Its ok, you can disagree with me or be angry at me, I'm use to it - I'm married. I wasn't taking anything personally, just wanted to make sure all it well with you. I certainly don't mind people disagreeing with me, we come to boards like this to express ourselves and hear other people's opinions.

I haven't been optimistic at all during this process, I've fully expected the season to be canceled since the summer. This lockout has a 2005 vibe for me.
- DarthKane

I'm probably most annoyed that I got sucked in recently after not having much hope for months.

Thx JJ. Ice Hogs in Southern Ontario this weekend. Hoped to hit both games, but will only make the Toronto game. Look forward to seeing the boys live.
- philco28

Enjoy!

Maybe next season I'll be able to make it up to Toronto to catch a game with you.

I have to think the $60M cap that weasel Bettman wants isnt being viewed favourably at all by big market teams like Chicago, Rangers, Philly, Montreal, Detroit, Boston, Vancouver, Toronto etc. What does it do for them, they will have to crater their teams - months after they were told it was OK to spend to $70M. And for what -so Columbus, Nashville, Carolina et al can be on equal terms? Or did I miss a recent announcement from NBC that they want to broadcast more Blue Jacket - Hurricane - Coyote games on the weekends.
- RickJ

I would certainly hope that those teams - the strongest and, presumably, most influential in the league - along with NBC - would be forcefully making their positions heard.

Although it certainly seems that this lockout and thses "negotiations" have been run by the weakest links.

OK . WTF . Saw a bunch of News about 3pm CST , "looked good" ... wtf , nothing since.. updates.. anyone ???

@mrploves33

Enjoy!

Maybe next season I'll be able to make it up to Toronto to catch a game with you.
- EKolb13

I'll join in on that too! Keep us posted Eli if you're ever coming this way.

I'm probably most annoyed that I got sucked in recently after not having much hope for months.
- Al

I'm so tired of both sides pissing on each other's shoes...while fans and those who depend upon the games being played for their livelihood are left flapping in the breeze. If not for the latter, I've been hoping the season would be cancelled.

It seems the two sides are close enough now that missing an entire season over their differences seems unlikely, but one never knows with the clowns running this show.

I would certainly hope that those teams - the strongest and, presumably, most influential in the league - along with NBC - would be forcefully making their positions heard.

Although it certainly seems that this lockout and thses "negotiations" have been run by the weakest links.
- StLBravesFan

The challenge for Bettman this time is there appears to be at least 3 factions of owners.

Those who gush red ink, those that lose a reasonable amount of $$, and the 8 or so big mkt clubs.

None of the three alone represent a majority and all have the same amount of votes.

I'm so tired of both sides pissing on each other's shoes...while fans and those who depend upon the games being played for their livelihood are left flapping in the breeze. If not for the latter, I've been hoping the season would be cancelled.

It seems the two sides are close enough now that missing an entire season over their differences seems unlikely, but one never knows with the clowns running this show.
- MartiniMan

Agree!

I'll join in on that too! Keep us posted Eli if you're ever coming this way.
- TyCamScore

Sounds like a party.

Not much good news on Twitter. Looks like talks have broken down again.

Not much good news on Twitter. Looks like talks have broken down again.


- jhawk159

Broken down - or just broken off?

TSN.ca still shows them meetings tomorrow morning.

Very, very hairdo believe that considering where hey are, they won't be able o get it done.

Broken down - or just broken off?

TSN.ca still shows them meetings tomorrow morning.

Very, very hairdo believe that considering where hey are, they won't be able o get it done.
- StLBravesFan

It seems like progress was being made and then I started seeing stuff like this on twitter

mathieu dandenault ‏@mdandenault25

The nhl and nhlpa talks r dead for now...look for the players to disclaim...#lockout
Posturing maybe but time is running out.

Broken down - or just broken off?

TSN.ca still shows them meetings tomorrow morning.

Very, very hairdo believe that considering where hey are, they won't be able o get it done.
- StLBravesFan

As long as they keep talking everyday there is hope....

Unfortunately this may not be far from the truth....

http://www.winnipegfreepr...ver-source-185620012.html

It will be truly pathetic if they cancel the season. Of course it is pathetic it has gone this long to begin with. They are too close now. I expect something Sunday or Monday.

Enjoy!

Maybe next season I'll be able to make it up to Toronto to catch a game with you.
- EKolb13

Thanks EK...that would be awesome bro

Not much good news on Twitter. Looks like talks have broken down again.


- jhawk159

I have been as pessimistic and cranky about this lockout and so called negotiations since the begining. It had all the earmarks of a manipulation by Bettman/Owners to lose a 1/3 or more of the season. However I also suspected the players under Fehr would not cave.

It appears to me that the mistrust the players have accumulated toward the NHL is playing out now as they finalize this deal and Fehr negotiates all the fine print details. They are going to make sure all bases are covered and they know what they are getting...no surprises. It is very good sign they have done more talking to each other than the media...I suspect they will play a 48 game asterik season beginning in mid-January.

We're suckers aren't we ?

Unfortunately this may not be far from the truth....

http://www.winnipegfreepr...ver-source-185620012.html
- Al

It seems like the owners are conceding a lot to get the season rolling immediately....

If the season is canceled wouldn't that make the owners more likely to really stick it to them?

I have been as pessimistic and cranky about this lockout and so called negotiations since the begining. It had all the earmarks of a manipulation by Bettman/Owners to lose a 1/3 or more of the season. However I also suspected the players under Fehr would not cave.

It appears to me that the mistrust the players have accumulated toward the NHL is playing out now as they finalize this deal and Fehr negotiates all the fine print details. They are going to make sure all bases are covered and they know what they are getting...no surprises. It is very good sign they have done more talking to each other than the media...I suspect they will play a 48 game asterik season beginning in mid-January.
- bogiedoc

Here's Pierre LeBrun's take on what is transpiring.....


"OK, it turns out the players and their leader, Don Fehr, were in foul mood after they discovered the league might have tried to pull as fast one on HRR language in last week's offer. Did I say last week’s offer? Yes, I did. Did it really take a week for the union’s lawyers to find the HRR treachery? I don’t have a law degree and I’m sure these things are complicated, but if I’m a player I’m just as angry at the league for trying to pull a fast one as much as wanting to know why it took a week for my people to figure it out.

Then again, as one NHL team executive mused to me Thursday night, perhaps Fehr knew all along but was waiting until the right time to pull that one out of the hat to get his players all riled up and galvanized? That perhaps, after having some players second-guess him Wednesday night for not filing the disclaimer of interest (several players told me they would have liked him to do so), that perhaps Fehr needed to change the focus? Not sure I can buy that kind of conspiracy stuff but the fact some reasonable-thinking people think that’s even possible also shows you what this lockout has done to people in our industry: We’re all going crazy.

Certainly, if indeed the NHL was feeling a little too confident after Fehr didn’t pull the trigger on the disclaimer, that was a short-lived emotion, if at all. The NHLPA quickly turned around Thursday and started a 48-hour vote on reauthorizing the executive board and Fehr to have the disclaimer hammer again. And this time, I don’t think the union will be shy in using it. If they don’t, how could a court ever believe it was nothing more than a sham, a negotiating tactic, if they hold two player votes for a disclaimer but never actually go through with the notification? "

I was getting optimistic but now not so much.

If the season is canceled wouldn't that make the owners more likely to really stick it to them?
- fattybeef

That's what the owner's claimed last time they cancelled a season and didn't turn out that way.

Unfortunately this may not be far from the truth....

http://www.winnipegfreepr...ver-source-185620012.html
- Al

The most interesting part of this article is this:

"The governor said owners and league personnel believe Fehr is trying to blow up the process and is no longer interested in making a deal."

I question whether Fehr has ever been interested in making a deal.

This whole process has been pathetic from the start. From the NHL's initial insulting offer, to the NHLPA's equally insulting counters, and their (NHLPA's) failure to submit a full proposal of their own until a few days ago is mind-bogglingly absurd. Everyone should be embarrassed and ashamed.

If they reach an agreement to save the season at this late date it's going to look like little more than a bi-partisan money grab.

If you read some of the comments after this article about the players voting again on disclaimer of interest, it's starting to look like fans are turning against the players in a big way:

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=412704

It will be truly pathetic if they cancel the season. Of course it is pathetic it has gone this long to begin with. They are too close now. I expect something Sunday or Monday.
- tomcat24

I agree, they're fighting over scraps now. This will get done.

I agree, they're fighting over scraps now. This will get done.
- dan9189

I tend to fall into this camp. Seems to me this is a lot of last minute histrionics that have been predicted by many who have observed this process before.

That said, Fehr is a rat who doesn't care about the sport or the legacy of the NHL. The preponderance of evidence suggests the owners have gone out of their way to get something done over thelast 6 weeks or so, regardless of an alleged HRR Trojan Horse. The fans and the employees and families affected by this are getting screwed. The players are responsible for their own actions and those of the man they hired to represent them.

I tend to fall into this camp. Seems to me this is a lot of last minute histrionics that have been predicted by many who have observed this process before.

That said, Fehr is a rat who doesn't care about the sport or the legacy of the NHL. The preponderance of evidence suggests the owners have gone out of their way to get something done over thelast 6 weeks or so, regardless of an alleged HRR Trojan Horse. The fans and the employees and families affected by this are getting screwed. The players are responsible for their own actions and those of the man they hired to represent them.
- John Jaeckel

Worse than that, they are also completely acting against the best interests of their own compatriots. If the differences are as some bloggers have indicated:

Contract length - 6 years vs. 8 years - how many players would even ever get 6 year contracts, let alone 8?

Contract varience - 20% vs. unlimited - again, really affects only long term contracts - and how many players would this affect?

CBA length - from what I've read, 10 year / 8 year opt out vs. 10 year / 7 year opt out - my God, no difference here that would stop anything

Salary cap next year - $60MM vs. $65MM - here I side with the players - if the difference would go against the escrow anyways, what would the league be losing by being at $65MM for a year? I don't think their broadcast partners really want to see good teams broken up - they don't want parity, they want stars they can market.

Amnesty - 2 but counting against players' share vs. NOT counting against players' share - how much money is really involved here? How many teams would wind up amnestying players - the ones close to the cap, maybe.

If the players gave in on all of these issues except the salary cap, the vast majority of players wouldn't be giving up much, if anything - certainly not nearly as much as losing a whole season (maybe 2, if this season winds up being cancelled).