NHL Willing to Negotiate with NO Linkage

[Munchausen]

Waitaminute...why is there even a shred of optimism around here, I thought that was only prevalent on mondays?

Did I miss a memo or something?

Yes you did. It was agreed for practical reasons that formerly scheduled Delusion Day (Monday) would be swapped with Suicide Day (Friday). It was more convenient for everybody.

 

[Digger12]

Yes you did. It was agreed for practical reasons that prior scheduled Delusion Day (Monday) would be swapped with Suicide Day (Friday). It was more convenient for everybody.

:lol

Damn...I've got to start loosening up that junk filter on Outlook. No wonder I've been getting quizzical stares all day. Must've been the black armband and hair shirt.

 

[davidwii]

I thought about the same thing, maybe the deal is the first portion of whatever deal is reached has no linkage, and then when profits are healthier, linkage is established at whatever %, that's partnership, and fair both ways

Absolutely....I agree.

 

[ladybugblue]

i thought the whole time this would come down to a cap minus linkage. revenues are too unpredictable to base contracts on. how do you set up the league on numbers you dont know are going to happen? then take back money from the players when they dont? just doesnt hold up, imo. either a cap with no linkage, or a strict luxury tax.

The NFL does why not the NHL??

 

[CarlRacki]

The NFL does why not the NHL??

The PA - if they're not using the whole linkage issue as a smokescreen - is likely concerned that revenue increases in the NHL aren't the sure thing they are in the NFL.
Over the long term, I'd venture to say they're wrong, but if they're not willing to ake the risk, they won't get any reward either.

 

[WickedBruinsGirl]

Did anybody get a chance to see the interviews?

 

[dolfanar]

The PA - if they're not using the whole linkage issue as a smokescreen - is likely concerned that revenue increases in the NHL aren't the sure thing they are in the NFL.
Over the long term, I'd venture to say they're wrong, but if they're not willing to ake the risk, they won't get any reward either.

Hardly. 10 years from now, IF there is a hockey resurgence and owners are making money hand over fist, the players will whine and complain and strike, possibly costing the better part of ANOTHER season so they can get linkage.

You know 100 years from now, if hockey still exists as a pro sport, what will people think when they look back on the record books and see 75 years of stable season, after stable season and then come upon 1994 and 2005? 48 game season? 28 game season? Strike after strike... bleh.

 

[ChiHawks468]

If anyone watched/ is watching the interviews, can you give those of us who can't a recap please?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Morbo]

I don't believe it. Linkage is central to their vision of the finances.

 

[Egil]

From my perspective, the linkage wasn’t even the worst part of the NHL's offer.

- the NHL's ability to eliminate arbitration

- the 24% rollback

- the signing deadline

- arbitration deferal

- elimination of group 5 and 6 free agency

Just to name 5.

DR

Elimination of arbitration is the league telling the players we don't like arbitration, and will be negotiated out. I also believe it was used to tip the players as to what age the league would go on the UFA age.

The league is NOT going to negotiate away what the players gave it, that is the players job. The league put it back to the original offer from the players, and are probably willing to reduce that amount. But the players are driving the rollback bus, not the owners.

Signing deadline should be replaced with forced arbitration at the start of training camp. The player would have walkaway rights to go play in Europe, the team to make the player a UFA. But the idea behind it is sound, as holdouts are CLEARLY detrimental to the team, the player, and the league. Eliminating them would make for a healthier league. I think the owners put that in to tell the PA we want to deal with RFA holdouts in the CBA, as the current system for that didn't work for anyone.

Arbitration Deferal is IMHO a neutral thing. The owners specific implemetation was slanted to them, but the idea of it is sound, and could EASILY be tweaked to a neutral device. The ability to defer arbtration off a BAD season is just as powerful to a player as it is to an owner that has a player who has had 1 really good year.

Group V free agency had about 2 players a year, as it requires 10 years of service before the player would normally become a UFA, WHILE being paid less than the league average. If the UFA age became 28 for example, it would be impossible to become a group V free agent. Even at 29 it would be difficult, as very few players enter the league at 18 and are paid less than the league average 10 years later. Eliminating this is irrelevent to the PA.

Group VI free agency applies to fringe NHLers over the age of 25. Waiver rules normally allow these players to move to a different team if their current club is. Not a big deal, and certainly not a concern for MOST of the NHLPA membership.

 

[GKJ]

$47M cap. That's what I think. I would be happy with that.

 

[Scoogs]

As far as the NHLPA "not going to pick up the phone", I think that is utter ********.

We've said and known all along that Bob was a deadline hunter. Here is his deadline. He has just over 48 hours, if not less.

 

[Brent Burns Beard]

$47M cap. That's what I think. I would be happy with that.

dont hold your breath ... a hard cap, no linkage, probably means no floor too.

NHL wont be interested in a hard cap anything more than 36 or 37m.

dr

 

[Phil333]

So if this is true, when do you think we will hear something? By tomorrow evening?

 

[tradetalker24]

So if this is true, when do you think we will hear something? By tomorrow evening?

If what is true? Noone said an agreement was in place

 

[NewBreed19]

If what is true? Noone said an agreement was in place

He meant if the pa will contact the nhl with this idea in mind.

 

[dolfanar]

So if this is true, when do you think we will hear something? By tomorrow evening?

Aside from rumours, I personally think that the next official news will be a season cancellation announcenment (10 to 1 for) or an agreement in principal for a new CBA (10 to 1 against), and not til Monday at the earliest....

 

[tradetalker24]

i think the NHLPA didnt negotiate the trigger points because they would rather present their offer because they like it more.If they are stuck negotiating they cant propose a new offer. If the NHL HATES the NHLPA proposal then maybe they will have time to change the trigger points

 

[bleedgreen]

i think they're going to play. yep, i said it.

i just want to be the one who got it right. me and eklund, we called it someones gotta be optimistic. i think they are still blowing smoke, aint over yet.

 

[vanlady]

I saw both interviews, Saskin's reaction was very telling, he got upset when the host told him the Daly was willing to accept a cap with no linkage. As Saskin put it, it would be nice if the NHL told the PA that and not the media. He also said that the NHL put something in writing making him beleive the triggers were not negotiable. Don't know which one of them is lying but Saskins anger seemed to be very real

 

[Munchausen]

He also said that the NHL put something in writing making him beleive the triggers were not negotiable.

What a load of BS. If this is his honest take on the matter, this guy should get fired on the spot. It was in writing so he didn't bother to ask? Wow we really have the cream of negotiators here to settle this thing.

 

[snakepliskin]

What a load of BS. If this is his honest take on the matter, this guy should get fired on the spot. It was in writing so he didn't bother to ask? Wow we really have the cream of negotiators here to settle this thing.

INCOMPTENT!! these guys don't want to make any deal DD-DAy TUESDAY!

 

[Leafer4Life]

I saw both interviews, Saskin's reaction was very telling, he got upset when the host told him the Daly was willing to accept a cap with no linkage. As Saskin put it, it would be nice if the NHL told the PA that and not the media. He also said that the NHL put something in writing making him beleive the triggers were not negotiable. Don't know which one of them is lying but Saskins anger seemed to be very real

Did they ask Daly about the so called comment he made?!?!?!?

 

[vanlady]

Where are you getting this daly info from? Have search several hockey sites and nothing about this was found.

Daly and Saskin were interviewed on the Score today.

www.thescore.com

 

[Jarqui]

I saw both interviews, Saskin's reaction was very telling, he got upset when the host told him the Daly was willing to accept a cap with no linkage. As Saskin put it, it would be nice if the NHL told the PA that and not the media. He also said that the NHL put something in writing making him beleive the triggers were not negotiable. Don't know which one of them is lying but Saskins anger seemed to be very real

1) Here's the article from Phily.com on Bettman's news conference after he made his proposal where he told them the triggers were negotiable:
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/sports/hockey/10860047.htm

2) The following day, yesterday, Daly said the same thing to the media.

If Saskin didn't grasp it in the original meeting, convince us that the NHLPA wasn't listening to the NHL news conferences - which they always followed this week for "rebuttal".

3) The two parties are in negotiation of a collective bargaining agreement. There was nothing stopping the NHLPA from going ahead to present their own concept of triggers in a counter proposal whether they anticipated the NHL liking them or not to demonstrate good faith should it come under review by the NLRB.

Saskin is full of crap on this point. The fact remains that any form of reasonable triggers lock the NHLPA in to stand behind their proposal. We all know by now that the NHLPA doesn't want that - probably because those triggers will expose all the smoke within the Dec 9th proposal = it won't work effectively to control labour costs.

EDIT: one other thing .. that offer to negotiate a cap with no linkage by the NHL is ancient and has been stated repeatedly. It isn't "news".