all the sides are doing is posturing, nothing more, and nothing less.
Each side has taken a stance it can't move from-
First rule of any negotiation, is don't take a position that you can't move off of- check out the book Getting to Yes- common read in most law schools these days.
Nhl position has been, in essence, can't live without cost certainty= cap
PA position has been, in essence, can't live with one
Problem is how do you save face in a negotiation when you can indeed move off your point. The PA would accept a cap of 100 million, and the league would live with a luxury tax of 250%. So the problem is, once you take the position these guys have taken, how do you move off of it.
Truth is, the players are going to lose this time. I am not saying the owners are right, but the truth is billionaire owners will last longer without revenue then millionaire players. It is that simple. So the pa has to try to get the best possible deal it can. Every day that ticks, the deal they can get gets worse. Big market teams are on board because, if a team like Toronto makes 80 million with player costs of over 60, imagine what they would make if they couldn't spend over 35! Read carefully- they will not lower ticket prices- they don't have to- ticket costs are based on 1 factor, and only 1 factor, what the market will bear, and as long as people will pay top dollar in big markets, prices will stay high. So a team valued at x without a cap, probably doubles in value with one- and that is all the owners care about.
Biggest problem today- and the most telling, you have negotaions going on, at least publically without the 2 leaders. If am a player, I would love to know why BG is getting $$$ when he can't lead us publically. If Iam an owner I want to know why GB is the commish when he can't lead us publically either.
As for Eklund's rumor on a new proposal. It doesn't add up as presented:
1 franchise player: ok I can see that - say he makes $10m - total payroll so far 10m
2 players 2- 6 each at no more then 4 each= 20m - total payroll 30m
3 rest of the players what you want- so long as they don't individual exceed any of the first 6 players i.e. 3.99 each. Therefore, 14 players at 3.99 = 55m total payroll 85m- what have we accomplished??? this is not a better offer then any luxury tax the players have offered.
we shall see- personally, I am waiting for Eklund's comment- I know where the secret meeting is being held, but out of respect i am not saying where....tomorrow!