$45-million salary cap agreed on, Saturday NHL will uncancel season- THN

[Lou is God]

How does this make the NHL better?

More than half the teams are struggling with their current payrolls and this deal is well above their current payrolls.

Now, I understand that this deal will prevent the Rangers, red Wings, Flyers and others from driving up free agent contracts by massively overpaying players but serious, how does this help Calgary, Edmonton, Buffalo, etc.

These clubs will still struggle to meet payroll.
These clubs will still have to charge $40 a ticket.

I just don't understand this deal. Maybe I'll get it when some details come out but if I owned a small market team, I'd reject this. The cap is too high compared to the league revenues.

Actually I think that if this deal goes down and it's because of Gretzky and Lemieux then this could be the turning point in the future of the NHL as these two legends will be able to have alot to say about what direction the league needs to head and believe me they have earned this capital to have a say in what changes are to be made. And everybody knows how these two feel about the clutching, grabbing and obstruction, espcially Mario, this will be a good thing.

And in hindsight if this is settled this weekend the best thing Bettman ever did was cancel the season which enabled Wayne and Mario to come in and save it. Trust me, if you know anything about politics what they will have done here is earned themselves a TON of capital like I said before, and believe me these very smart men will know how to use it and hopefully for the benifit of the game.

 

[Ola]

How does this make the NHL better?

More than half the teams are struggling with their current payrolls and this deal is well above their current payrolls.

Now, I understand that this deal will prevent the Rangers, red Wings, Flyers and others from driving up free agent contracts by massively overpaying players but serious, how does this help Calgary, Edmonton, Buffalo, etc.

These clubs will still struggle to meet payroll.
These clubs will still have to charge $40 a ticket.

I just don't understand this deal. Maybe I'll get it when some details come out but if I owned a small market team, I'd reject this. The cap is too high compared to the league revenues.

I understand your concern, but the way I see it under the old CBA it was almost impossible to be competetive unless you had a 40+ million payroll. The question is what it will take to be able to be comptetetive with a 42-44 million roof? One thing is certain there isn´t gooing to be a 25 teams at the top of the roof. Its really hard to predict how the market will look. What leverege RFA's will have ect. If the market stays hot and allot of players are able to change teams it will certainly drive the level it will take to stay competetive up. But if it isn´t it possible that a upcomming team is able to keep its salary down and stay competetive for a very long time.

 

[McDonald19]

Phil Bourque says deal is done

http://www.ocregister.com/ocr/2005/02/19/sections/sports/sports/article_414980.php

"The deal is done," former NHL left wing and current Pittsburgh Penguins radio analyst Phil Bourque said Friday night. "There will be an announcement tomorrow (today)."

While media reports in Canada late Friday suggested an agreement is imminent, Bourque cited another contact.

"I have an incredibly reliable source that has been giving me inside information from players, agents, owners, arena workers," Bourque said.

"I'm dead-set convinced."

Bourque is a former Pittsburgh teammate of Penguins player-owner Mario Lemieux, and he said he skated with Lemieux recently, although Bourque said the two had not spoken Friday.

Lemieux and fellow Hall of Fame player Wayne Gretzky, now part owner of the Phoenix Coyotes, reportedly played major roles in getting the sides together.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

is that NHL starting or not?

What is the situation?

What time is that meeting between NHL and NHLPA?

IS THERE HOCKEY??
they are freaking me out!

 

[officeglen]

is that NHL starting or not?

What is the situation?

What time is that meeting between NHL and NHLPA?

IS THERE HOCKEY??
they are freaking me out!

We expect official news by page 114 of this thread, then the press conference will be covered in pages 138-189. We hope to have interesting fan reaction in the 200s and 300s page series, and then the Eklund unvieling will be covered later (have you noticed that the whole staff of his blog has been asleep for most of Friday evening/Saturday morning?). While waiting for page 114, we will continue to post all the news as it pours in from Finland, Orange County, the Florida Panhandle and the Big Apple.

 

[Steve L*]

What they should do is sign a deal in principle, then as teams are getting ready, work out all the other issues.

Thats what happened in 94 and the players screwed the owners creating lots of loopholes know the owners couldnt cancel the agreement for fear of a public backlash.

 

[HabsRenegade]

Now they've gone too far... if they don't agree today they will just say to the fans all over the world:

"YOU'RE JUST A BUNCH OF IDIOT, LOOK HOW WE CONTROL YOU! HAHAHAHAHA! SOME OF YOU DIDN'T SLEEP!" (Bettman and Goodenow laughing together)

Time to finish what you started Mr. Bettman! And we don't forget you Bob!

(Sorry for the mistakes... my english is so poor)

 

[EroCaps]

http://www.ocregister.com/ocr/2005/02/19/sections/sports/sports/article_414980.php

"The deal is done," former NHL left wing and current Pittsburgh Penguins radio analyst Phil Bourque said Friday night. "There will be an announcement tomorrow (today)."

While media reports in Canada late Friday suggested an agreement is imminent, Bourque cited another contact.

"I have an incredibly reliable source that has been giving me inside information from players, agents, owners, arena workers," Bourque said.

"I'm dead-set convinced."


Bourque is a former Pittsburgh teammate of Penguins player-owner Mario Lemieux, and he said he skated with Lemieux recently, although Bourque said the two had not spoken Friday.

Lemieux and fellow Hall of Fame player Wayne Gretzky, now part owner of the Phoenix Coyotes, reportedly played major roles in getting the sides together.

Is that the right link, or was this supposed to be a joke?

 

[WhalerBoy]

We expect official news by page 114 of this thread, then the press conference will be covered in pages 138-189. We hope to have interesting fan reaction in the 200s and 300s page series, and then the Eklund unvieling will be covered later (have you noticed that the whole staff of his blog has been asleep for most of Friday evening/Saturday morning?). While waiting for page 114, we will continue to post all the news as it pours in from Finland, Orange County, the Florida Panhandle and the Big Apple.

:lol

 

[McDonald19]

Is that the right link, or was this supposed to be a joke?

It's the right link? why?

 

[EroCaps]

It's the right link? why?

Oh, it required log-in. I couldn't tell.

 

[McDonald19]

Oh, it required log-in. I couldn't tell.

yup, I posted all the important parts if you don't want to create an account.

The article is written by Dan Wood the Orange County Register's writer that covers the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

 

[Vapour Trail]

FWIW, here's what Molinari from the PGH Post-Gazette has to say. The article speaks a little further about the role that Lemieux has (or hasn't) played. Interesting that he says he spoke to Gretzky "a couple of times", while Gretz says only once.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05050/460149.stm

 

[EroCaps]

yup, I posted all the important parts if you don't want to create an account.

The article is written by Dan Wood the Orange County Register's writer that covers the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

That explains it. Are you from OC? I used to live near Laguna.

 

[bcrt2000]

panger is on ESPN Radio right now and I missed the first part of it but hes talking about training camp situations so it seems as though hes optimistic a deal will be done for this season

- panger was discussing the possibility of a weighted draft taking in account the last 2-5 seasons and the radio hosts were just joking: great news for rangers fans! sidney crosby, come on down! :lol

 

[Ola]

panger is on ESPN Radio right now and I missed the first part of it but hes talking about training camp situations so it seems as though hes optimistic a deal will be done for this season

Do you have any link to the radio station?

 

[bcrt2000]

Do you have any link to the radio station?

www.1050espnradio.com

the segment is over now however

 

[WhalerBoy]

Do you have any link to the radio station?

http://espnradio.espn.go.com/espnradio/index#

Im not sure if Pang is still on, but thats a link for ESPN radio

 

[bcrt2000]

hradek is on right now

 

[General Jacket70]

While I hold out hope that the sides are talking and that a deal can be struck, I just can't get overly excited about any of these rumors or (supposed) news. Not until I see official confirmation and a viable team practicing here in Columbus.

As for staying up all night due to rumors, I think some of you people are just plain nuts


Although I did like the rumor that Gary cancelled the season so that Bob couldn't enhance his repuation as a last minuate deal maker. Makes sense if Gary and the NHL were trying to break the union, or more specifically the union leadership!!!

 

[officeglen]

Not until I see official confirmation and a viable team practicing here in Columbus.

Official confirmation -> later today
Viable team practicing here in Columbus -> define viable

 

[General Jacket70]

Official confirmation -> later today
Viable team practicing here in Columbus -> define viable

Get Nash, Zherdev and everyone else back from Europe, young players that were suppose to be called up from the Crunch, and so on. There's A LOT to do before getting a product that I want to pay 18 to 150 dollars to see onto the ice!!!

 

[X8oD]

ESPNews is Reporting that a deal is Imminent.

 

[McDonald19]

That explains it. Are you from OC? I used to live near Laguna.

I was in Fullerton for a while, I'm in Ventura County, California at the moment.

 

[Mats]

ESPNews is Reporting that a deal is Imminent.

Yes, they put that in their little box at the bottom of their screen. However 'imminent' is a vague word. They're reporting that it could be today, tomorrow, or the day after.