If these idiots decide to go on strike, during this huge economic downturn, they will reap what the sow. NBC has given them the opportunity to join the big time, next to the NFL, NBA and MLB. Lose this upcoming season and find themselves coming in behind 10 pin bowling, in the ratings. Stupidity at it's worst!

"The Board of Governors is all owners and team people. They can approve a team to open the season in Europe and the players go. They can approve who will be in charge of suspensions and the players have to listen. The amount of travel. The times of games. The TV contract that is accepted. If they are required to do shows like 24/7. The Escrow. If the cap rises or falls..etc."


Last I checked owners own and players get PAID to play. They are employees. Albeit, highly paid and supported by a powerful union. But owners own and should have the right to manage their investments as they see fit as long as it complies with the active CBA. As soon as you let players share in steering the ship is the day the ship sinks.

If these idiots decide to go on strike, during this huge economic downturn, they will reap what the sow. NBC has given them the opportunity to join the big time, next to the NFL, NBA and MLB. Lose this upcoming season and find themselves coming in behind 10 pin bowling, in the ratings. Stupidity at it's worst!
- PrinceLH

Season ticket holders pay for their tickets well in advance. A lockout would be awesome. I love giving money to millionaire owners without the ability to make any back by reselling without a schedule.

Zero sympathy for players if they strike. This isn't like a union of guys who kill themselves doing shift work for 40 years. This is primarily a group of players between 22-34 who make millions of dollars a year and retire in their 30's without needing to work another day in their lives.

*yawn*

I don't care who we play. NYR or NJD will lose no matter who comes out on top.
- StayTunedMTC

Rangers can/will beat the Kings. I'm not trying to diss the Kings, but I've watched a lot of both teams & NYR is the only team that stacks up. Gonna be a hell of a series if it goes that way.

Rangers can/will beat the Kings. I'm not trying to diss the Kings, but I've watched a lot of both teams & NYR is the only team that stacks up. Gonna be a hell of a series if it goes that way.
- All Blues

so far nobody stacks up to the kings. the way to beat them is to do what the bruins did in the finals last year. beat the crap out of the kings because their pp is not good enough right now to win them games. the rangers have the cheap players who can do that but the devils no so much.

kings will win i think b/c they've played no really tough series yet and very few games.

lost opportunity for the canucks/blues who were the best teams in the west.

Hi

Who wrote this blog and what have you done with Ek?

Eklund: NHLPA's Main Issues Centered Around "Respect and Inclusion" from NHL.
- Eklund

You kind of forgot to mention that the owners pay the salaries of the players. Most of whom are like spoiled brats. You also forgot the public who attend these games pay the money that pays the owners who pay the players salary. Not that the players shouldn't have some say in what goes on at work. But the reality is that the players have never had it so good.

"Control is why the NHLPA nixed the re-alignment from the NHL a few months ago."

Do you honestly believe that getting power over the NHL is the only reason for nixing the re-alignment? (Both of Ek's reasons are essentially the same thing)

Some teams, and therefore players, have a better chance of making the playoffs every year in the proposed alignment. In what other league has that ever been acceptable?
- ElbowingPenalty

No, but it's the main reason. Total shot across the bow of the owners. You do know how Fehr operates?

"The Board of Governors is all owners and team people. They can approve a team to open the season in Europe and the players go. They can approve who will be in charge of suspensions and the players have to listen. The amount of travel. The times of games. The TV contract that is accepted. If they are required to do shows like 24/7. The Escrow. If the cap rises or falls..etc."


Last I checked owners own and players get PAID to play. They are employees. Albeit, highly paid and supported by a powerful union. But owners own and should have the right to manage their investments as they see fit as long as it complies with the active CBA. As soon as you let players share in steering the ship is the day the ship sinks.
- FuzE_gus

Dude, it's about labor and ownership (as you point out), but I think you're also missing a big point: it takes two to tango. If the owners want to lock the players out or the players refuse to play, there is no NHL. Period.

IMO, there is no reason that players can't have more inclusion on issues like travel. Why not? If the game goes dark because someone wants to be a pain over minor issues like that, everyone loses.

Dude, it's about labor and ownership (as you point out), but I think you're also missing a big point: it takes two to tango. If the owners want to lock the players out or the players refuse to play, there is no NHL. Period.

IMO, there is no reason that players can't have more inclusion on issues like travel. Why not? If the game goes dark because someone wants to be a pain over minor issues like that, everyone loses.
- John Jaeckel

I'm the last one that wants to see the NHL go dark but as the article says it is all about "control" and having the upper hand. Business owners will never relinquish major business decisions to employees. They'll give them just enough responsibility that they feel important. So maybe a few points but never control over major business decisions. It's all posturing right now. We'll soon learn what the main sticking points actually are.

The first thing Fehr needs to do is tell the player agents if they undermine the membership as a whole by going behind their backs this time around they will be de-certified, then actually follow through with it if it happens. Last time they should have done it loudly, and publicly to a certain meddling mega agent. Take down the big dog, and the rest will fall into line.

The last thing the NHL needs right now is any kind of labor dispute. Since we're looking at a NY/LA Stanley Cup final, they need to come back strong & on time to maintain the inevitable momentum that they'll have.

Currently many players will tell you they feel the owners can pretty much do whatever they want to do and the players HAVE to go along with it all. The Board of Governors is all owners and team people. They can approve a team to open the season in Europe and the players go. They can approve who will be in charge of suspensions and the players have to listen. The amount of travel. The times of games. The TV contract that is accepted. If they are required to do shows like 24/7. The Escrow. If the cap rises or falls..etc.

I don't think the players have the right to complain about being put on a plane to Europe or about game times when you make millions of dollars a season, IMO.

The last thing the NHL needs right now is any kind of labor dispute. Since we're looking at a NY/LA Stanley Cup final, they need to come back strong & on time to maintain the inevitable momentum that they'll have.
- All Blues

the league did such a great job screwing up the momentum generated by the Rangers winning the Cup in '94 by having a lockout, would be just a brilliant move to have it happen again.

the league did such a great job screwing up the momentum generated by the Rangers winning the Cup in '94 by having a lockout, would be just a brilliant move to have it happen again.
- jimbro83

I was thinking the same thing. Richter was on the cover of Sports Illustrated after the 94 Cup run & MLB had their lockout at the same time. So what do they do? Go into a labor dispute. Then the super boring Devils win the cup the next year with their sleepwalk hockey. I'm hoping for a parade @ the canyon of heroes in a couple weeks.

the league did such a great job screwing up the momentum generated by the Rangers winning the Cup in '94 by having a lockout, would be just a brilliant move to have it happen again.
- jimbro83

You mean next time you win the Cup?

You mean next time you win the Cup?
- Canada Cup

well, even if the Rangers didn't win the Cup, it still would be foolish to screw up the momentum the league would get if Los Angeles were to win wouldn't it?

Not as much as the black and white footage of the last time the Leafs won the Cup does for the league though, I'll admit that.

To Columbus:
F T. Connolly
D L. Schenn
5th Overall Pick

To Toronto:
F Rick Nash

To Columbus:
F T. Connolly
D L. Schenn
5th Overall Pick

To Toronto:
F Rick Nash
- AlfieisKing

Big overpayment for Nash.

To Columbus:
F T. Connolly
D L. Schenn
5th Overall Pick

To Toronto:
F Rick Nash
- AlfieisKing

I really hope Toronto does nothing. All this team needs to do is draft/develop players & quit trying to rush things.

Now I have heard it all, players are complaining about being taken to Europe to play some hockey, geez you poor bastards. You know, it isn't like anyone FORCES you to play this game, if these morons go on strike, I hope the NHL sinks below rock throwing as a national sport.

Better still just disband the league and the players can start their own league and risk their own money. It is called work, it is called a job, don't play and another player will take your spot, there is no way in hell there will be a strike and if there is, it is all on the players, that salary cap really hurt your wages didn't it.

fehr looks like the stay puft marsh mellow man

As soon as you let players share in steering the ship is the day the ship sinks.

It is possible that the people who actually do the work might have some ideas to improve the way things are done. You know, just like regular people--don't we all want to think that our ideas might be worthwhile at work?