Real meeting goes today

[SENSible1*]

With the pom-pom sessions for both sides now history, the most important meeting of the week will take place today.

If Goodenow can keep the clamps on the agents, then he can continue down the path to destruction with little opposition.

Something tells me it won't be that simple.

Goodenow meets today with player agents, 159 of which are certified with the union. One agent said yesterday that today's meeting will likely produce more critical analysis than the one with the players.

"I think it will be a little more tumultuous," he said. "There are some people who want answers."

From article

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[BLONG7]

If these guys get too raunchy for Knob, he will get his revenge...can he not just de-certify the agents rights or priveleges of dealing with the league and the PA?

 

[SENSible1*]

If these guys get too raunchy for Knob, he will get his revenge...can he not just de-certify the agents rights or priveleges of dealing with the league and the PA?

Yes he can, but there was a suggestion on TSN that the NHL may try to take the certification of agents out of the PA's hands. That would significantly alter the CBA negotiating process.

 

[mooseOAK*]

The agents have offices to maintain and people to pay so they are going to have a different take from the players, and they are more on Goodenow's level intellectually and won't be as easy to manipulate. Might be interesting but Bob still has the power over them which may force them to toe the PA line.

 

[Mess]

With the pom-pom sessions for both sides now history, the most important meeting of the week will take place today.

If Goodenow can keep the clamps on the agents, then he can continue down the path to destruction with little opposition.

Something tells me it won't be that simple.


From article

"Certified with the union"

Either they tow the Company line or they are no longer agents for the Players having their rights removed .. These guys have the least say in this matter ..

Their is actually talk on TSN last night that the news will be real bad for the Agents today .. They formerly made 3 - 6 % for getting a player a deal with the owners .. There is talk that amount will drop to as low as 1% commision in the New CBA as the Contract for players are going way down and so the amount to their agents has to go down as well as they player does not want to loose even more..

The agent might be mad .. but have to be very careful .. Sure they got clients today, but they will also have the Crosby's generation after generation ahead and not being Certified by the NHLPA is career suicide for them ..

 

[ti-vite]

When all is said and done, I would like for an agent to write a book indicating that all these behind the scene talks were orchestrated by agents. Any player 'uprising' will certainly be 'okayed' by agents in some fasion. Agents are probably continuously talking with GMs and presidents, getting a pulse and giving impressions from the players.

The agents are a BIG part of this 'process' 'moving forward' IMO.

 

[SENSible1*]

"Certified with the union"

Either they tow the Company line or they are no longer agents for the Players having their rights removed .. These guys have the least say in this matter ..

Their is actually talk on TSN last night that the news will be real bad for the Agents today .. They formerly made 3 - 6 % for getting a player a deal with the owners .. There is talk that amount will drop to as low as 1% commision in the New CBA as the Contract for players are going way down and so the amount to their agents has to go down as well as they player does not want to loose even more..

The agent might be mad .. but have to be very careful .. Sure they got clients today, but they will also have the Crosby's generation after generation ahead and not being Certified by the NHLPA is career suicide for them ..

There is no guarantee that the PA will keep its monopoly on certification of agents.

 

[rwilson99]

"Certified with the union"

Either they tow the Company line or they are no longer agents for the Players having their rights removed .. These guys have the least say in this matter ..

Their is actually talk on TSN last night that the news will be real bad for the Agents today .. They formerly made 3 - 6 % for getting a player a deal with the owners .. There is talk that amount will drop to as low as 1% commision in the New CBA as the Contract for players are going way down and so the amount to their agents has to go down as well as they player does not want to loose even more..

The agent might be mad .. but have to be very careful .. Sure they got clients today, but they will also have the Crosby's generation after generation ahead and not being Certified by the NHLPA is career suicide for them ..

Good Luck. Agents are all lawyers whose primary responsibility is to negotiate high dollar contracts, and 1-2% of a shrinking salary base will not cut it.

These agents can pursue other avenues to make more money, unlike one trick pony hockey players with no formal education. The specialty is employment contracts, accepting a pay cut here will effect their business in other sports, entertainment, corporate head hunting and the like.

No lawyer is going to negotiate a multi-million dollar deal for 1/3-1/6 of what they used to. There is too much demand for thier services. These lawyers also have the resources to challenge Goodenow if he attempts any strong arm tactics to destroy their business.

Your arguement couldn't be furthur off base, or more misinformed.

 

[shakes]

There is no guarantee that the PA will keep its monopoly on certification of agents.

Is there some legal challenge that would allow this to happen? Or would this have to be bargained away, because there is no way the NHLPA would give up this.

 

[davemess]

Is there some legal challenge that would allow this to happen? Or would this have to be bargained away, because there is no way the NHLPA would give up this.

They really shouldnt have that controll in anycase, it should be controlled by the sports governing body. There should also be a written in stone set of paramaters that an Agent should have to reach to become an Agent. As well as another set of rules that if broken would result in getting kicked out.

Agents certainly shouldnt be under the thumb of a Players Association they A) Arent employed by and B) Dont work directly for.

If you hired a lawyer to negotiate something with your boss theres no way in the world the your Union should be able to come in and fire him just because he did something they dont like.

 

[shakes]

They really shouldnt have that controll in anycase, it should be controlled by the sports governing body. There should also be a written in stone set of paramaters that an Agent should have to reach to become an Agent. As well as another set of rules that if broken would result in getting kicked out.

Agents certainly shouldnt be under the thumb of a Players Association they A) Arent employed by and B) Dont work directly for.

If you hired a lawyer to negotiate something with your boss theres no way in the world the your Union should be able to come in and fire him just because he did something they dont like.

There should be a dual certification process because what's to stop the NHL from getting rid of agents who are notoriously hard to negotiate with. Bottom line is that neither side should have full control over this process.

 

[SENSible1*]

Is there some legal challenge that would allow this to happen? Or would this have to be bargained away, because there is no way the NHLPA would give up this.

The owners could simply put it in the final offer for implementation.

The PA would have fun trying to argue that the restrictions on their rights to unfettered pusuit of their carreers were onerous, while attempting to ensure that they maintain draconian control over the agents.

Should make for some interesting legal battles, with the agents firmly on the side of the NHL.

 

[SENSible1*]

There should be a dual certification process because what's to stop the NHL from getting rid of agents who are notoriously hard to negotiate with. Bottom line is that neither side should have full control over this process.

Agreed or perhaps they should have to be certified with the sport governing body in their home country.

 

[bcrt2000]

agents shouldn't have to be certified

 

[MmmBacon]

Their is actually talk on TSN last night that the news will be real bad for the Agents today .. They formerly made 3 - 6 % for getting a player a deal with the owners .. There is talk that amount will drop to as low as 1% commision in the New CBA as the Contract for players are going way down and so the amount to their agents has to go down as well as they player does not want to loose even more..

I don't think there is a standard percentage for an agent. My understanding is that arrangement is made between a player and his agent. It's set by the market.

Good agents can charge a higher percentage because they're good agents. A guy like Don Meehan will win you back a few extra percentage points, and more, because he's a good negotiator. Joe Blow will cost a player money even if his commission is low, because he doesn't know what he's doing.

 

[wazee]

There should be a dual certification process because what's to stop the NHL from getting rid of agents who are notoriously hard to negotiate with. Bottom line is that neither side should have full control over this process.

Agreed. A dual certification process would neutralize pressure on the agents from all sides and would leave him free to work in the best interests of the player who is paying him.