Roenick sounds off on CBA, season

[shadoz19]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?ID=105036&hubName=nhl

Well, JR opened his mouth again. At least he didn't sound like a fool this time.

Click to read more...

 

[Toonces]

"Get into a room, lock the door, and don't come out until there's a deal."

 

[eye]

Good for JR. JR has always been refreshing and one of my favourite all-time players.

 

[Sammy*]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?ID=105036&hubName=nhl

Well, JR opened his mouth again. At least he didn't sound like a fool this time.

Oh, I beg to differ. I think he sounds like the fool as always.

"They're mad at Gary Bettman, because Gary Bettman is really putting on a hardball stance right now, and he's being tough, and you don't act tough like that to hockey players."

Thems tough talkin words JR. Maybe that sort of tough talk works in the sandbox but it's really kinda infantile in the real world.

 

[Street Hawk]

that's all...

"Get into a room, lock the door, and don't come out until there's a deal."

I personally hate all of these rants by players, former players, commentators, etc. who just come out and say the 2 sides need to start communicating and talking. Bottom line, is that it just doesn't matter if they talk or don't talk. Neither side wants to back off their position of cost certainty or luxury tax. They could have been in the same room together for all 60 odd days of the lockout and nothing would have been solved.

So, for JR, Brodeur, Ference, etc. down the line, unless you can offer up more than "the 2 sides need to start talking" don't bother saying anything. Come up with some starting point for the 2 sides and maybe next time I'll listen.

Here's an idea, maybe they should just meet to discuss EXPENSES of the teams, so they can have a starting ground for negotiations. A lot of NHLers own a part of Junior teams, so they would have access to typical expenses a hockey club endures, such as admin staff, trainers, scouts, coaches, rent, travel, equipment, advertising, etc. Obviously, they're on a dramatically smaller scale, but at least they know that the expenses listed are legitimate.

Perhaps doing this, both sides will come to some understanding of the revenues that need to be generated in order to pay these expenses in addition to player salaries.

 

[I in the Eye]

So, for JR, Brodeur, Ference, etc. down the line, unless you can offer up more than "the 2 sides need to start talking" don't bother saying anything. Come up with some starting point for the 2 sides and maybe next time I'll listen.

Starting points...

(1) If the NHL gets a cap, the NHLPA gets immediate (or after 1 year) free agency... or
(2) If the NHL doesn't get a cap, the NHLPA gets no (or age 40) free agency...

Have the two sides start at one end (or the other) of the spectrum... negotiating between the terms of a cap and the terms of free agency... IMO, there's a middle ground here that is satisfactory to both sides...

 

[Jag68Sid87]

There cannot be a starting point to negotiations until the NHLPA accepts the notion of revenues being tied to salaries, IMHO. A cap, a tax, UFAs, salary arbitration, etc. etc.--none of it matters unless that large philosophical obstacle is lifted.

 

[John Flyers Fan]

There cannot be a starting point to negotiations until the NHLPA accepts the notion of revenues being tied to salaries, IMHO. A cap, a tax, UFAs, salary arbitration, etc. etc.--none of it matters unless that large philosophical obstacle is lifted.

That will never happen until the owners are forthright about revenues. That means all the books, and not just the ones that say New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers.

That means cablevision, MSG Network, Madison Square Gardens, Wachovia Center, Comcast, Spectacor etc. etc.

 

[Bring Back Bucky]

Pretty tame and reasonable talk for JR. Anyone know if he was heavily sedated or something when he made these relatively innocuous remarks??