.

Fehr only represents the top 15-20% of the player "union". That is a majority of the problem. The rest of the NHLPA is losing, and losing big right now. 4th missed paycheck already.
- Gunner Staal

No, I meant that if 10 players are invited to that meeting with the owners only 1 should be one with a long term contract and big money, the other 9 should be players that this lock-out is really hurting, folks like Matt Ellis

No, I meant that if 10 players are invited to that meeting with the owners only 1 should be one with a long term contract and big money, the other 9 should be players that this lock-out is really hurting, folks like Matt Ellis
- geo563

I misinterpreted.

I agree, although I do not think this meeting is fruitful regardless of what players and owners are there.

The BOG meeting on Wednesday is more important.