Message to all NHL players and the 30 player reps who represent your views

[eye]

Most of us realize that hockey players have been trained from a young age to be a team player and to always say the right things in public when being interviewed. Never put down a teammate, always put a positive spin on your team etc.etc.; however, the time has come to solicit the honest views of all players and to insist that your NHLPA leader hears what you all have to say. If he fails to listen to you and get you back to work ASAP, FIRE his sorry A"" out the door. Most of us can read between the lines. Enough players have spoken out, former players have spoken out, polls support the owners position and all of you are losing $$$$$$$ as each day passes and will NEVER recover this lost income. If you come back next year or the year after you can expect a minimum 50% rollback and your 24% offer will seem miniscule. The writing is on the wall for all to read. The game is in trouble, thousands of people and employees are counting on the NHL to be played so do the right thing and make the best deal possible within a cost linkage system. There is still time to make a fair deal. It may not seem fair to you right now but the deal you can make right now will seem generous to the one that awaits you in the future.

Every player that says publicly that he would never play under a cap might as well retire now if your word means anything. Hockey will never again be played without one so your choices are limited.

Click to read more...

 

[Trottier]

This message has been passed on from the NHL's players, in response to this, your most recent self-important, delusional, naive directive in a series that reads like something penned by a 5th grader:

Dear Eye,

Go back to school. And get a clue about business, and CBAs. You may not agree with our position, but reading threats and ultimatums from one who has ABSOLUTELY NO impact or leverage in this matter is well, both comical and insufferable.

Sincerely,
NHL Players

 

[Cole Caulifield]

This message has been passed on from the NHL's players, in response to this, your most recent self-important, delusional, naive directive in a series that reads like something penned by a 5th grader:

Dear Eye,

Go back to school. And get a clue about business, and CBAs. You may not agree with our position, but reading threats and ultimatums from one who has ABSOLUTELY NO impact or leverage in this matter is well, both comical and insufferable.

Sincerely,
NHL Players

:lol

 

[HF2002]

Dear NHL Players,

Me and my friends at recess tried to guess when you will be doing a take back. I guessed before this weekend is over. I hope so because the winner gets first pick the next time we play boot hockey. Your take backs are really funny because the guys with the microphones must be very bad at what they do. My dad called you guys liars, and that made me cry, but my mom said it's not true. She said that sometimes people make mistakes and that's why pencils have erasers. I love my mom. She is so smart and pretty and smells like her shampoo. Sometimes when she washes my hair she uses her shampoo on me. One time I got some in my eyes and it stung really bad and I screamed. I don't swear in front of mom anymore.

I asked my dad what leverage means. He said it's when you have someone lying over a barrel. I didn't really understand him at first, but then he asked me if I had heard of these names before. They are are Bob Boughner, Vincent Damphousse, Daniel Alfredsson, Bill Guerin, Trent Klatt and Arturs Irbe. Irbe is a funny name. If I drink a coke really fast I can burp his name two times in a row. My mom says it's rude to do it in front of the company but they all laughed. Except Father Dixon. Then my mom sent me to my room. I said it wasn't fair because she laughed too. So I have time to kill until dinner and I am writing this letter to you. It's fun because I like to use crayons. The drawing at the top of this page is me and my dad. I drew hair on me but my dad doesn't have hair.

My dad told me the 7 players earned almost 25 million dollars last year. That's a big number. I can only count to 50. He said a salary is like my allowance. If I do all my chores he gives me some money. Sometimes, if I do a really good job putting the dishes in the dish washer he gives me something called a bonus. One time I dropped a plate right into the garbage can. It was too yuchy to reach in and pick it up so I just left it there and took the garbage right out to the curb to hide it. My dad said he was proud of me for doing a chore that wasn't on my chore list. I got a bonus. Don't tell my dad or else I will have to give back my bonus. I am saving my money. The last time I went to a hockey game Jaromir Jagr said it would cost me 10 dollars for his autograph. My dad must know him because he yelled at him. My dad only yells at people he knows. It's usually me.

Anyway, my dad said leverage is when the 7 players can tell the rest of the players what to do because they get paid so much more money than everyone else. He said they have so much leverage that they have the players over a barrel. He wouldn't tell me what this means, so I'm going to ask my teacher Mrs Feather on Monday. My dad will be proud that I went to find the answer on my own. I hope I get a bonus becuase I already have 6 dollars saved up for that autograph. Leverage doesn't sound fair. I don't like it when people tell me what to do if I don't really want to do it. My mom makes me go to church but there are a lot of old people there. I don't complain because we stop at Tim Horton's on the way home. There are 6 of them between the church and my house. They always have lines. Timbits are cool.

My friend Joey is older than me so he's really smart. We play together at the baby sitters. He's funny, but he smells like rice. He said that right now all hockey players are being mean to the fans because they say you don't like the fans. I told him he was wrong and that the players love us and want to play hockey for us. He said no way.


Wow, it's already dinner. I have to go. I get my own cupcake for desert. Do you like cupcakes?

Your friend,
Timmy Rowe
St Patrick's
Grade 3
Teacher: Mrs Feather

 

[grego]

I like cupcakes

 

[futurcorerock]

I like Trottier's letter best. Can i follow up?

Dear Eye,

The NHLPA would like to thank you for taking the time to write us. In response, we please ask you refrain from using bold in further posts.

-NHLPA

 

[mr gib]

Most of us realize that hockey players have been trained from a young age to be a team player and to always say the right things in public when being interviewed. Never put down a teammate, always put a positive spin on your team etc.etc.; however, the time has come to solicit the honest views of all players and to insist that your NHLPA leader hears what you all have to say. If he fails to listen to you and get you back to work ASAP, FIRE his sorry A"" out the door. Most of us can read between the lines. Enough players have spoken out, former players have spoken out, polls support the owners position and all of you are losing $$$$$$$ as each day passes and will NEVER recover this lost income. If you come back next year or the year after you can expect a minimum 50% rollback and your 24% offer will seem miniscule. The writing is on the wall for all to read. The game is in trouble, thousands of people and employees are counting on the NHL to be played so do the right thing and make the best deal possible within a cost linkage system. There is still time to make a fair deal. It may not seem fair to you right now but the deal you can make right now will seem generous to the one that awaits you in the future.

Every player that says publicly that he would never play under a cap might as well retire now if your word means anything. Hockey will never again be played without one so your choices are limited.

it'll be good for the league and all involved to take two year's off - gary will have to fall on his sword - his replacement will come forth and negotiate -

 

[thinkwild]

He said a salary is like my allowance. If I do all my chores he gives me some money. Sometimes, if I do a really good job putting the dishes in the dish washer he gives me something called a bonus.

lol, that was pretty good.

But you're blaming the wrong side. Principle is important. The mean owners just want to try a court case first.

Also, your dad will only have monopsony rights over you allowance for a few more years, then you can become a free agent. You can use joeys allowance in arbitration until you get there. Just like the hockey players.

 

[HF2002]

Or....


Dear Players,

It doesn't take an economics degree to understand what's going on. If you really think that fans have no affect on hockey why is it that you say that it's the fans who make the NHL what it is during your "save the team season ticket drive"? If you'd finished high school you'd have a basic understanding of what the reality is.

Additionally, the players who are not being properly represented by the PA executive (whose average salary is $3.5 million) are greatest in number and stand to lose the most in all of this. Teams will spend their money on the first line and give the remaining 3 lines the leftovers. Is this really worth it to you to hold out for two years and lose all that money just so Iginla can still make $6 million a season? Until you realize that you have no more leverage in this than the average fan you will be sitting out based on the advice of the PA executive.

Enjoy the summer!

 

[thinkwild]

I imagine for many of them it is not going to be worth it. It is going to have to be a sacrifice they make for the cause. For Crosby and Phaneuf and Spezza. The owners dont think they will and are going to make it as costly as possible. But the union cannot accept a cap. Better to have no union. And the owners know this. And they are going to push it to the limits just to see how far they can go.

As I see it, the players arent going to capitulate. Its a matter of how long they have to prove this before the owners come around.
.
Enjoy the legal battles.

 

[Mountain Dude]

Are you people on the NHLPA side or something?

 

[quat]

I imagine for many of them it is not going to be worth it. It is going to have to be a sacrifice they make for the cause. For Crosby and Phaneuf and Spezza. The owners dont think they will and are going to make it as costly as possible. But the union cannot accept a cap. Better to have no union. And the owners know this. And they are going to push it to the limits just to see how far they can go.

As I see it, the players arent going to capitulate. Its a matter of how long they have to prove this before the owners come around.
.
Enjoy the legal battles.

Ha ha ha ha ha.... not quite as funny as HF2002's, but for being off target, second to none!

All those drunk singles you see getting together in nightclubs? They're just doing for the kids of the future!

 

[thinkwild]

All that season ticket money and business empire slipping away?, the owners are doing it so that all fans can feel they have a chance to win.

 

[CarlRacki]

All that season ticket money and business empire slipping away?, the owners are doing it so that all fans can feel they have a chance to win.

Again, what you fail to understand is that a) many teams weren't making money in the first place, so by missing a season there isn't much to lose and b) for most owners, the hockey operation is a play thing, not a source of income. Do you believe the financial success of the Boston Bruins is the difference between whether Jeremy Jacobs gets that new Rolls he's been eyeing or ends up with a Camry? The owners are not hurting financially. The players on the other hand ...

 

[quat]

All that season ticket money and business empire slipping away?, the owners are doing it so that all fans can feel they have a chance to win.

The Owners are probably doing this to insure the health of the league... which will make them money. How does the league make money? By making it interesting to the fans so they want to go to games or watch them on TV or by the merchandise.

The majority of hockey players in the NHL wouldn't feel any change in their paychecks if they had signed the last agreement as it was (which no one realistically expected them to do... it was an offer that was up for negotiation), and the rest still would be making wages double or triple what the league average worked out to be.

If they players had a leg to stand on they would certainly have my full support, and many others here as well. As it is, their representitive is doing a poor job in the present negotiation. Cutting off your nose to spite your face is an unhealthy line to take.

 

[GKJ]

Are you people on the NHLPA side or something?

No, just rational thinkers.

 

[Trottier]

Do you like cupcakes?

:lol

Still having a hard time coming up for air, I'm laughing so hard at that post, regardless of your position on this CBA.

 

[Poignant Discussion*]

This message has been passed on from the NHL's players, in response to this, your most recent self-important, delusional, naive directive in a series that reads like something penned by a 5th grader:

Dear Eye,

Go back to school. And get a clue about business, and CBAs. You may not agree with our position, but reading threats and ultimatums from one who has ABSOLUTELY NO impact or leverage in this matter is well, both comical and insufferable.

Sincerely,
NHL Players

Trottier is now my new favorite poster

 

[eye]

This message has been passed on from the NHL's players, in response to this, your most recent self-important, delusional, naive directive in a series that reads like something penned by a 5th grader:

Dear Eye,

Go back to school. And get a clue about business, and CBAs. You may not agree with our position, but reading threats and ultimatums from one who has ABSOLUTELY NO impact or leverage in this matter is well, both comical and insufferable.

Sincerely,
NHL Players

Another misread by an NHLPA supporter who like the players and the PA has his blinders on. My input might be considered very little on it's own but when you consider the thoughts and opinions of most hockey fans in North America that buy the tickets and generate the enthusiasm for the growth and benefit of hockey and it's players - IT SPEAKS VOLUMES.

You see, most fans live and work in the world of reality. Most fans
have and use their common sense to form their opinions. Most fans can see that a gate driven league relies on us fans to survive. Most fans think the players and the NHLPA should be much more considerate of our views. Most fans understand that players are being led down the gardain path by an egomaniac. Most fans openly see what the owners and Bettman as their spokesperson are trying to do and we don't care if they actually try to run their own business to make a buck. Some fans feel sorry for the players but most fans know where the blame truly lies for the continuation of this work stoppage. Bob GoodEGOnow.

I have not made threats but simply stated the obvious. I don't need an idiot like you to grade my thread starters. Most have prevoked some excellent discussion. I do not profess to be a writer like some of you do or a lawyer that always uses his thesaurus to try and impress but is really only driving his hourly rate up. I'm just a basic hockey fan that cares about the game. My views have been developed by listening to both sides and in between. I think many of my views are shared by the majority or typical hockey purest. IMO, the few posters that come on here in support of the players position have an agenda in doing so. Don't give me the players don't read this crap bull because I have heard players, agents and media people interviewed that acknowledge that they get much of their info from message boards. Have a nice day Dr. Trottier.

 

[CoolburnIsGone]

Another misread by an NHLPA supporter who like the players and the PA has his blinders on. My input might be considered very little on it's own but when you consider the thoughts and opinions of most hockey fans in North America that buy the tickets and generate the enthusiasm for the growth and benefit of hockey and it's players - IT SPEAKS VOLUMES.

You see, most fans live and work in the world of reality. Most fans
have and use their common sense to form their opinions. Most fans can see that a gate driven league relies on us fans to survive. Most fans think the players and the NHLPA should be much more considerate of our views. Most fans understand that players are being led down the gardain path by an egomaniac. Most fans openly see what the owners and Bettman as their spokesperson are trying to do and we don't care if they actually try to run their own business to make a buck. Some fans feel sorry for the players but most fans know where the blame truly lies for the continuation of this work stoppage. Bob GoodEGOnow.

I have not made threats but simply stated the obvious. I don't need an idiot like you to grade my thread starters. Most have prevoked some excellent discussion. I do not profess to be a writer like some of you do or a lawyer that always uses his thesaurus to try and impress but is really only driving his hourly rate up. I'm just a basic hockey fan that cares about the game. My views have been developed by listening to both sides and in between. I think many of my views are shared by the majority or typical hockey purest. IMO, the few posters that come on here in support of the players position have an agenda in doing so. Don't give me the players don't read this crap bull because I have heard players, agents and media people interviewed that acknowledge that they get much of their info from message boards. Have a nice day Dr. Trottier.

I highlighted the "most fans" thing for a reason. You're definitely one of those people that loves to use all those polls out there to make your point. And when you use "most fans" I'm wondering what exactly you mean. The reason I ask if because the following poll from the local paper shows that "most fans" (almost 60%) don't care who's fault it is if the season is cancelled. My guess is that if you do the same poll in probably over half of the NHL cities (which I would consider "most") that you'll see the same results.

The other part I highlighted because I wanted to point out that I have no agenda and I support the players position. I just want to see these players on the ice and I don't care what league they're in. I live in an NHL city but I don't support the local team (primarily go to games when the visiting team has a player or few that I want to see). I want to see the Roenicks and Kovalchuks and Sakics and Fedorovs and Thorntons and Iginlas and I don't really care who's fault it is the lockout is going on or who's to blame for the problem (BTW, the league has admitted that they take full responsibility for the state that the league is in). So I guess I do have an agenda...I just want to see the best players in the world.

Source of poll: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/hockey/panthers/sfl-nhlpoll121504,0,116446.poll?q87303=162091

 

[fan mao rong]

I highlighted the "most fans" thing for a reason. You're definitely one of those people that loves to use all those polls out there to make your point. And when you use "most fans" I'm wondering what exactly you mean. The reason I ask if because the following poll from the local paper shows that "most fans" (almost 60%) don't care who's fault it is if the season is cancelled. My guess is that if you do the same poll in probably over half of the NHL cities (which I would consider "most") that you'll see the same results.

The other part I highlighted because I wanted to point out that I have no agenda and I support the players position. I just want to see these players on the ice and I don't care what league they're in. I live in an NHL city but I don't support the local team (primarily go to games when the visiting team has a player or few that I want to see). I want to see the Roenicks and Kovalchuks and Sakics and Fedorovs and Thorntons and Iginlas and I don't really care who's fault it is the lockout is going on or who's to blame for the problem (BTW, the league has admitted that they take full responsibility for the state that the league is in). So I guess I do have an agenda...I just want to see the best players in the world.

Source of poll: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/hockey/panthers/sfl-nhlpoll121504,0,116446.poll?q87303=162091

All I see from your loony link is the results of a poll. What is this sun-sentinel? Is that Orlando Florida? Must be someplace like that with Sun in it I suppose. So your big surprise is most say who cares? In Florida (?) among general sports fans I would think it would be far greater than 60% who didn't care. It means nothing. All of you who think the players will be advantaged after staying out for 2 years or more are deluded. Why would ownership capitulate after that time? They would sooner fold the league altogether. Even losing one year of compensation a player would have to get double in the next year just to stay even, and it increases as time goes on. Since most of the pro-player crowd must be paid propogandists or plants that is the source of that noise.

 

[FLYLine27*]

This message has been passed on from the NHL's players, in response to this, your most recent self-important, delusional, naive directive in a series that reads like something penned by a 5th grader:

Dear Eye,

Go back to school. And get a clue about business, and CBAs. You may not agree with our position, but reading threats and ultimatums from one who has ABSOLUTELY NO impact or leverage in this matter is well, both comical and insufferable.

Sincerely,
NHL Players

 

[eye]

I highlighted the "most fans" thing for a reason. You're definitely one of those people that loves to use all those polls out there to make your point. And when you use "most fans" I'm wondering what exactly you mean. The reason I ask if because the following poll from the local paper shows that "most fans" (almost 60%) don't care who's fault it is if the season is cancelled. My guess is that if you do the same poll in probably over half of the NHL cities (which I would consider "most") that you'll see the same results.

The other part I highlighted because I wanted to point out that I have no agenda and I support the players position. I just want to see these players on the ice and I don't care what league they're in. I live in an NHL city but I don't support the local team (primarily go to games when the visiting team has a player or few that I want to see). I want to see the Roenicks and Kovalchuks and Sakics and Fedorovs and Thorntons and Iginlas and I don't really care who's fault it is the lockout is going on or who's to blame for the problem (BTW, the league has admitted that they take full responsibility for the state that the league is in). So I guess I do have an agenda...I just want to see the best players in the world.

Source of poll: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/hockey/panthers/sfl-nhlpoll121504,0,116446.poll?q87303=162091

So even in a poll taken in the sunny south where I doubt many of the fans polled even care 29.5% blame the players while only 12.9% blame the owners. Your poll once again supports my claim. Most Fans blame Goodenow for this mess and he alone is blocking the return of NHL hockey. Not for what happened in the past just what is currently going on.

Your Poll Recap for all to see.

If the NHL season is canceled, who is most to blame?

29.5%
Players (1177 responses)

12.9%
Owners (515 responses)

57.6%
Who cares (2301 responses)

3993 total responses

 

[FLYLine27*]

Some fans feel sorry for the players but most fans know where the blame truly lies for the continuation of this work stoppage. Bob GoodEGOnow.

Woahhh very creative! Good work!

 

[eye]

Your about as mature as Trottier is. What is your fearless leader doing to get players back to playing NHL hockey? He would rather see them pursue alternative employment. Of course you don't care because you can actually go see virtually your entire New York Rangers team by going to Hartford to watch the Wolfpack play.