Hypothetical Question RE: Lockout/WHA

[RangerBlue381]

I honestly don't know much about labor and contractual law, but I have been wondering about the possible situation with the WHA (not that it will happen, but like the title says, hypothetical)

Say the WHA comes out in the Fall 2005. Does the NHL then have more leeway in how it handles salaries and contracts due to the fact that now they are not the only league, therefore if they players do not want to play for contracts falling under NHL guidelines, they would then have the opportunity to play in an entirely different league.

I don't know if this was brought up, and if it was I apologize. And I know that the WHA is a pipedream, but still, this is something I was wondering about.

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[Schlep Rock]

I honestly don't know much about labor and contractual law, but I have been wondering about the possible situation with the WHA (not that it will happen, but like the title says, hypothetical)

Say the WHA comes out in the Fall 2005. Does the NHL then have more leeway in how it handles salaries and contracts due to the fact that now they are not the only league, therefore if they players do not want to play for contracts falling under NHL guidelines, they would then have the opportunity to play in an entirely different league.

I don't know if this was brought up, and if it was I apologize. And I know that the WHA is a pipedream, but still, this is something I was wondering about.

The WHA will be a North American option for players otherwise considering Europe. Exposure will be more than it would be in Europe.

IF the WHA does get off the ground and begins sailing smoothly, the NHL does lose some bargaining power because if the WHA proves it is for real more and more players will begin jumping over and as more money came into the league, they'd raise their cap.

Which brings me to my next point... if the WHA gets going and more and more former NHLers are joining the ranks they're going to have some explaining to do. They will NOT play under a cap in the NHL but will in the WHA? Do they hate/distrust the NHL owners and management THAT much? Some guys will trya nd stand their ground but the opportunity is going to be too much for a lot of guys (if it proves legit). Average salary will be $681,818 per player ($5 million exemption and $15 million divided by 22). That's less than half of what the NHL is currently proposing.

 

[SuperUnknown]

It depends how many NHLers sign with the WHA. After enough NHL players sign with a league that has a cap at $15M, they won't have much leverage to reject the NHL's cap proposal.

 

[CarlRacki]

It depends how many NHLers sign with the WHA. After enough NHL players sign with a league that has a cap at $15M, they won't have much leverage to reject the NHL's cap proposal.

Also, let's remember the proposed WHA will open with eight teams. Eight teams multiplied by 24 players each equals 192 roster spots. The NHLPA has more than 700 members. So, even if the WHA starts up, and even if the players will exhiit the ultimate hypocrisy by playing for a $15 million WHA cap but not a $38 million NHL cap, you've still got a few hundred players out in the cold.

 

[mudcrutch79]

Let's also not forget that the WHA cap would be illegal. There's no point in talking about a capped WHA...it won't happen unless the players in the WHA unionize and agree to it.

 

[SuperUnknown]

Let's also not forget that the WHA cap would be illegal. There's no point in talking about a capped WHA...it won't happen unless the players in the WHA unionize and agree to it.

Yeah but it's the whole point of the league. It will only exist if it gets a $15M cap.

 

[mudcrutch79]

Yeah but it's the whole point of the league. It will only exist if it gets a $15M cap.

Well then there will never be a WHA, and anyone who tries to bring it up as a point of discussion is an idiot.