Contract talks expected to resume

[Son of Steinbrenner]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050130.wlockout31/BNStory/Sports/

Bill Daly, the executive vice-president of the National Hockey League, calls this week "very crucial" in terms of resolving the stalemate over a collective labour agreement. He adds that although the league and the National Hockey League Players' Association have no meetings scheduled, he is confident talks will take place this week.

"I'm not sure there is any difference of opinion," Daly said. "I like to remain hopeful, but if the concepts we discussed with the [NHLPA] on Thursday night are not something that forms a basis for serious negotiations, I have to admit that I don't have much optimism that there will be hockey this year.

"I don't want to put odds on the likelihood this can get resolved. We'll just keep working on it and hope we can come to an agreement."

So pretty much they will talk and nothing will come of it. This is actually the best week to cancel a season. Its Super Bowl week in America and that will remain the bigger story. It will really say something for the state of the NHL if T.O. playing will be a bigger story than a pro league letting a season go.

Click to read more...

 

[Crazy Lunatic]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050130.wlockout31/BNStory/Sports/

Bill Daly, the executive vice-president of the National Hockey League, calls this week "very crucial" in terms of resolving the stalemate over a collective labour agreement. He adds that although the league and the National Hockey League Players' Association have no meetings scheduled, he is confident talks will take place this week.

"I'm not sure there is any difference of opinion," Daly said. "I like to remain hopeful, but if the concepts we discussed with the [NHLPA] on Thursday night are not something that forms a basis for serious negotiations, I have to admit that I don't have much optimism that there will be hockey this year.

"I don't want to put odds on the likelihood this can get resolved. We'll just keep working on it and hope we can come to an agreement."

So pretty much they will talk and nothing will come of it. This is actually the best week to cancel a season. Its Super Bowl week in America and that will remain the bigger story. It will really say something for the state of the NHL if T.O. playing will be a bigger story than a pro league letting a season go.

I think the NHL would actually appreciate any attention they can get. Theres no reason to keep it on the down-low as it will be virtually ignored in the US anyway.

 

[struckmatch]

I still think we'll see hockey this year. I'm an optimist by nature, and I may also be an idiot by nature, but I just can't see both sides letting a whole year go to waste over something in which a solution can be reached with minimal compromise.

I wonder if Bettman/Goodenow will be at these talks?

 

[leaflover]

Unless either side is prepared to offer concessions theres no point in meeting.To continue to hold these meetings and make basically the same proposal that resulted in the last round of talks ending in a stalemate,is meaningless.Only if the negotiating team members or altered or one side has given instructions to back off on thier demands is there any hope more meetings would pan out.
Just dont bother sending the same messengers with the same message again.

 

[Reilly311]

Theres no reason to keep it on the down-low as it will be virtually ignored in the US anyway.

You're being too generous by saying "virtually".

 

[Padawan]

I just hope they won't push the panic button and get a deal done and then after few years time get another lock out. Just get a good deal that we don't get anymore of these lock outs, even if it costs us one whole season. I say better one risk one season than lose the entire NHL.

 

[Isles72]

no point in meeting unless either side changes their philosophy .

pull the plug so that the Canadian sport nets as well as CBC can go top heavy with some AHL action

 

[RangerBoy]

Later today,TSN and Sportsnet will post stories on the NHL inviting the NHLPA to meet this week.The meeting will take place late Wednesday morning in some undisclosed location.The media will camp out in front of some hotel not knowing if that is really the location.The meeting will end about 4-4:30 so both sides can beat the traffic.Both sides will issue two sentence statements.They agree to meet the next day in another location.On Thursday morning,the net will be abuzz with rumors of a settlement and a 30 game season starting February 15.The second meeting begins at 11:30 on Thursday in Boston.TSN and Sportsnet will leak "details" of a new NHL proposal.The hfboards begin to slow down at the increased internet traffic.By nightfall,the meetings have ended with no meetings scheduled.Ted Saskin states "we continue to have philosophical differences".Bill Daly states "we are closer than ever to reaching a deal".By Friday,Trevor Linden and Baghdad Bob have recorded messages for the nhlpasource site stating "the season is over","the league will not compromise","we will not be able to feed our families with a $1.3 million average salary","we will never agree to any cap even if it is $250 million","victory will be ours","the owners will cave if we wait a few more days" and "we want 90% of the gross"

That is the script for this week

 

[RangerBoy]

Why even bother meeting?The players get their panties twisted every time the NHL makes a proposal

While the players appeared resigned to the idea of accepting some form of salary cap proposal, the NHLPA has reportedly been irked by the NHL's changing stance on other issues, such as the age for free agency and the conditions for salary arbitration.

The idea of a cap within a cap, a 24% cap on salary arbitration raises, seems to have aroused the most angry among the players. This 24% cap is not believed to have been a part of the NHL's most recent proposal, but the fact that it was discussed at last week's meeting has raised some hackles among the NHLPA members.

The fact that the proposed payroll cap (of $42 million) can be adjusted downward if the league doesn't meet expected revenues has also been met with skepticism on the part of the players. Not only does the NHLPA remain wary of the league's accounting practices, but given little hope for increased television revenues and the lack of further NHL expansion in the near future, the players also have to wonder about the owners' ability to make the game more profitable. Or, for that matter, if they would have that much incentive with such a restrictive collective bargaining agreement in place.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hockey/story/276403p-236763c.html

The NHL players do not want the proposed cap to be adjusted downward if the revenues are not met?

Do these jokers realize the NBA cap can be adjusted downward?The NBA cap went from $42.5 million to $40.271 million after the 2001-02 season.The NBA cap for 02-03 was $40.271 which was $2.3 million less than the previous year

Increased TV revenues?

Has the NHLPA seen the TV ratings in the U.S.?They will not improve if the NHL is not playing

Further expansion?The game isn't watered down enough

The average NHL salary in 1995 was $733,000.It was $1.8 million in 2003-04.Did the PA have issues with the league during that period?

 

[i am dave]

Later today,TSN and Sportsnet will post stories on the NHL inviting the NHLPA to meet this week.The meeting will take place late Wednesday morning in some undisclosed location.The media will camp out in front of some hotel not knowing if that is really the location.The meeting will end about 4-4:30 so both sides can beat the traffic.Both sides will issue two sentence statements.They agree to meet the next day in another location.On Thursday morning,the net will be abuzz with rumors of a settlement and a 30 game season starting February 15.The second meeting begins at 11:30 on Thursday in Boston.TSN and Sportsnet will leak "details" of a new NHL proposal.The hfboards begin to slow down at the increased internet traffic.By nightfall,the meetings have ended with no meetings scheduled.Ted Saskin states "we continue to have philosophical differences".Bill Daly states "we are closer than ever to reaching a deal".By Friday,Trevor Linden and Baghdad Bob have recorded messages for the nhlpasource site stating "the season is over","the league will not compromise","we will not be able to feed our families with a $1.3 million average salary","we will never agree to any cap even if it is $250 million","victory will be ours","the owners will cave if we wait a few more days" and "we want 90% of the gross"

That is the script for this week

Post of the Year

 

[crossxcheck]

Later today,TSN and Sportsnet will post stories on the NHL inviting the NHLPA to meet this week.The meeting will take place late Wednesday morning in some undisclosed location.The media will camp out in front of some hotel not knowing if that is really the location.The meeting will end about 4-4:30 so both sides can beat the traffic.Both sides will issue two sentence statements.They agree to meet the next day in another location.On Thursday morning,the net will be abuzz with rumors of a settlement and a 30 game season starting February 15.The second meeting begins at 11:30 on Thursday in Boston.TSN and Sportsnet will leak "details" of a new NHL proposal.The hfboards begin to slow down at the increased internet traffic.By nightfall,the meetings have ended with no meetings scheduled.Ted Saskin states "we continue to have philosophical differences".Bill Daly states "we are closer than ever to reaching a deal".By Friday,Trevor Linden and Baghdad Bob have recorded messages for the nhlpasource site stating "the season is over","the league will not compromise","we will not be able to feed our families with a $1.3 million average salary","we will never agree to any cap even if it is $250 million","victory will be ours","the owners will cave if we wait a few more days" and "we want 90% of the gross"

That is the script for this week

this all sounds faintly familiar.

 

[Morbo]

"I'm not sure there is any difference of opinion," Daly said. "I like to remain hopeful, but if the concepts we discussed with the [NHLPA] on Thursday night are not something that forms a basis for serious negotiations, I have to admit that I don't have much optimism that there will be hockey this year.

I think that's as close an ultimatum as you're going to get.

 

[GKJ]

Do these jokers realize the NBA cap can be adjusted downward?The NBA cap went from $42.5 million to $40.271 million after the 2001-02 season.The NBA cap for 02-03 was $40.271 which was $2.3 million less than the previous year

hence the lockout the NBA is about to have. The players are going to try and fix that in their wisdom. This is why the NHL has to get back onto the ice, because next year they will be the only game in town much like the NBA is.

 

[NHLFanSince2020]

Later today,TSN and Sportsnet will post stories on the NHL inviting the NHLPA to meet this week...."we want 90% of the gross"

That is the script for this week

That about sums it up.

...and I agree, Healy is an a-hole.

 

[struckmatch]

We're at the point now where its up the players. If they think they can live with an average salary of 1.4 - 1.6 million dollars, then we'll have hockey this year. I think the NHL will table a final proposal, how the PA treats it will tell the story. Whether they reject it outright, which would be a very stupid move IMO, and not serving their constituents best interests, or they could put it to a vote, and let democracy reign.

If they put it to a vote, expect a settlement.

 

[Son of Steinbrenner]

Why even bother meeting?The players get their panties twisted every time the NHL makes a proposal

While the players appeared resigned to the idea of accepting some form of salary cap proposal, the NHLPA has reportedly been irked by the NHL's changing stance on other issues, such as the age for free agency and the conditions for salary arbitration.

The idea of a cap within a cap, a 24% cap on salary arbitration raises, seems to have aroused the most angry among the players. This 24% cap is not believed to have been a part of the NHL's most recent proposal, but the fact that it was discussed at last week's meeting has raised some hackles among the NHLPA members.

The fact that the proposed payroll cap (of $42 million) can be adjusted downward if the league doesn't meet expected revenues has also been met with skepticism on the part of the players. Not only does the NHLPA remain wary of the league's accounting practices, but given little hope for increased television revenues and the lack of further NHL expansion in the near future, the players also have to wonder about the owners' ability to make the game more profitable. Or, for that matter, if they would have that much incentive with such a restrictive collective bargaining agreement in place.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hockey/story/276403p-236763c.html

The NHL players do not want the proposed cap to be adjusted downward if the revenues are not met?

Do these jokers realize the NBA cap can be adjusted downward?The NBA cap went from $42.5 million to $40.271 million after the 2001-02 season.The NBA cap for 02-03 was $40.271 which was $2.3 million less than the previous year

Increased TV revenues?

Has the NHLPA seen the TV ratings in the U.S.?They will not improve if the NHL is not playing

Further expansion?The game isn't watered down enough

The average NHL salary in 1995 was $733,000.It was $1.8 million in 2003-04.Did the PA have issues with the league during that period?

do you realize the nba has a soft cap? all the adjusting down in the nba means teams have to pay more of a luxary tax. if a cap got adjusted down in hockey it would be a hard cap. (hmm i wonder why the players would have a problem with that) the owners have audits that only show ahl expenses but not revenues yet they want there numbers to be trusted :lol

the sad part is fans actually think the owners are right. NOBODY IS RIGHT IN THIS

 

[Chili]

Chinese New Year next week on February 9th.

Honourable hockey fan say year of Rooster mean time for NHL and NHLPA to wake up and negotiate new agreement!

 

[Dr Love]

Later today,TSN and Sportsnet will post stories on the NHL inviting the NHLPA to meet this week.The meeting will take place late Wednesday morning in some undisclosed location.The media will camp out in front of some hotel not knowing if that is really the location.The meeting will end about 4-4:30 so both sides can beat the traffic.Both sides will issue two sentence statements.They agree to meet the next day in another location.On Thursday morning,the net will be abuzz with rumors of a settlement and a 30 game season starting February 15.The second meeting begins at 11:30 on Thursday in Boston.TSN and Sportsnet will leak "details" of a new NHL proposal.The hfboards begin to slow down at the increased internet traffic.By nightfall,the meetings have ended with no meetings scheduled.Ted Saskin states "we continue to have philosophical differences".Bill Daly states "we are closer than ever to reaching a deal".By Friday,Trevor Linden and Baghdad Bob have recorded messages for the nhlpasource site stating "the season is over","the league will not compromise","we will not be able to feed our families with a $1.3 million average salary","we will never agree to any cap even if it is $250 million","victory will be ours","the owners will cave if we wait a few more days" and "we want 90% of the gross"

That is the script for this week

Eklund should take lessons from you.

 

[NJD Jester]

I don't agree with much of what the players have to say, but the "cap within a cap" is in fact a bit of a reach for the owners. A salary cap in and of itself should slow the growth of salaries, so there shouldn't be a need to cap individual salaries at $6 million. If anything, if the top tiered players are making huge dollars, then teams are going to have to cut mid-range guys in order to keep them. The mid-range guys trickle down to the lower-payroll teams, and then you have competitive balance (in theory). That's the NFL model.

Capping overall salaries is a fair option for a league struggling to turn a profit; capping individual salaries sounds more like an attack on earning power than controlling the flow of revenue.

 

[Slewfoot]

Do these jokers realize the NBA cap can be adjusted downward?The NBA cap went from $42.5 million to $40.271 million after the 2001-02 season.The NBA cap for 02-03 was $40.271 which was $2.3 million less than the previous year

You are aware that all but 3 NBA teams are above the cap ? Also , the NBA has a SOFT cap(obviously) and the NHL is insisting on a HARD cap.....

 

[RangerBoy]

You are aware that all but 3 NBA teams are above the cap ? Also , the NBA has a SOFT cap(obviously) and the NHL is insisting on a HARD cap.....

Yes I know that and there a luxury tax above the cap.For how long?The NBA CBA expires this summer

Are you aware the NBA has $3.1 billion in revenue and players receive 58% while the NHL had $2 billion in revenue and they received 75%?

 

[wazee]

I don't agree with much of what the players have to say, but the "cap within a cap" is in fact a bit of a reach for the owners. A salary cap in and of itself should slow the growth of salaries, so there shouldn't be a need to cap individual salaries at $6 million. If anything, if the top tiered players are making huge dollars, then teams are going to have to cut mid-range guys in order to keep them. The mid-range guys trickle down to the lower-payroll teams, and then you have competitive balance (in theory). That's the NFL model.

Capping overall salaries is a fair option for a league struggling to turn a profit; capping individual salaries sounds more like an attack on earning power than controlling the flow of revenue.

By suggesting a cap on individual salaries, the owners are trying to appeal to the lower and mid-range guys who will make up the majority if it ever gets to the point of a vote. It is only a negotiating ploy, IMO.

 

[Luc Labelle]

the owners have audits that only show ahl expenses but not revenues yet they want there numbers to be trusted

:lol You can stop laughing. The Manitoba Moose are run by a local ownership group. They have an agreement with the Vancouver Canucks to act as a farm team for a set number of years. In this agreement the costs to the Vancouver Canucks for Manitoba Moose players salaries is outlined. The revenues or losses of the Manitoba Moose are independent of the Vancouver Canucks.

The Canucks would report the costs of the portion of salaries they are paying the Manitoba Moose for serving as a development team. They are not entitled to Moose revenues and therefore should not be reporting them in an audit.

Their is nothing nefarious about an NHL team claiming AHL salary cost without claiming AHL revenues. They would claim revenues if they had a whole or partial interest in the ownership of the farm team. This is not necessarily the case. So you can stop laughing Son of Steinbrenner.

 

[vanlady]

:lol You can stop laughing. The Manitoba Moose are run by a local ownership group. They have an agreement with the Vancouver Canucks to act as a farm team for a set number of years. In this agreement the costs to the Vancouver Canucks for Manitoba Moose players salaries is outlined. The revenues or losses of the Manitoba Moose are independent of the Vancouver Canucks.

The Canucks would report the costs of the portion of salaries they are paying the Manitoba Moose for serving as a development team. They are not entitled to Moose revenues and therefore should not be reporting them in an audit.

Their is nothing nefarious about an NHL team claiming AHL salary cost without claiming AHL revenues. They would claim revenues if they had a whole or partial interest in the ownership of the farm team. This is not necessarily the case. So you can stop laughing Son of Steinbrenner.

This is true of Vancouver, however it does not apply to clubs like Toronto, Edmonton and Philladelphia, who's AHL teams are wholly owned subsidieries of the parent corportation.

 

[ScottyBowman]

Later today,TSN and Sportsnet will post stories on the NHL inviting the NHLPA to meet this week.The meeting will take place late Wednesday morning in some undisclosed location.The media will camp out in front of some hotel not knowing if that is really the location.The meeting will end about 4-4:30 so both sides can beat the traffic.Both sides will issue two sentence statements.They agree to meet the next day in another location.On Thursday morning,the net will be abuzz with rumors of a settlement and a 30 game season starting February 15.The second meeting begins at 11:30 on Thursday in Boston.TSN and Sportsnet will leak "details" of a new NHL proposal.The hfboards begin to slow down at the increased internet traffic.By nightfall,the meetings have ended with no meetings scheduled.Ted Saskin states "we continue to have philosophical differences".Bill Daly states "we are closer than ever to reaching a deal".By Friday,Trevor Linden and Baghdad Bob have recorded messages for the nhlpasource site stating "the season is over","the league will not compromise","we will not be able to feed our families with a $1.3 million average salary","we will never agree to any cap even if it is $250 million","victory will be ours","the owners will cave if we wait a few more days" and "we want 90% of the gross"

That is the script for this week

You forgot the biggest newsmaker, Eklund.