justapantherfan
Registered User
I am not a big fan of Mario and that's only because he is not on my team, but over the last few years I have become to respect him and as an owner/player he sees both sides. I have also noticed that as a superstar and someone who does deserve the 10 mil sal he doesn't pay himself that. Now I am not sure if he only pays himself a lower salary because the Pens were in trouble or not, but he would deserve it more then some of these players who make it.
Anyway I ran across this article from him and he agrees something needs to be done in order to make the NHL right.
PITTSBURGH -- There never was any doubt where hockey's biggest name stood in the NHL lockout. These days, Mario Lemieux is the Pittsburgh Penguins' owner first and a player second, not the other way around.
Lemieux might have captained Team Canada to a World Cup championship in September, but has said repeatedly the NHL has no choice but to negotiate a more favorable labor contract -- even if such a deal might trim his own salary.
The only other option, he said, is to risk losing hockey in Pittsburgh and other smaller cities, where fans are weary of subsidizing big salaries in what is becoming a niche sport largely ignored by the masses.
That's why Lemieux was hopeful until minutes before commissioner Gary Bettman canceled the 2004-05 season Wednesday there would be a last-minute labor agreement to save the season -- and, in his mind, the sport.
"This morning, I thought the two sides would get together before the press conference and make a deal ... that, at the end of the day, there would be too much at stake for both sides." Lemieux said Wednesday. "But I knew and understood throughout this process that it would be a long battle."
This is from our local paper sunsentinel.com
Link
Anyway I ran across this article from him and he agrees something needs to be done in order to make the NHL right.
PITTSBURGH -- There never was any doubt where hockey's biggest name stood in the NHL lockout. These days, Mario Lemieux is the Pittsburgh Penguins' owner first and a player second, not the other way around.
Lemieux might have captained Team Canada to a World Cup championship in September, but has said repeatedly the NHL has no choice but to negotiate a more favorable labor contract -- even if such a deal might trim his own salary.
The only other option, he said, is to risk losing hockey in Pittsburgh and other smaller cities, where fans are weary of subsidizing big salaries in what is becoming a niche sport largely ignored by the masses.
That's why Lemieux was hopeful until minutes before commissioner Gary Bettman canceled the 2004-05 season Wednesday there would be a last-minute labor agreement to save the season -- and, in his mind, the sport.
"This morning, I thought the two sides would get together before the press conference and make a deal ... that, at the end of the day, there would be too much at stake for both sides." Lemieux said Wednesday. "But I knew and understood throughout this process that it would be a long battle."
This is from our local paper sunsentinel.com
Link
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