Darren Dreger is reporting today that the NHL is likely to NOT take its option on Sept 1 to open up the CBA after this coming season and instead let things play out until the end of 21-22. The pressure will then shift to the NHLPA and their option which falls on September 15th. That could get a bit dicier......
The NHL basically likes what they have going now and they want the momentum of Seattle's entrance to not be stifled. The NHL would like a definite World Cup every 4 years, but the players are afraid that it could become a reason to never consider the Olympics....The NHL would love to have contracts NOT guaranteed, but they also know that it would take more than it took than to get a salary cap....and that took a piece of everyone....and a year of the sport...
The NHLPA has some more needs that are more "negotiable." Everyone is making a big deal out of the escrow that players have to pay, but most honestly understand the escrow simply is needed to help judge for whatever the exact revenue could be... The NHLPA's bigger issue may be how the small current salary cap growth along with the amazing young talent and the ridiculous offer sheet terms have so many players unsigned as of now...If the NHLPA does decide to open this thing up again, my guess is the large number of RFAs currently unsigned will be viewed as a harbinger of things to come...
And they wouldn't be wrong. The current state of offer sheets and the owners sitting around waiting for the next player to sign have really become a mess.
Signings this weekend?
It is Labor Day weekend and historically we will see some RFA's inked at some point between today and Monday,...I will be monitoring the phones and updating the second I hear anything...
What's the Buzz??
Should the players open the CBA up?
more to come..
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