nyrmessier011
Registered User
I do not think they will because the only way it seems it can be done is WITHOUT linkage (in which case the courts will say both sides are on a hard cap, now resolve it!!!). Because of this I believe that if the next NHL proposal is with linkage, the league is basically throwing the idea of replacement players out of the window. This is why...
Linkage, of course, deals with a floor and a ceiling. Simply, the NHL will not be able to pay replacements the floor of the linkage offer because teams will be unable to make a profit paying there players 30 million (or even 27 million if the Labor Board would allow them to, which they probably wouldn't because that is going backwards on your offer too much--the last linkage offer was 32 floor-42 ceiling)
I think the PA caught the owners off guard by offering a hard cap after the league dropped linkage. The reason the league dropped linkage was to probably to prepare for an impasse move. (because dropping linkage takes the floor away). Figuring the PA WOULD NOT come onto the same philosophy as them (hard cap), the NHL had no problem dropping linkage if it meant winning an impasse (the league would win the impasse because they would claim the PA is not negotiating fairly, "we dropped linkage and they didn't come onto the hard cap" etc etc). BUT THE PLAYERS DID...and now with the sides being so close to a middle ground figure AND on the same philosophy, the NHL will never win over the NLRB to get an impasse recognized.
This is why I now believe the players have some leverage. If the owners want replacements, they can not go back to linkage. On the other hand, they must keep with a simple hard cap proposal, which the labor board will recognize as too close of a deal for the NHL to claim that the NHLPA is not bargaining in a faithful way, hence they would not win an impasse.
Basically, the NHL is now stuck because they never thought the PA would go onto the same philosophy as them. And now because they did, I do not think the NHL will be able to use replacements becuase there impasse will not be recognized when there latest offer is a hard cap. (remember, they wouldn't bother declaring when there latest offer is linkage, because they will not make a profit off of having to pay scabs the linkage floor of around 30 mil)
So the NHL will either regress there hard cap offer a little (back to maybe 40) which is reasonable, while PA will come down a little and hopefully a third party can come in and settle the little difference. Or, the NHL will stick back with linkage, but offer a very appealing upside (ceiling) to the players so they take it.
Linkage, of course, deals with a floor and a ceiling. Simply, the NHL will not be able to pay replacements the floor of the linkage offer because teams will be unable to make a profit paying there players 30 million (or even 27 million if the Labor Board would allow them to, which they probably wouldn't because that is going backwards on your offer too much--the last linkage offer was 32 floor-42 ceiling)
I think the PA caught the owners off guard by offering a hard cap after the league dropped linkage. The reason the league dropped linkage was to probably to prepare for an impasse move. (because dropping linkage takes the floor away). Figuring the PA WOULD NOT come onto the same philosophy as them (hard cap), the NHL had no problem dropping linkage if it meant winning an impasse (the league would win the impasse because they would claim the PA is not negotiating fairly, "we dropped linkage and they didn't come onto the hard cap" etc etc). BUT THE PLAYERS DID...and now with the sides being so close to a middle ground figure AND on the same philosophy, the NHL will never win over the NLRB to get an impasse recognized.
This is why I now believe the players have some leverage. If the owners want replacements, they can not go back to linkage. On the other hand, they must keep with a simple hard cap proposal, which the labor board will recognize as too close of a deal for the NHL to claim that the NHLPA is not bargaining in a faithful way, hence they would not win an impasse.
Basically, the NHL is now stuck because they never thought the PA would go onto the same philosophy as them. And now because they did, I do not think the NHL will be able to use replacements becuase there impasse will not be recognized when there latest offer is a hard cap. (remember, they wouldn't bother declaring when there latest offer is linkage, because they will not make a profit off of having to pay scabs the linkage floor of around 30 mil)
So the NHL will either regress there hard cap offer a little (back to maybe 40) which is reasonable, while PA will come down a little and hopefully a third party can come in and settle the little difference. Or, the NHL will stick back with linkage, but offer a very appealing upside (ceiling) to the players so they take it.
