Bettman asks Goodenow for (at least) twice-a-week meetings

[ColoradoHockeyFan]

http://www.newsday.com/sports/hockey/ny-spnhl0421,0,3434264.story?coll=ny-hockey-headlines

The league would like to accelerate that pace, so yesterday, Bettman reached out to NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow to schedule twice-a-week meetings. "Hopefully more than that," Daly said.

Bettman also said he will soon set another deadline to reach an agreement before the start of next season is in jeopardy. ESPN has an already once-extended June 1 deadline to pick up a one-year option on its NHL contract.

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[Lanny MacDonald*]

The BOG should reach down low and see if he has any cojones left and not bother setting a deadline for the start of next season but instead set a deadline for next season, period. If an agreement is not reached by August 1st then the the 2005-06 season will be cancelled as well. Extreme? Maybe. But it would create the level of urgency that Bob Goodenow appears to only negotiate under. Also the NHLPA and the NHL owners would definitely place pressure on both sides to strike a deal. I'm not sure the NHLPA membership can afford another year with out pay, so they would be calling Goodenow night and day. There are a few NHL owners that would be in a tizzy and would place the pressure required to get Jacobs to keep his yap shut. Pressure appears to be the only thing that gets these clowns to take this task seriously, so create some.

 

[nyrmessier011]

The BOG should reach down low and see if he has any cojones left and not bother setting a deadline for the start of next season but instead set a deadline for next season, period. If an agreement is not reached by August 1st then the the 2005-06 season will be cancelled as well. Extreme? Maybe. But it would create the level of urgency that Bob Goodenow appears to only negotiate under. Also the NHLPA and the NHL owners would definitely place pressure on both sides to strike a deal. I'm not sure the NHLPA membership can afford another year with out pay, so they would be calling Goodenow night and day. There are a few NHL owners that would be in a tizzy and would place the pressure required to get Jacobs to keep his yap shut. Pressure appears to be the only thing that gets these clowns to take this task seriously, so create some.

Under your plan If I was Goodenow I would wait until August 2, call Gary and say 400 players just signed in Europe with no escape clauses, good luck to 6-10 of your franchises surviving through another lost season. I bet Gary will do all the talking at that point.

 

[ALF AmericanLionsFan]

And the saga continues....

 

[blamebettman*]

now it's very clear the NHL is desperate to get a deal done, I like the fact they rejected the scab route(for now, bettman did leave the door open if there was no deal by october), but it seems like they have at least a shred of class and dignity. it was a nice gesture

Goodenow should accept and hopefully we'll have a deal sometime during the summer.

 

[dunwoody_joe]

now it's very clear the NHL is desperate to get a deal done, I like the fact they rejected the scab route(for now, bettman did leave the door open if there was no deal by october), but it seems like they have at least a shred of class and dignity. it was a nice gesture

Goodenow should accept and hopefully we'll have a deal sometime during the summer.

Strategically it is important for there to be the appearance that the league has tabled the "scab plan" because it is so inflammatory to the NHLPA and will play badly in court (when this farse finally gets there).

Inside the owners' war room, you can rest assured that there are real plans to use replacements. There has to because without a credible threat to do so, the balance of power shifts to the players.

This whole thing has pissed me off. I just want some hockey!

 

[ResidentAlien*]

The BOG should reach down low and see if he has any cojones left and not bother setting a deadline for the start of next season but instead set a deadline for next season, period. If an agreement is not reached by August 1st then the the 2005-06 season will be cancelled as well. Extreme? Maybe. But it would create the level of urgency that Bob Goodenow appears to only negotiate under. Also the NHLPA and the NHL owners would definitely place pressure on both sides to strike a deal. I'm not sure the NHLPA membership can afford another year with out pay, so they would be calling Goodenow night and day. There are a few NHL owners that would be in a tizzy and would place the pressure required to get Jacobs to keep his yap shut. Pressure appears to be the only thing that gets these clowns to take this task seriously, so create some.

I couldnt agree more. Thats exactly what they should do.
I am getting sick of thise " one meeting every other week" schedule they seem to have. I always maintained that they would not do the replacement players, instead they would continue down the black hole. Setting a deadline for the entire season instead of just the start of the season is the best thing I have heard in a long time, good work Mr Icon!

 

[HSHS]

agressive meeting schedule is only appropriate if it is "down to dollars and cents" and no longer "philosophical differences". You can negotiate back and forth give and take on dollars and cents. Philosophical differences require pressure, in this case time, to cause one side to give in more than the other.

 

[Tawnos]

Philosophical differences are pretty much gone at this point. The PA accepts linkage, the NHL (ostensibly) accepts revenue sharing. It is down to numbers now. So, as you said, this is appropriate at this point.

 

[FLYLine27*]

The PA must negotiate this...they will accept as long as the lunatic Jacobs doesn't show. Hes not helping anything and just causing more tension between the sides. Stay home old man!

 

[Weary]

Philosophical differences are pretty much gone at this point. The PA accepts linkage, the NHL (ostensibly) accepts revenue sharing. It is down to numbers now. So, as you said, this is appropriate at this point.

So have the differences on qualifying offers, arbitration, and entry-level contracts that couldn't be overcome in February now been settled? Given Bettman's words, it appears even he is not sure.

 

[ResidentAlien*]

agressive meeting schedule is only appropriate if it is "down to dollars and cents" and no longer "philosophical differences". You can negotiate back and forth give and take on dollars and cents. Philosophical differences require pressure, in this case time, to cause one side to give in more than the other.

maybe that would be true if we were having this conversation last year, or the year before that Given the fact that a season has been toasted, id say they should have been meeting AT LEAST once a week already.

 

[Lanny MacDonald*]

Under your plan If I was Goodenow I would wait until August 2, call Gary and say 400 players just signed in Europe with no escape clauses, good luck to 6-10 of your franchises surviving through another lost season. I bet Gary will do all the talking at that point.

Brilliant!!! And what do the other 350-370 NHLPA members do? Just sit back and let other 400 take jobs while they earn no money "for the good of the cause"? Wow, brilliant strategy! Mind you, that's almost as stupid as not negotiating a deal and having 6-10 teams fold, causing 130-250 players to lose their jobs. Thought that one though, didn't you.

 

[Tawnos]

So have the differences on qualifying offers, arbitration, and entry-level contracts that couldn't be overcome in February now been settled? Given Bettman's words, it appears even he is not sure.

Umm... the differences in q-offers, arbitration and entry level were settled in February.

 

[Weary]

Umm... the differences in q-offers, arbitration and entry level were settled in February.

When? Those were the issues that blocked any discussion of the salary cap at the Black Saturday meeting. As far as I know, they didn't meet again until March.

 

[mackdogs*]

Under your plan If I was Goodenow I would wait until August 2, call Gary and say 400 players just signed in Europe with no escape clauses, good luck to 6-10 of your franchises surviving through another lost season. I bet Gary will do all the talking at that point.

Are you even a hockey fan?

 

[SharkGirl27]

So have the differences on qualifying offers, arbitration, and entry-level contracts that couldn't be overcome in February now been settled? Given Bettman's words, it appears even he is not sure.

I doubt they have been settled, but that is all stuff that can be decided after the BIG this has been settled. I am sure that both sides will use things such as UFA age, and arbitration in the negotiations for a cap/linkage/revenue sharing what ever you'd like to call it. Players could say "OK you want the high end at $45m then give us free agency at 27" and vice versa.

 

[Digger12]

Under your plan If I was Goodenow I would wait until August 2, call Gary and say 400 players just signed in Europe with no escape clauses, good luck to 6-10 of your franchises surviving through another lost season. I bet Gary will do all the talking at that point.

...and while you're at it Mr. Goodenow, good luck finding 400 players to commit to Europe for a year, with no weaseling out clauses. You'll be lucky to get 40, never mind 400.

This might come as a shock to you, but that European/Russian vacation your indentured servants went on wasn't exactly as great an alternative to the NHL as what NHLPA.com would have you believe.

 

[Tawnos]

When? Those were the issues that blocked any discussion of the salary cap at the Black Saturday meeting. As far as I know, they didn't meet again until March.

I don't know where you're getting that info from...