Bloody brilliant move by the owners cancelling the draft...

[Fredrik]

I may not like it ( i looove the draft and look forward to the Hockey news and the event that is the draft) but i think the PA beleives in pressure points and the crosby thing was probably one of them.
KABOOM, bye bye pressure point!!

I may not like Bettman but he has outplayed Goodenow as far as the chess match of collective bargaining goes.

I was surprise but i think it was a briallant move by the league to take away the pressure point from the players. The other example of the NHL outwitting the PA is the lack of the dropdead date, it must have drove Goodnow and the players nutting waiting and waiting.

What do you mean?

A draft would be illegal so it's obvious it had to be cancelled. The draft will take place whenever the new CBA has been signed.

 

[Mess]

The only reason this is a big deal is because Crosby is in the draft. If this happened to Rick Nash, would as many people care?

I think the NHL Entry Draft is a BIG Deal every year ...

Crosby makes it a bit Unique .. but still popularity for the Fans is high all years IMO

 

[Mat]

The only reason this is a big deal is because Crosby is in the draft. If this happened to Rick Nash, would as many people care?

rick nash > sidney crosby

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

What do you mean?

A draft would be illegal so it's obvious it had to be cancelled. The draft will take place whenever the new CBA has been signed.

I think the thought process is that the pressure on the owners to have a CBA to allow for the draft to occur in Ottawa on time would give the players extra leverage. If the owners had to have an agreement to leverage some momentum from the draft, and the players aren't personally out anything until they start missing paychecks again in October, it give the players substantial leverage in the negotiating.

 

[Gary]

exactly-all pressure on the NHLPA to strike a deal now...owners won't see another benefit (After passing up on the draft which could and would be reinstated in a heartbeat pending a deal) until around January-ish next year when playoffs are looming. That's another 3 months without paychecks if they don't pull their heads out of their a$$e$.

 

[mini-mite fan]

Canceling the draft may or maynot have been a "chess move" of wits by Bettman. But it does do two key things. 1 - Free's up any pressure point for a date of agreement on CBA, 2 - gives plenty of respectable notification to the organizers at the hotel to...well, not prepare. Sends a message of "Hey, don't spend the time and money, we don't see a deal getting done & we're gonna be more respectful to the 'little people' who would be negatively affected by this." It'd be easier and more gladly accepted to throw something together at the last minute, than to cancel the huge dog-n-pony show at the last minute.

I personally don't like what Bettman has done while in power, but really he's just been doing his job, which is doing what the owners (collectively) tell him to do. Bobby G on the other hand, while also trying to do his job of pushing the league to give as much as it can to the players, has continually pushed too hard and too far. He's been preaching the "stick together, we can win this thing" to the players and unfortunately most of them have listened. Like it or not this whole ordeal has turned into a battle of wits, & Goodenow is screwed! Business is business, and you can only have expenses be a certain percentage of revenue. Bob & (some of) the players can't seem to grasp this concept. Bob said "We've already turned down two proposals that were more than that..." ...no $#it Sherlock. Bettman told you that future offers would go down, this season was the NHLPA's last real leverage tool. It's gone & Goodeman is just a tool. The draft was NO leverage point for the players, they are (or should be) just worrying about their own salary at this point.

The PA will have to end up accepting a cap, p'bly mid 30's, and who knows when. Without TV and other sponsor backing, the owners are not in any "sacrifice" mode to make a deal. Bettman (as bad as it may be) will be praised for "getting the deal done" when this is all over. He's just been the monkey in the suit, and earns a paycheck to do as he's told, especially for the on-ice decisions.

 

[Mess]

exactly-all pressure on the NHLPA to strike a deal now...owners won't see another benefit (After passing up on the draft which could and would be reinstated in a heartbeat pending a deal) until around January-ish next year when playoffs are looming. That's another 3 months without paychecks if they don't pull their heads out of their a$$e$.

"all pressure on the NHLPA to strike ".....

Those are very interesting choice of words with all signs pointing to IMPASSE and IMPLEMENTATION by the NHL as its next steps.

 

[Biggest Canuck Fan]

We lost an entire season because of 4 million dollars. I don't see how you could possibly think Bettman is winning.

Once this is all settled Bettman will be lucky to have a job in the NHL.

4 million times 30 teams equals potentially 120 million... not so chump any more is it?

 

[futurcorerock]

I think the NHL Entry Draft is a BIG Deal every year ...

Crosby makes it a bit Unique .. but still popularity for the Fans is high all years IMO

No - look at all the press behind the announcement to cancel the draft. His name keeps coming up about it.

And to you Mat, i'm a Jackets fan and Nasher's one of my favorite players, but Crosby's got the buzz and hype and if he starts living up to the hype, it's money in the bank for the NHL.

 

[Mess]

No - look at all the press behind the announcement to cancel the draft. His name keeps coming up about it.

And to you Mat, i'm a Jackets fan and Nasher's one of my favorite players, but Crosby's got the buzz and hype and if he starts living up to the hype, it's money in the bank for the NHL.

Judging from your Flag and team you cheer for I can conclude that you are from the USA ...

In Canada where Hockey is the National sport and a life-style and culture the entry draft is a HUGE HUGE deal each year .. Trust me ..

It was nuts up here when local Ontario Boy Rick Nash was drafted ... Crosby is special. but even Ovechkin was as well and lots of hype around the event ..

It may be different in the States .. but not in Canada IMO ..