Slewfoot
Registered User
HF2002 said:Fly
Your position is well known and you're more than entitled to it. I just have to ask, based on what you've written above, what's wrong with an even playing field? If I'm a fan in a small market I'd like to think that my favorite team has a chance in a couple of years. Otherwise, why am I buying tickets, merchandise and beer? What are they rebuilding for? To help develop the top picks they get and then move them off to the 4 or 5 big clubs?
I don't believe the NHL's reason for insisting on a hard cap has much to do with competitive balance in the league. It has to do with money. There is little relation between the high payroll teams and successful teams in the last number of years. As a Ranger fan , I can be the first to tell you that throwing all the money at the over priced FA's the last 7 years has produced ZERO !!
HF2002 said:Fly
I think the players should be able to earn as much as possible, but that's a two sided coin - the owners should be allowed to as well. I do agree with parts of your overall position (that it isn't entirely up to the players to be responsible for the owners inability to control themselves) but at some point the players do also have to recognize that there are financial problems and that ultimately, continuing down the current path will inevitably mean teams folding and lost jobs. I have no doubt that the league has been living off the spoils of expansion through the 90s - and so did the players.
You don't think that offering to rollback salraies 24% is recocognizing that there are financial problems?