Ken Klee in favour of contraction

[Luc Labelle]

Ken Klee states: "I'd hate to see the number of teams in the league reduced," he said. "But if a couple of small-market teams can't make it, maybe a couple have to go.

Ken Klee mentions this in the Toronto Sun column by Mike Zeisberger. Also in the article he mentions

"I feel sorry for Leaf fans. All this (league) talk about preserving the health of some of the (small-market teams) ... that's hardly a predicament the Leafs or their fans are in."

I guess he should stop and think about what he said. Sure Toronto is one of the profitable teams in the NHL with a large market. But if those so called small market teams fold a number of good defenseman become available to the rest of the league. Say goodbye to your job Ken Klee, he is a marginal defeneman.

To say they can't control themselves is ludicrous. It's crazy for them to say, 'We're not responsible enough to balance our chequebooks.' "

He disparages the owners on not balancing the chequebooks because they can't control themselves. They always have tried to control their chequebooks but everytime they did in the old CBA the players would not sign what they were offered and would often sit out until they were traded to someone rich or stupid enough to pay them.

The entire league is deciding to control their chequebook by instituting a system with cost certainty and all the players are now sitting out. So many pro-player posters say the owners don't have to spend what they do, they just have to say "No". Well they are saying "No" loud and clear with the lockout.

At the end of the last NHL counter- proposal is the following closing paragraph

On its face, this narrow differential would suggest that there should be a basis for agreement. Unfortunately, the analysis set forth above also makes it clear that the NHLPA has apparently offered the NHL a system that will continue the tremendous inflation and enormous League-wide losses we have experienced under the expired CBA. We will not agree to that. However, if the NHLPA is serious about permanent and long-term savings leading to the viability of the NHL for the benefit of everyone associated with the game, we urge the NHLPA to seriously consider this response and counterproposal and begin to negotiate on the basis of dollars and cents, as employers and employees do in collective bargaining in virtually every other industry.

The NHLPA is taking a non-negotiating stance in regards to cost certainty no matter what the dollars and cents the NHL is willing to negotiate on may be. The unreasonable stand is highlighted by comments from Robert Esche on a CBC interview back in early November

He won't accept a 100 million dollar salary cap....HUH?????

I saw this interview and Esche when asked about negotiating around a salary cap stated he would not accept a cap whether it be 25, 50, 100 or even 200 million dollars. Talk about not bargaining in good faith. What surprised me was the print media only reported the "madman" portion of Esche's comments and completely ignored what I found to be the most sensational part of his response. $200 million dollars would be unacceptable because it would come under what is called a cap. WOW!

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[Steve L*]

For what its worth JR said they should contract Carolina and Anaheim.

Noone apart from their respective fans would miss them.

 

[mzon]

For what its worth JR said they should contract Carolina and Anaheim.

Noone apart from their respective fans would miss them.

You could say that about any team in the league.

 

[Hockeyfan_86]

I disagree with Klee being a "marginal" defenceman.

 

[futurcorerock]

You could say that about any team in the league.

Could you?

Doubt that.

 

[Bruwinz37]

I love it when these guys who have made all their money start talking like this. While I do agree that the league would be better, it is a pretty lousy thing to say as a union guy.

They hold out for a year to prevent a cap and at the same time he doesnt care if 50-60 jobs just go up in smoke.

Fraud.

And yes, by the time the NHL gets back up and running Klee will be nothing more than marginal...if that.

 

[Hockey_Nut99]

I disagree with Klee being a "marginal" defenceman.

He is at most a marginal dman. Last year was his career year with 29 points. He has been a minus player for most of his career besides his last year in Washington and 3 other seasons with under a plus 10 rating.

 

[Morbo]

He is at most a marginal dman. Last year was his career year with 29 points. He has been a minus player for most of his career besides his last year in Washington and 3 other seasons with under a plus 10 rating.

He played for a bad team, that doesn't make him a "marginal" player.

He's a decent #4 on anything but an elite defence.

 

[CarlRacki]

He played for a bad team, that doesn't make him a "marginal" player.

He's a decent #4 on anything but an elite defence.

Would you prefer "slightly below average"?

 

[Hockey_Nut99]

Would you prefer "slightly below average"?

That's a little better.

 

[Morbo]

Would you prefer "slightly below average"?

Why, do you think that means the same thing as "marginal"?

Anyway, the answer is no. Klee is at least an average defenceman, since he would make any top 4 in the league except for the very best ones.

 

[PecaFan]

Could you?

Doubt that.

Yeah, you could. Gas the Leafs or Wings or Avs tomorrow, do I care? Hardly.
Maybe I benefit even, if Sakic comes to play here, etc.

 

[nyr7andcounting]

He is at most a marginal dman. Last year was his career year with 29 points. He has been a minus player for most of his career besides his last year in Washington and 3 other seasons with under a plus 10 rating.

Defenseman aren't measured by points they are measured by their defensive play, the points they add to the scoresheet are simply a bonus. Highest scoring defenseman on the Rangers? Tom Poti. Worst defenseman on the Rangers? Tom Poti. Besides 29 point isn't a bad number either. Plus/minus is reflective of your team and the situations you play in as much as anything else.

 

[chriss_co]

Defenseman aren't measured by points they are measured by their defensive play, the points they add to the scoresheet are simply a bonus. Highest scoring defenseman on the Rangers? Tom Poti. Worst defenseman on the Rangers? Tom Poti. Besides 29 point isn't a bad number either. Plus/minus is reflective of your team and the situations you play in as much as anything else.

Yet if you were to ask fans across the league who's the top D pair for the Rangers you would hear Poti's name.

I agree that points doesn't measure a defenceman but poti isn't the worst defenceman for the rangers... he just gives the puck away too often.. having said that, overall (offensively and defensively) he is a pretty good defenceman

And about ken klee, he is an average defencemen.. its just last year that he had an amazing year.. but over his career, he is a top 4 D guy.. a solid player on the blueline.. but player's of his type are a dime-a-dozen.. its just too bad TO thought he was worth all that money.. now its going to his head.. he thinks he's an allstar!

 

[Steve L*]

You could say that about any team in the league.

I think people would care if the Avs, Wings, Flyers, Leafs, NYR (well we need a team ot laugh at) etc went out of existence.

 

[nyr7andcounting]

Yet if you were to ask fans across the league who's the top D pair for the Rangers you would hear Poti's name.

I agree that points doesn't measure a defenceman but poti isn't the worst defenceman for the rangers... he just gives the puck away too often.. having said that, overall (offensively and defensively) he is a pretty good defenceman

And about ken klee, he is an average defencemen.. its just last year that he had an amazing year.. but over his career, he is a top 4 D guy.. a solid player on the blueline.. but player's of his type are a dime-a-dozen.. its just too bad TO thought he was worth all that money.. now its going to his head.. he thinks he's an allstar!

Playing on the top pair and being the top defenseman are two different things. For someone who watches every Rangers game I will certaintly tell you that all but a few of the defenseman who have played regularly with us are better than Poti. But, no need to argue about it so whatever.

 

[Pepper]

Ken Klee fine with it? Ok, let's make sure he's one of the dozens of players who lose their jobs, let's see how fine with he is after that.

 

[DuklaNation]

A traditional purpose of labour unions was job security. Klee's comments prove he could care less if 20% of the union lost their jobs. His stance is: why should I take less money in order to prop up poor teams? Are union members truly aware of this attitude?

 

[Morbo]

His stance is: why should I take less money in order to prop up poor teams? Are union members truly aware of this attitude?

Aware?

Many of them share it.

Contraction is not the taboo thing you'd think it would be with the NHLPA. Many, including Chris Chelios for example, support the idea of axing teams even if it costs jobs.

 

[DuklaNation]

Aware?

Many of them share it.

Contraction is not the taboo thing you'd think it would be with the NHLPA. Many, including Chris Chelios for example, support the idea of axing teams even if it costs jobs.

If thats true, the union should be very divided right now.

 

[PecaFan]

Contraction has the same idiody with players, that it does with the fans. Those who are in favour of it don't see it as happening to *them*. They're perfectly willing to stick it to some other guy, but the moment you tell them "it's your job/team that's being cut", then suddenly their position changes.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Contraction has the same idiody with players, that it does with the fans. Those who are in favour of it don't see it as happening to *them*. They're perfectly willing to stick it to some other guy, but the moment you tell them "it's your job/team that's being cut", then suddenly their position changes.

It does not have to be their team, cut out two, three or four hockey teams and the lowest fifteen to twenty percent of the league will be scrambling for seats in a musical chairs sort of way as 8 - 13% of the jobs out there are gone.

 

[kingsfan]

I think people would care if the Avs, Wings, Flyers, Leafs, NYR (well we need a team ot laugh at) etc went out of existence.

I would care, but just as much as I'd care if Anaheim or Carolina went out of existence.

 

[PecaFan]

It does not have to be their team, cut out two, three or four hockey teams and the lowest fifteen to twenty percent of the league will be scrambling for seats in a musical chairs sort of way as 8 - 13% of the jobs out there are gone.

But again, each guy who's in favour of contraction thinks that he's such a great player, he'll just be going to another team and taking some other poor sod's job.