Ryan Walter was on the radio right after Burke's show last night. He was talking about the CBA and the times when he was with the NHLPA. He said he had some time with Goodenow before, and they talked. During these talks, Walter asked Goodenow what the best way to get a deal is. And Goodenow said this "Its very simple, time creates pressure, and pressure gets you a good deal." Thats not an exact quote, but it was very similar.
With that being said and everyone well aware of Goodenow being a deadline hunter, this time he was flat out wrong. He underestimated the owners resolve to get cost certainty. I also think he failed in showing that they were interested in trying to find some middle ground. After the first proposal of a rollback of 5% and whatever other minor concessions they were willing to make, they came back with a 24% rollback, which was very significant, and a luxury tax with no teeth, which was propably the right proposal at the right time. But after that, they have to put forth no new proposals or concepts to our knowledge. I think if they seriously wanted to show the league that they were willing to do their part with finding middle ground, they should have had at least one more proposal with a much stiffer tax. It would have made the NHL think, and maybe opened the doors for negotiations. The NHL has had a strong hold on the cost certainty issue and have not backed down, while after numerous proposals and concepts, each giving up a little more with many of those points being negotiable.
Do you think Goodenow failed? I do. One somewhat meaningful proposal and a deadline hunting tactic that failed miserably. I think he is arrogant, and he let that get in the way of trying to find the best solution.
On the other hand, I don't think the NHL is blame free in this situation. If a 42 million dollar cap was in fact their best offer, than so be. But I think they could have went to 45 million, and put the best deal right there out front a week ago, and give the players something to think about. Whether or not that would have created a vote amongst the players or not, will never be known. They should have made all the concessions they were willing to make in one proposal, instead of trying to get as much as possible. With a hard cap, many of these cost control methods are not important, like individual salary caps, super restricitive arbitration, etc. They didn't have to give up all of the above, but make it to the point that you can live with without having to negotiate these things. Make the proposal as pretty as possible, but in a liveable way, and things might have been different. I've long been a supporter of the cap, and still am. But I don't think the NHL really gave the players something to turn the tides and really consider.
What a joke.
With that being said and everyone well aware of Goodenow being a deadline hunter, this time he was flat out wrong. He underestimated the owners resolve to get cost certainty. I also think he failed in showing that they were interested in trying to find some middle ground. After the first proposal of a rollback of 5% and whatever other minor concessions they were willing to make, they came back with a 24% rollback, which was very significant, and a luxury tax with no teeth, which was propably the right proposal at the right time. But after that, they have to put forth no new proposals or concepts to our knowledge. I think if they seriously wanted to show the league that they were willing to do their part with finding middle ground, they should have had at least one more proposal with a much stiffer tax. It would have made the NHL think, and maybe opened the doors for negotiations. The NHL has had a strong hold on the cost certainty issue and have not backed down, while after numerous proposals and concepts, each giving up a little more with many of those points being negotiable.
Do you think Goodenow failed? I do. One somewhat meaningful proposal and a deadline hunting tactic that failed miserably. I think he is arrogant, and he let that get in the way of trying to find the best solution.
On the other hand, I don't think the NHL is blame free in this situation. If a 42 million dollar cap was in fact their best offer, than so be. But I think they could have went to 45 million, and put the best deal right there out front a week ago, and give the players something to think about. Whether or not that would have created a vote amongst the players or not, will never be known. They should have made all the concessions they were willing to make in one proposal, instead of trying to get as much as possible. With a hard cap, many of these cost control methods are not important, like individual salary caps, super restricitive arbitration, etc. They didn't have to give up all of the above, but make it to the point that you can live with without having to negotiate these things. Make the proposal as pretty as possible, but in a liveable way, and things might have been different. I've long been a supporter of the cap, and still am. But I don't think the NHL really gave the players something to turn the tides and really consider.
What a joke.