How long will this last?

[silver_made*]

how many seasons will be lost to this stoppage? (i.e. 1, 1.5, 2, etc.) anyone believe in the possibility that the nhl may fold entirely?

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[Donnie D]

My opinion is that the season will be cancelled in mid-January. Spitting and yelling will occur over the summer and either a deal will be reached by this time next year or the second season will also be cancelled with the owners announcing that they will play in the fall of 06 with the best they can find, i.e. those that will cross, journeymen, minor leaguers, those in Europe who have been pushed aside by the NHLers.

Could happen in the fall of 05, but I doubt that the owners will be prepared to begin that soon.

 

[Isles72]

I think in early January the players will come forward to negotiate what Bettman has offered becuase they will realize that the sooner they get back to work , the less damage to the league .By not coming forward to negotiate a system with linkage , they are hurting the future income of the league (or as bob mackenzie says , the nice big pie will become a small tart)So , take your 54% of 2.1 billion , or , continue the stalemate and perhaps take 54% of 1.2 billion down the road.

Daley , on leafs lunch today said that everything aside from the systematic change of cost certainty is on the table for tweaking .So , the 54% the league wants for players salaries can be played with which would in effect raise the cap to perhaps 40-42 instead of 38.6 .

 

[Digger12]

I think in early January the players will come forward to negotiate what Bettman has offered becuase they will realize that the sooner they get back to work , the less damage to the league .By not coming forward to negotiate a system with linkage , they are hurting the future income of the league (or as bob mackenzie says , the nice big pie will become a small tart)So , take your 54% of 2.1 billion , or , continue the stalemate and perhaps take 54% of 1.2 billion down the road.

Daley , on leafs lunch today said that everything aside from the systematic change of cost certainty is on the table for tweaking .So , the 54% the league wants for players salaries can be played with which would in effect raise the cap to perhaps 40-42 instead of 38.6 .

This is how I see it as well. Like it or not, the owners want this and they WILL have it. Whether it's in two weeks or two year is up to the players...and the deal will not get any sweeter come next year or the year after that.

The players would be best served by keeping their emotions in check and seeing this for what it is...a necessary change in their industry. It sucks for them, but their viable alternatives are slim. It's not like the owners in Russia, Europe, or any dimestore startup league will be any more saintly than the NHL's.