Another owner fined for speaking

[John Flyers Fan]

The NHL fined one of the owners of the Atlanta Thrashers $250,000 on Tuesday for saying the league would use replacement players next year if a new collective bargaining agreement isn't reached, The Associated Press has learned.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=1900622

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[me2]

Interesting that both owners fined have been fined for taking shots at the union and not for breaking ranks with the NHL (unlike Madden and the NHLPA). Clearly Bettman wants to keep things with the NHLPA as civil as possible.

 

[Digger12]

Interesting that both owners fined have been fined for taking shots at the union and not for breaking ranks with the NHL (unlike Madden and the NHLPA). Clearly Bettman wants to keep things with the NHLPA as civil as possible.

Is it being civil, or is it keeping all of their ducks in a row come January or next year if/when the NHL declares impasse?

It wouldn't exactly look good in their court case if the flapping gums from maverick owners made it look like going the impasse route was in any way premeditated from the start, would it?

The NHL is wording everything very carefully, and for good reason...IMO they want to make sure they give themselves every chance of winning in the courtroom, where this looks to be heading.

 

[codswallop]

I mentioned this in another thread. I also mentioned an article by Stan Kasten that appeared in the NYTimes.

He has been the president of three teams in three different sports. He has seen owners and players inter-mingle in three entirely different spectrums. His perspective is quite unique.

Not asserting one particular view or the other, I don't think of this issue that way. Just hoping that everyone can view his opinions with an open mind.

(I've only been able to find an excerpt to the full article on the NYTimes site, but it is worth reading if you are a member and/or you can find it elsewhere).