Getting a season together in 2 weeks will be very very hard

[Flyers Hockey]

First they have to vote and there are a ton of guys in Europe. Once they agree these guys have to get home and visa problems always seem to happen. Also teams like the Bruins only have 7 guys under contract. Once these teams sign enough players they have to have a camp of at least a week. How all this gets done in 2 weeks is beyond me.

I honestly think they would be better just waiting until next year and getting the product together and implementing the proper rule changes, but I am not sure the sport can afford to be gone for a whole year and selfishly I want to see hockey right now.

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[Vapour Trail]

First they have to vote and there are a ton of guys in Europe. Once they agree these guys have to get home and visa problems always seem to happen. Also teams like the Bruins only have 7 guys under contract. Once these teams sign enough players they have to have a camp of at least a week. How all this gets done in 2 weeks is beyond me.

I honestly think they would be better just waiting until next year and getting the product together and implementing the proper rule changes, but I am not sure the sport can afford to be gone for a whole year and selfishly I want to see hockey right now.

A number of people have said that the AHL teams probably will be raided until the regular players come back.

 

[NYR1724]

Where are these rumors coming from that they have to vote? Thats what they have the union for. If you want to believe Glenn Healy then well you can believe Glenn Healy, but I sure as hell dont.

 

[EroCaps]

First they have to vote and there are a ton of guys in Europe. Once they agree these guys have to get home and visa problems always seem to happen. Also teams like the Bruins only have 7 guys under contract. Once these teams sign enough players they have to have a camp of at least a week. How all this gets done in 2 weeks is beyond me.

I honestly think they would be better just waiting until next year and getting the product together and implementing the proper rule changes, but I am not sure the sport can afford to be gone for a whole year and selfishly I want to see hockey right now.

Well, I see where you're coming from but I disagree. Remember that GMs, owners, and players half-expected a shortened season this year. I would think that teams have some degree of a FA/operating plan waiting.

Any team that wins 4 7-game series deserves the Stanley Cup.

 

[bcrt2000]

i'm pretty sure if the exec commitee recommends a deal, then the pa ultimately will vote in favour of it in a majority

 

[Tekneek]

The minor leagues will be ravaged. The problem there is that no additional foreigners can qualify for the visas that are required to play in the minors, at least the ECHL (which would be raided by the AHL). Teams will be stuck trying to find any Americans or green-carded foreigners who can play hockey well enough to get through the end of the season.

The NHL teams can get a season together. They can find enough players to play. The impact it will have on the minor leagues will be tremendous, though.

 

[hockeytown9321]

Where are these rumors coming from that they have to vote? Thats what they have the union for. If you want to believe Glenn Healy then well you can believe Glenn Healy, but I sure as hell dont.

The players have to vote to ratify the deal. If the PA executive recommends a deal, the vote is a formality, but it has to happen.

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

First they have to vote and there are a ton of guys in Europe. Once they agree these guys have to get home and visa problems always seem to happen. Also teams like the Bruins only have 7 guys under contract. Once these teams sign enough players they have to have a camp of at least a week. How all this gets done in 2 weeks is beyond me.

I honestly think they would be better just waiting until next year and getting the product together and implementing the proper rule changes, but I am not sure the sport can afford to be gone for a whole year and selfishly I want to see hockey right now.

What is with this nonsense that we are always hearing about???

Thornton-Samsonov-Bergeron-Lapointe-Axellson-Fitzgerald-Hilbert-Boyes-Gonchar-Gill-Boynton-Girard-Moran-Jurcina

You got 14 right off the bat...

Raycroft deal is just as good as signed. 3year deal just waiting to be signed...

That won't be very hard.

Every NHL team will probably sign their own UFA or sign quick fast 1 year deal with UFA...

That will be a FURIOUS week of signing for sure! 300+ players are without contracts!

 

[Sec of Partying Down]

Well, it may be hard but it is neccessary. If the NHL announces a deal, players will fly back. It's not too difficult, and they are under contract, they're coming back as fast as they can. Free agents can be signed, there is a great supply and demand, I'm not that worried.

 

[Flyers Hockey]

Does anybody know how this would affect the players in Juniors ? Would they be able to be signed and play this year or would they have to wait until next year ?

 

[Steve L*]

Every NHL team will probably sign their own UFA or sign quick fast 1 year deal with UFA...

That will be a FURIOUS week of signing for sure! 300+ players are without contracts!

Which is why I dont thnik there should be a season based on rent-a-players.

Ideally they would take their time and get it right for next season but I dont think they can afford it.

 

[Tekneek]

The players have to vote to ratify the deal. If the PA executive recommends a deal, the vote is a formality, but it has to happen.

At this point, the PA risks having the players call a vote for a plan that they don't recommend. There has been a lot of talking directly between the league and the players this week.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I would think that junior players are off limits until their respective campaigns with their current clubs is over. And then of course there's the question of whether or not these players are even signed yet.

Suddenly, there's a greater sense of urgency to have as many players signed as possible, because once the NHL playoffs come around there won't be any European teams still playing (only the world championships) and very few CHL teams left. NCAA's will also be over or just about.

So, what we may see happening is kind of like the situation in Europe this year. Players signing and being added to the rosters up until the very last minute. You have to wonder if there is going to be some kind of roster deadline to set your lineups for the playoffs, or if it's just going to be a free-for-all all the way through.

This is truly fascinating stuff.

 

[ScottyBowman]

Guys its not just the players. We all know they can come back. The teams are going to have to bring back all the employees, need to do maintence on the buildings, tickets need to be printed and mailed to season ticket holders etc... It can't be done in 2 weeks.

 

[Tekneek]

Does anybody know how this would affect the players in Juniors ? Would they be able to be signed and play this year or would they have to wait until next year ?

Too late to sign and play, per existing agreements with the CHL (as I understand them). However, anyone who is already under contract can be called up.

 

[mooseOAK*]

First they have to vote and there are a ton of guys in Europe. Once they agree these guys have to get home and visa problems always seem to happen. Also teams like the Bruins only have 7 guys under contract. Once these teams sign enough players they have to have a camp of at least a week. How all this gets done in 2 weeks is beyond me.

I honestly think they would be better just waiting until next year and getting the product together and implementing the proper rule changes, but I am not sure the sport can afford to be gone for a whole year and selfishly I want to see hockey right now.

This wouldn't have anything to do with the Flyers only having 2/3 of a team in place now would it?

 

[Ola]

So how many games will there be before the tradingdeadline? 2?

 

[Tekneek]

Guys its not just the players. We all know they can come back. The teams are going to have to bring back all the employees, need to do maintence on the buildings, tickets need to be printed and mailed to season ticket holders etc... It can't be done in 2 weeks.

Why can't they bring the employees back? Anyone that is critical has most likely been kept on payroll and has probably been coming into the office everyday anyway. The ushers and ticket-takers are usually provided by a temp service, at least in the US cities, so those will be fairly easy to get...especially in arenas that have other regular events going on (the same people usually work the other sporting events and concerts as well).

Maintenance on the building? Like what? Getting the ice up to snuff? You've got to bet that process will start immediately after a decision has been made. Do you think that would take 2 weeks? As far as other general maintenance goes, is there a single NHL arena that has not been hosting other events during the lockout? Do you think these buildings have been neglected and are about to collapse?

Tickets need to be printed? Ticketmaster seems able to print thousands and thousands of tickets each day. Do you think it would be impossible for them to do that now? Sure they won't look fancy for season ticket holders, but that doesn't matter. Everybody will get a generic ticket. I know someone who bought season tickets during a season and had 40+ tickets printed out in less than 5 minutes and handed to them. Given that it would only have to be 25-28 tickets per seat, I don't see the problem this could possibly pose.

 

[ScottyBowman]

Why can't they bring the employees back? Anyone that is critical has most likely been kept on payroll and has probably been coming into the office everyday anyway. The ushers and ticket-takers are usually provided by a temp service, at least in the US cities, so those will be fairly easy to get...especially in arenas that have other regular events going on (the same people usually work the other sporting events and concerts as well).

Maintenance on the building? Like what? Getting the ice up to snuff? You've got to bet that process will start immediately after a decision has been made. Do you think that would take 2 weeks? As far as other general maintenance goes, is there a single NHL arena that has not been hosting other events during the lockout? Do you think these buildings have been neglected and are about to collapse?

Tickets need to be printed? Ticketmaster seems able to print thousands and thousands of tickets each day. Do you think it would be impossible for them to do that now? Sure they won't look fancy for season ticket holders, but that doesn't matter. Everybody will get a generic ticket. I know someone who bought season tickets during a season and had 40+ tickets printed out in less than 5 minutes and handed to them. Given that it would only have to be 25-28 tickets per seat, I don't see the problem this could possibly pose.

I'm just repeating what Jimmy Devallano of the Red Wings said. Its not possible to get it going in 2 weeks. It will take 3 weeks.

 

[Tawnos]

Guys its not just the players. We all know they can come back. The teams are going to have to bring back all the employees, need to do maintence on the buildings, tickets need to be printed and mailed to season ticket holders etc... It can't be done in 2 weeks.

The buildings are supposed to have been maintained throughout to keep them ready in case a deal was reached. At least that's what I was told by someone I know who works at MSG.

As for tickets... the teams can always stipulate that if you don't receive your tickets in time, you can will-call until you do. That's really not an issue.

Bringing the employees back might be the most difficult... but I'm confident teams can get the bare minimum needed back.

Oh... and it took them 10 days in 1995.

 

[GKJ]

So how many games will there be before the tradingdeadline? 2?

Somewhere in the middle of March, if not earlier.

 

[Tawnos]

I see the deadline being halfway through the season. End of March.

 

[mr gib]

First they have to vote and there are a ton of guys in Europe. Once they agree these guys have to get home and visa problems always seem to happen. Also teams like the Bruins only have 7 guys under contract. Once these teams sign enough players they have to have a camp of at least a week. How all this gets done in 2 weeks is beyond me.

I honestly think they would be better just waiting until next year and getting the product together and implementing the proper rule changes, but I am not sure the sport can afford to be gone for a whole year and selfishly I want to see hockey right now.

they don't vote - if the executive likes the deal they do it - any information is posted on the players web site - its all a click away - it will take a week for players to fly back and gms to sign guys but they've been ready to do that for a while - in that time frame the lawyers will wrap up the paper work - they have to get this done -

 

[EroCaps]

Why isn't it plausible when 3 days ago they were perfectly capable?

 

[firstroundbust]

bah

it won't be that hard