Holy crap someone else figured it out!?

This is something I've been spewing on deaf ears. I try to reason with the pro-owner side in that some of their aren't necessarily wrong, but they don't fix the grand issue. At least Fehr is addressing this issue for that exact reason.

People keep talking about the PA like "you're losing money right now! A lot! you should settle! it's about right now! But you guys aren't thinking about the future! but you should settle right now!" Crazy enough I think Fehr is thinking about nothing but the future/future players. No hidden agendas, no personal vendetta's either. These lockouts have to end. This league needs to be stable and locking out players and taking their money does nothing the end this cycle.
- Boosinicka

only a handful were here during the 2004 debacle, & only a handful will be here for the next one 7-8 years from now

the future?

Holy crap someone else figured it out!?

This is something I've been spewing on deaf ears. I try to reason with the pro-owner side in that some of their aren't necessarily wrong, but they don't fix the grand issue. At least Fehr is addressing this issue for that exact reason.

People keep talking about the PA like "you're losing money right now! A lot! you should settle! it's about right now! But you guys aren't thinking about the future! but you should settle right now!" Crazy enough I think Fehr is thinking about nothing but the future/future players. No hidden agendas, no personal vendetta's either. These lockouts have to end. This league needs to be stable and locking out players and taking their money does nothing the end this cycle.
- Boosinicka

Future players? What about the future of the league? How about the league contracts 4 ot 5 teams eliminating future players and current player jobs?

I agree with Ek on the point that "business men" can villify each other and it's just business. Involve those with a more personal stake in the discussions and it becomes, well, personal.

The reason players have agents is the same reason that they have Donald Fehr. Funny how whenever a player is interviewed regarding personal contract negotiations, they always say "I try no to think too much about it, and just let my agent handle the business end of things. I just want to focus on my game."

Yet now, the players are spouting off left and right, and have their noses ass deep in it all. What happened to the "Just let Donald handle it" attitude that they have with their agents.

Whetehr you agree with Bettman or Fehr, this is exactly what they get hired to do. But I agree with Ek, that I don't understand why the chef is letting the kids in the kitchen.
- JasonHarrison

My belief is that Fehr isn't going to be around forever, need to educate the kids or they will eventually be left with no one to speak for them and no voice of their own. Or at least educated enough to know who is the right person to speak for them.

I'm not sure why people take the players comments to heart. They are passionate and someone walked up to them and asked "what is your opinion?" and they answered. That's really all it is, if it bothers you, understand it means nothing to the negotiations.

If it were easy to fix, it would be fixed.

This must have more to do with future contract limits/restrictions (5 years, no back diving deals) than bridging the make whole gap.

And then there is the clash of egos and the players' determination to see Bettman lose.

This lockout situation will go down as one of the dumbest PLAYER moves of all time. Players are the employee, owners are the employer, it is called the REAL WORLD. I hope the NHL takes the offer off the table and goes back to the original offer that at the time looked like a joke.
- Sell My Monkey

And if they do, the NHLPA definitely decertifies, sues the NHL to end the lockout, and gets the joys of playing with no CBA.

You pro-owner people forget one key thing about the negotiations: the players are doing the owners a favour by being in a union in professional sports. The second there is no CBA, half the owners blow their profits trying to stay competitive in the 'new' NHL, and the other half won't be able to even afford enough quality players to sniff the playoffs, thus guaranteeing their fans never show up again.

Future players? What about the future of the league? How about the league contracts 4 ot 5 teams eliminating future players and current player jobs?
- Sell My Monkey

Future of the league too, that is the whole point of my and the other guys post, the revenue sharing makes this a healthy league for everyone. The players aren't interested in folding teams as you are right, that's jobs lost. Revenue sharing allows the poor to spend like the rich, teams become more competitive, the league becomes more stable, and they all grow together, all the owners, all the players, and the fans get a better NHL.

Future of the league too, that is the whole point of my and the other guys post, the revenue sharing makes this a healthy league for everyone. The players aren't interested in folding teams as you are right, that's jobs lost. Revenue sharing allows the poor to spend like the rich, teams become more competitive, the league becomes more stable, and they all grow together, all the owners, all the players, and the fans get a better NHL.
- Boosinicka

Well, 29 other fan bases get a better NHL.

Don't say that poop man. We'll hear about this for the next year.
- weirdoh

Future of the league too, that is the whole point of my and the other guys post, the revenue sharing makes this a healthy league for everyone. The players aren't interested in folding teams as you are right, that's jobs lost. Revenue sharing allows the poor to spend like the rich, teams become more competitive, the league becomes more stable, and they all grow together, all the owners, all the players, and the fans get a better NHL.
- Boosinicka

One of the MAJOR things that Owners, Players and the Powers That Be seems to be forgetting is that they get to do what they do because of the fans that pay for the tickets and jerseys. And another is that even the lowest paid player is doing better than those same people.

Add to that, that the players union is a joke. The solidarity that they claim on Twitter from the locker room between periods while getting paid huge sums of money for playing overseas.

There's your clairity...

Get it resolved.

And if they do, the NHLPA definitely decertifies, sues the NHL to end the lockout, and gets the joys of playing with no CBA.

You pro-owner people forget one key thing about the negotiations: the players are doing the owners a favour by being in a union in professional sports. The second there is no CBA, half the owners blow their profits trying to stay competitive in the 'new' NHL, and the other half won't be able to even afford enough quality players to sniff the playoffs, thus guaranteeing their fans never show up again.
- saul91

Meaning the players get less money. Especially if teams start disappearing.

Micheal Neuvirth

"I agree 100% with Hamrlik, this lockout does not concern the majority of players, it concerns the few super stars with big contracts."

he stopped Kovalchuk from signing a huge contract...
- fedorov

Yea because his contract is so small right??

Well, 29 other fan bases get a better NHL.
- weirdoh

No 'In Burke we trust'?

Holy crap someone else figured it out!?

This is something I've been spewing on deaf ears. I try to reason with the pro-owner side in that some of their aren't necessarily wrong, but they don't fix the grand issue. At least Fehr is addressing this issue for that exact reason.

People keep talking about the PA like "you're losing money right now! A lot! you should settle! it's about right now! But you guys aren't thinking about the future! but you should settle right now!" Crazy enough I think Fehr is thinking about nothing but the future/future players. No hidden agendas, no personal vendetta's either. These lockouts have to end. This league needs to be stable and locking out players and taking their money does nothing the end this cycle.
- Boosinicka

+1
Great post

One of the MAJOR things that Owners, Players and the Powers That Be seems to be forgetting is that they get to do what they do because of the fans that pay for the tickets and jerseys. And another is that even the lowest paid player is doing better than those same people.

Add to that, that the players union is a joke. The solidarity that they claim on Twitter from the locker room between periods while getting paid huge sums of money for playing overseas.

There's your clairity...

Get it resolved.
- Doogs

I wouldn't really call that major, it has nothing to do with the negotiations, but it seems pretty important to some fans. I don't know if it's jealousy or some sort of ill will towards the players that get to make a lot of money.

Honestly, good for them, just stop the (frank)ing lockouts. And settling right now stops this lockout, not the future ones, so not idle. Stop the lockouts forever.

You could at least drop the optimism meter to "no progress"....
- Symba007

i stopped trying with that. not sure if he's trying to convince himself or the posters. either way, everyone knows it's ridiculous and makes no sense

Micheal Neuvirth

"I agree 100% with Hamrlik, this lockout does not concern the majority of players, it concerns the few super stars with big contracts."
- Symba007

Well I'm convinced.

In other news, heard speculation that league will file bad faith negotiating complaint on Monday. Point is so that NY District Court would have jurisdiction if PA tries to decertify and seek injunctions. NY supposed to be more owner-friendly. (maybe Trump has been made a judge)

Excellent blog. I could not agree more.

Every move Fehr makes is measured and calculated.

Getting players all butthurt and angry is exactly what he wants. Union solidarity is the glue that keeps his house of cards standing.

Holy crap someone else figured it out!?

This is something I've been spewing on deaf ears. I try to reason with the pro-owner side in that some of their aren't necessarily wrong, but they don't fix the grand issue. At least Fehr is addressing this issue for that exact reason.

People keep talking about the PA like "you're losing money right now! A lot! you should settle! it's about right now! But you guys aren't thinking about the future! but you should settle right now!" Crazy enough I think Fehr is thinking about nothing but the future/future players. No hidden agendas, no personal vendetta's either. These lockouts have to end. This league needs to be stable and locking out players and taking their money does nothing the end this cycle.
- Boosinicka

future?? how so?

The amount of money getting paid to the players in year one will suck, but after that the NHL has agreed to make whole until 50% exceeds 1.88 (which could be in year 3) and then the next 7-12 years would see NHL players making a killing at 50/50 as well as the NHL teams becoming stronger. Even the lesser market teams would be on solid ground and be able to pay more

this selfless act from the union is a joke.

even though in 5 years theyll be making a killing again, prob make more for future generations, and at least take steps to help the health of the league they say they care about. they arent willing to do this, cause they want their guaranteed money NOW.
not only that, but they dont even want to base there share on the health of the league! they dont care about damage to the game, if some owners are losing money, if no one comes..pay us.
no percentage..just guarantees. even the new proposal that was meant to be a big move towards the owners was only based on percetages when it benefitted them. in the down years they want guarantees.

im not even saying they shouldnt want the money they signed for..but lets not call it something its not.

Well I'm convinced.

In other news, heard speculation that league will file bad faith negotiating complaint on Monday. Point is so that NY District Court would have jurisdiction if PA tries to decertify and seek injunctions. NY supposed to be more owner-friendly. (maybe Trump has been made a judge)
- Canada Cup

I hope they do, it's a 45 days process, insuring the season is cancelled. I have no problem with that.

+1
Great post
- Bieksa#3

Thanks, for those not sure what exactly I'm getting at, this article by James Mirtle has been the most eye opening to me in all of this lockout crap.

http://www.theglobeandmai...-nhl-have/article5103058/

MLB shares %31 in revenue amongst each other, the NHL? %4.5. That's ridiculous. But it only takes 7 rich owners to kibosh any notion to increase that percentage. Those teams would be taking a large cut, they would be making the teams around them better too. So completely understandable why they wouldn't want to do that. But individual greed is getting in the way of the over all benefit of that league. Despite making the league more competitive in which becomes more entertaining, which becomes more lucrative, and they would eventually make more than they are now.

Well I'm convinced.

In other news, heard speculation that league will file bad faith negotiating complaint on Monday. Point is so that NY District Court would have jurisdiction if PA tries to decertify and seek injunctions. NY supposed to be more owner-friendly. (maybe Trump has been made a judge)
- Canada Cup

The only reason the league is worried about decertification is that the lengthy court battle would mean loss of this season and maybe another.

You are living in fantasyland if you think the players would somehow win in that scenario. Though i'm not certain that Don Fehr wouldn't want to still try.

I took a lot of heat from player friends of mine for the last blog, saying I have become too pro owner in this dispute. To set the record straight, the last blog really was about trying to help players see the bigger picture, which is very hard to do when you are so invested in a dispute. I get that.


....Sure ya did Ek....

The reason your plan doesn't work is the same reason none of the others work: without proper revenue-sharing, the next CBA negotiations are going to be the NHL demanding another salary rollback because the small-market teams are still losing money hand over fist. The bigger teams have no interest in helping the smaller teams; this lockout is all about the rich getting richer.

The same thing will happen whenever the new CBA expires, too: the NHL will say they 'need' concessions from the players to make things work, and the whole thing will happen all over again. The reason the NHL keeps having to have lockouts instead of just disagreements is because they never solve the root problem of revenue-sharing.
- saul91

The corollary here is that as long as high-revenue teams grow faster than low-revenue teams, and as long as the cap system counts all revenues, then it will always be inevitable that the cap floor moves above the point that low-revenue teams can afford. The owners have to come up with a true long-term solution for how to set up the cap in such a way that low-revenue teams are not squeezed down the road and asking for even-increasing amounts of revenue sharing.

Increased revenue sharing is a band-aid, and masks the true extent of the problem described above. The more low-revenue teams struggle to hit the floor, the more revenue sharing is going to be needed - and in the long-term, that's not a true solution. Dropping the HRR split and/or increasing revenue sharing may delay the problem from being apparent for a few years, but it's inevitable that it will happen as things stand.