What is Plan B for Goodenow?

[Luc Labelle]

If it is replacement players then plan B for the players is to picket and make all sorts of public relation nightmares for the NHL.

I really don't think this would be a public relation nightmare for the NHL. It would be a PR nightmare for the NHLPA. Personally, I would pay to fly to an NHL city to view and cheer the replacement players and proudly walk through the NHLPA pickets.

 

[dvaske]

Goodenow's Plan B has to include using the legal system to somehow tie the hands of the owners. I don't see any other way to get what he wants without taking some power away from the league. But, since he did put the cap offer out there, it seems like he caved on the most precious aspect of the new deal from his side. At this point, it comes down to how long they can wait and what is the best deal they can extract. It obvious that they aren't going to like the terms of that deal. Is there any way to force change in those terms? I don't see how.

Goodenow = beaten

No way the NLRB sides with a union while GW is in the white house.
Goodenow = F@CKED

 

[mooseOAK*]

The situation is already ruined for the sport, this is true. But it is not ruined for the business of the big money teams, because in all liklihood the big money teams won't have that much of a problem brining fans back as long as they lower ticket prices, as long as they come back next season (the Rangers wouldn't have had any playoff revenue anyways). They're not making money right now, but they're also not losing money. They're staying united right now, but that won't be for much longer.

As for why would anything change in May, read my last post again.

If the players are going to get a better offer in May why wouldn't the owners give it to them now? Selling tickets and getting sponsorships and getting fans back would be a lot easier with even a part of a season behind them.

 

[EricBowser]

NHLPA's Plan B is to wait it out, see the next offer or public outcry by the NHL and begin to go forward on that front. Be it a new offer or declaring an impasse and implementation.

If the NHL declares an impasse and implements before September, the NHPA will be fighting hard and will have a great shot to prove the NHL's plan all along was to hold out until they could break the union and force a new agreement on the players.

I can tell you this, the hard-liners, who want to break the union because they have this hatred for Bob Goodenow, will force Bettman to offer a proposal that will shock the NHLPA.

I expect a salary cap linkage system that will start without a minimum payroll and have a maximum around $28 million. Then after that season is played, the NHL will begin the linkage of around 53%.

Which if you look at the projected revenues could be devasting for players, a $1.5 billion pot is $26.5 million maximum hard cap. A $1 billion industry is $17 million maximum.

Such revenues and percentages would force minimum contracts to be around $150,000 and entry-level contracts to go from NHLPA's $850,000 base salary plus bonuses to NHL"s possible offer of a strict base salary of $500,000 or lower depending on the round a player was selected.

It gets worse for players, owners hate arbitration, maybe more than they hate Goodenow. If impasse comes, arbitration is gone.

Those 100 and 110 percent qualifying offers will be a distant memory for the 75 percent that will go for any player after his four years have been served under the entry level system.

Owners knows, no arbitration will mean more unsigned holdouts so to protect themselves from they will bar any player from joining the league after a certain date, which will force agents to work quickly to get a deal for their client before the cap is maxed out.

One thing owners may do is go the NFL route and no longer have guaranteed standard contracts or maybe the league goes with a less evil plan to have the buyouts at 25% of the value of the contract.

I have absolute disgust and disdain for the owners who used Gretzky and Lemieux to further their agenda but I have even more doubts about the leadership of the NHLPA to seriously believe a deal could get any worse than this weekend because the is in the details.

Players will lose big time if the NHL goes with some strict cap and systemic changes and it gets even worse if impasse implementation is used.

 

[ChiHawks468]

What is plan B for Bob Goodenow now that the season is canceled? How does he get the deal he wants?

Perhaps, next year, he'll go to europe to try and run a union there?

 

[EricBowser]

The only thing Goodenow could try to do is help build the WHA into a league full of rich people who hate the NHL owners and have a CBA that is a true partnership.

 

[ChiHawks468]

The only thing Goodenow could try to do is help build the WHA into a league full of rich people who hate the NHL owners and have a CBA that is a true partnership.

The pot of gold the Union is looking for will not be found at the end of the WHA rainbow.

 

[Traitor8]

isn't this now PLAN C??? because A was not accepting a cap, B was willing to accept a cap..now ths...so it's C

 

[EricBowser]

Komisarek, you are correct, this is Plan X for the NHLPA and NHL. Both sides have gone to the table with numerous plans and ideas but each time they have failed.

I think the whole thing will continue to fail because now that the season has been canceled, the players will not accept a deal that doesn't have a strong revenue-sharing plan, I don't blame either.

Can't have a true partnership if the one side can't even have one among themselves.

 

[Wild Thing]

If it is replacement players then plan B for the players is to picket and make all sorts of public relation nightmares for the NHL.

One can only hope. I would give my right arm for the opportunity to give Marian Gaborik and Dwayne Roloson the finger as I walk into the X to watch a replacement game.

 

[Luc Labelle]

We all know Larry Brooks umbilical cord is attached to the NHLPA. Turns out he knows the NHLPA's plan B:

There will be no capitulation this summer. There will be one focus now — to destroy the NHL, even if it costs the players more millions to do so. They've got their cause again.

Read the entire ridiculous column here. More brilliance from the man:

And now The Great One knows. Now he knows just as everyone else does that the NHL is shut down by a rigged process in which Bettman and eight hard-liners can veto the wishes of the majority, can veto good sense, can veto the NHL.

Ummm.... fair is fair. Sure the NHL agreeing on an unacceptable NHLPA offer (in Bettman's view) only takes 8 veto votes (the small market teams) out of 30 to reject it. Well, the NHLPA agreeing on an unacceptable NHL proposal (in Goodenow's view) only needs 7 veto votes (the executive council) out of 750 to reject it.

Here is the ultimate compromise, the NHLPA's last proposal ($49 million cap with indexing provisions that would establish a cap range of $70M max, 36M min under 2003-2004 economic conditions if there is a 30% revenue drop next year) be put to a vote by all NHL clubs. A simple majority passes the NHLPA proposal. Likewise, the most recent NHL proposal ($42.5M cap, no minimum) be put to a vote of the entire NHLPA membership. Again, a simple majority requiring acceptance.

I would bet all of my current wealth and future earnings that the NHL proposal would be a lot closer to passing than the NHLPA. Quite likely that neither would pass, but personally I think the NHLPA proposal would be a much tougher sell because it establishes a system that is significantly worse than what has caused the current lockout. No-brainer.

 

[SuperUnknown]

If it is impasse then plan B for the players is to challenge the impasse in court and hope for a win.

If it is replacement players then plan B for the players is to picket and make all sorts of public relation nightmares for the NHL.

Sad to say...it is a waiting game at this point.

If it's either way, it's a big gamble for the players. If enough players cross the line then they have no leverage and end up with the worst possible deal ever.

How will the players fell if they end up with a $32M cap when they could have had a $42.5M cap about 6 months before?

 

[futurcorerock]

I hacked his laptop and got this

Plan A:
hold out for more cash. Repeat until success or Bettman cancels the season. If season is cancelled, try plan B.


Plan B:
Have Bill Guerin and Ted Saskins build a time machine.
Rewind 6 months.
Try again with a cap.
If this fails, see plan C


Plan C:
Panic

You know, you forgot Plan D.

"Plan D: Burn All Evidence. Kill All Witnesses. Self-Assisted Suicide"

 

[blamebettman*]

This has been the plan all along for Goodenow

now all the pressure is own the owners, they're going to start hemmoraging money. Goodenow knew the only way to win this was to pit the owners against each other. How long will the rich and middle level teams hold out for the sake of the lower level quasi AHL clubs. Eventually the pressure is going to build on the other side of the table bigtime.

 

[Habsfan 32]

I'd say that plan B is to find another job.

 

[likea]

This has been the plan all along for Goodenow

now all the pressure is own the owners, they're going to start hemmoraging money. Goodenow knew the only way to win this was to pit the owners against each other. How long will the rich and middle level teams hold out for the sake of the lower level quasi AHL clubs. Eventually the pressure is going to build on the other side of the table bigtime.

if ya think about it, this isn't true at all

the large market owners will not mind taking a 10 million dollar loss this season and next if it guarantees them a salary cap in the mid 30's

they will make up the 20 million in losses in one season......

 

[bcrt2000]

I wonder what the NHL players/owners/agents are doing at this moment... its discouraging to hear the fact that all they may be doing is sitting on their asses... *newsflash*: the process doesn't get moved forward by sitting on your butt

 

[Mighty Duck]

Because...

I e-mailed Ted Leonsis (owner of the Capitals-you can e-mail him via the Caps' web site)...

I asked him what could possibly be Goodenow's plan B; that I couldn't understand how any League offer could get any better for the players...asLeague revenues drop, player salaries have to drop...

Leonsis answered this:

"You are a wise man--it only gets worse for the players now--he overplayed his hand! Ted"

Ask Ted this QUESTION?

I think the NHLPA should decertify, and let the NHL hang themselves. Why should the players put themselves in a situation where they take all the blame. Decertify, and force the owners to budget their own teams. It should not be the the responsibility ot the NHLPA to set the budgets for the teams. Decertifying would force them to do that. Every player would be on his own, and would be accountable only to the team he is contracted to play for. There would no gamle in the draft as players would be signed only if they can perform. Like the NFL, there would be no over head for a farm team, as players might play on a farm team, but have no accountability except the team he plays for. If a player is needed from a farm, the team he is playing for would have to be paid a release fee. America stands for free enterprise, and this is how the NHL, or any other business should be run, and no agreements should be put in place to circumvent the laws of our lands. Your thoughts!!!!

 

[Mighty Duck]

I'd say that plan B is to find another job.

I think over half of them aready have. Maybe let the owners paddle their own ship for 2 or 3 years. If anyone thinks these players are hurting, you are wrong, as most are only disappointed because they miss playing. Bring on the replacements, as all the band wagon jumpers deserve them. If you think for one minute you will get replacement prices when you go to buy a ticket, you are dreaming.

 

[SuperUnknown]

I think over half of them aready have. Maybe let the owners paddle their own ship for 2 or 3 years. If anyone thinks these players are hurting, you are wrong, as most are only disappointed because they miss playing. Bring on the replacements, as all the band wagon jumpers deserve them. If you think for one minute you will get replacement prices when you go to buy a ticket, you are dreaming.

Are you for real? Modano's probably crying every night thinking about all the stuff he could have had with his $7M+ salary this year... As well, Heatley had to take a job in Russia to pay for his lawyers, which means his bank account is drying up. I'm certain there are many more accounts like this and there will be much more as time passes by.

 

[SENSible1*]

Ask Ted this QUESTION?

I think the NHLPA should decertify, and let the NHL hang themselves. Why should the players put themselves in a situation where they take all the blame. Decertify, and force the owners to budget their own teams. It should not be the the responsibility ot the NHLPA to set the budgets for the teams. Decertifying would force them to do that. Every player would be on his own, and would be accountable only to the team he is contracted to play for. There would no gamle in the draft as players would be signed only if they can perform. Like the NFL, there would be no over head for a farm team, as players might play on a farm team, but have no accountability except the team he plays for. If a player is needed from a farm, the team he is playing for would have to be paid a release fee. America stands for free enterprise, and this is how the NHL, or any other business should be run, and no agreements should be put in place to circumvent the laws of our lands. Your thoughts!!!!

The owners would be more than happy to see the players decertify, knowing full well that they could squeeze the market back to more reasonable levels and by doing so help the formation of a more pliable PA longing for the good old days.

Beat this dead horse if you must, but check the results of decertification for the NFLPA and ask yourself if the owners would welcome a PA as strong as the NFLPA.

 

[Crows*]

Goodnows plan B:

"come out of the closet"

Along with saskin the snake.

 

[Puck]

The owners would be more than happy to see the players decertify, knowing full well that they could squeeze the market back to more reasonable levels and by doing so help the formation of a more pliable PA longing for the good old days.

Beat this dead horse if you must, but check the results of decertification for the NFLPA and ask yourself if the owners would welcome a PA as strong as the NFLPA.

I'm not sure. Wasn't the NFL a strike and the NHL presently a lockout? If the NHL calls off the lockout, can't the NHL players come back and play under the old CBA? If the NHL wants to impose their own CBA, do they have to call impasse and get the NLRB to approve? Is it sure the NLRB would approve? I just don't understand all the technicalities.

 

[me2]

Ask Ted this QUESTION?

I think the NHLPA should decertify, and let the NHL hang themselves. Why should the players put themselves in a situation where they take all the blame. Decertify, and force the owners to budget their own teams. It should not be the the responsibility ot the NHLPA to set the budgets for the teams. Decertifying would force them to do that. Every player would be on his own, and would be accountable only to the team he is contracted to play for. There would no gamle in the draft as players would be signed only if they can perform. Like the NFL, there would be no over head for a farm team, as players might play on a farm team, but have no accountability except the team he plays for. If a player is needed from a farm, the team he is playing for would have to be paid a release fee. America stands for free enterprise, and this is how the NHL, or any other business should be run, and no agreements should be put in place to circumvent the laws of our lands. Your thoughts!!!!

Decertification has as many flaws for the union as it has advantages.

1. It frees up the serfs in the NHLPA to form a new union not controlled by the old management if they want.

2. Its bad for the older players. They have used the CBA to leverage money based on age. That is gone, those in the Heatley, Lecavalier and Kovalchuk age range will be making the millions not the 30+ guys like Greg Devries and Holiks. No arbitration to keep the lesser players earnings up. The bottom third of players will see the earning drop to marginally above AHL/europe level.

3. bigger payroll teams won't spend more than they were ($60m-80m range), lesser payroll clubs will slash spending substantially. If the lesser cluns can't be competitive then spending $25m-45m makes no sense. There is no arbitration and no reserve system to encourage you to do so. Are Calgary going to spend $36m for a club of nothing but 3rd and 4th liners after Kipper and Igilna get poached? Lesser clubs would be next to useless compared to the stacked richest clubs. If they are going to stink they'll offer contracts to players that are 50% of what they are now. Even the mid-level teams like Ottawa and Vancouver can't compete with a $40m payroll, so then they won't pay $40m to be mediocre, they'll pay the same players just $20-30m. You could see the bottom 10 teams running $10-15m payrolls, and the next ten running $20-30m payrolls, 5 around $50m, the top 5 running $70m+. Once you kill of the ability of mid and lower level clubs to compete one the ice you kill off the need for them to pay substantial wages.

4. Clubs suspending. Oilers have already suggested that might be their response. Now ask yourself, what happens to the NHLPA and playermarket if 10 clubs suspend and don't submit teams? The gets very ugly for the NHLPA, very fast.


Decertification causes choas, but a lot of that chaos bites the NHLPA in the butt as much or more than it bites the NHL.

 

[canucksfan]

I don't think Bob has a plan B. I think he thought that he could wait the owners out. He was wrong and he will pay for his mistake.