STILL HOPE? NHL and NHLPA MEET MONDAY - Talks Run for 7 Hours

[Bruwinz37]

I am still optimistic. The NHLPA was just waiting for the deadline to be announced so they can make their final offer.

I am still thinking hard cap, no linkage, between 42-45m per. Great deal for both sides.

 

[Lobstertainment]

I highly doubt anyone will clue them in at his juncture.

Agreed, it would serve no purpose to give updates every hour, that time would be better devoted to getting a deal, or framework for a deal, done not informing the media and public about every little detail.

 

[Iceman23]

I wonder what is going on. At least this will be done one way or the other.

 

[TonySCV]

Quote of the day from Brian Burke... "The players saying they can make a better deal later is like telling Mrs. Lincoln the play gets better"

 

[officeglen]

I wonder what is going on. At least this will be done one way or the other.

It appears the talks are so serious as they have brought Eklund in to arbitrate. So far at the talks the big Ek has the NHL lawyers doing high-fives, baseball players making pitches against baseball caps, Bobby Clarke “getting feelings outâ€, and Goodenow walking the streets of New York like Travolta in the Saturday Night Fever opening. So I couldn’t be more positive.

 

[Boomhower]

I'm glad these negotiations are taking place and everything, but doesn't this most recent situation kind of reflect Bettman's tenure, saying he's going to do something and not quite doing it, or atleast not doing it the way he indicated he was going to.

 

[Lady Rhian]

Heh, when Healy is optimistic, it either means he's drunk or something is going on.

Thanks. I need to clean my screen now.

 

[TonySCV]

I'm glad these negotiations are taking place and everything, but doesn't this most recent situation kind of reflect Bettman's tenure, saying he's going to do something and not quite doing it, or atleast not doing it the way he indicated he was going to.

They'll both wind up with egg on their face... Bettman for saying "has to have linkage!" and Goodenow for saying "We won't take a cap!". It really doesn't matter anyway. With all luck, they'll both be fired and we'll have 2 new people to complain about for 10 years.

There will be plenty of time for Thursday morning quarterbacking. Let's wait until then.

 

[no13matssundin]

Quote of the day from Brian Burke... "The players saying they can make a better deal later is like telling Mrs. Lincoln the play gets better"

That is funny

My bet: half the people in this place or listening to him didnt get it

 

[MarkZackKarl]

I still fail to see how a hard cap is a great deal for fans. If the elimination of elite teams is needed to please impatient Americans who will not stand for a team building program, than the NHL is more pathetic than I thought.

The ability to build an elite team is one of the biggest reason that I enjoyed the NHL. It didnt have this "forced (or fabricated)" competitive balance.

The system was so ingenious, I am disgusted that so many fans think that it was horrible.

They still seem convinced that ticket prices are based on player salaries, or that its the players fault for accepting a contract offered to them which they deemed acceptable. Then the utter hypocrisy of fans who ***** NON STOP about the players then turn around and high-five and cheer whenever an owner makes a comment about their money grab. "YOU SHOW THOSE PLAYERS! TAKE OUR MONEY AND DONT REINVEST IT INTO THE TEAMS! INSTEAD KEEP IT TO YOURSELF! THAT IS A MUCH MORE LOGICAL WAY OF THINGS!"

What a joke.

We'll probably know in the next 48 hours whether or not there will be a season. I have remained optomistic for a deal throughout this joke of a process, but maybe I'll be wrong. I just can't see how either side, especially the owners, can "win" anything by cancelling a season, and alienating their ACTUAL FANBASE. Doesn't make sense to me. But this lockout doesnt make sense either... The NHL should look up the word rational one of these days.

PS. Does anyone know of when the negotiations started?

 

[Chileiceman]

That is funny

My bet: half the people in this place or listening to him didnt get it

Yes plz explain

 

[Ted Hoffman]

If a deal gets done, one of three things will be the case:

1. The players will get put over the barrel,
2. The owners will fold like a cheap pup-tent,
3. This deal will have been proposed months ago and shot down

Then we'll have a 28-game season, 16 teams in the playoffs, blah blah blah....

(tossing cookies into the trash can)


screw it - scrap the season, work on a deal for 05/06 and beyond, and have a 30-team playoff. Don't come up with a half-baked proposal that will have one side kicking and screaming in 6 months and really drive the fans away.

 

[RangerBoy]

That is funny

My bet: half the people in this place or listening to him didnt get it

He made that comments on ESPNEWS.The ESPNEWS anchor seemed to be a little perplexed at that comment

 

[Hockeyfan02]

Yes plz explain

Abe Lincoln was asassinated during a play.

 

[Vic Rattlehead*]

If a deal gets done, one of three things will be the case:

1. The players will get put over the barrel,
2. The owners will fold like a cheap pup-tent,
3. This deal will have been proposed months ago and shot down

Then we'll have a 28-game season, 16 teams in the playoffs, blah blah blah....

(tossing cookies into the trash can)


screw it - scrap the season, work on a deal for 05/06 and beyond, and have a 30-team playoff. Don't come up with a half-baked proposal that will have one side kicking and screaming in 6 months and really drive the fans away.

30 team playoff? How would that work? Byes would be needed of course.

 

[officeglen]

He made that comments on ESPNEWS.The ESPNEWS anchor seemed to be a little perplexed at that comment

Guess he was not a play-by-play announcer.

 

[Chileiceman]

Abe Lincoln was asassinated during a play.

Thanks for culturizing this poor third world ignorant young boy

 

[Lil' Jimmy Norton*]

Heh, when Healy is optimistic, it either means he's drunk or something is going on.

Remember Healy was an "Elite" goaltender in the NHL........according to Healy :lol

 

[TonySCV]

Yes plz explain

http://www.archives.gov/exhibit_hall/american_originals/lincoln.html

 

[Boomhower]

They'll both wind up with egg on their face... Bettman for saying "has to have linkage!" and Goodenow for saying "We won't take a cap!". It really doesn't matter anyway. With all luck, they'll both be fired and we'll have 2 new people to complain about for 10 years.

There will be plenty of time for Thursday morning quarterbacking. Let's wait until then.

Agreed, but I was more refering to Bettman's supposed deadline; 'If nothing is on paper by the end of the weekend, than I will cancel the season'. I'm assuming nothing was (or is) on paper, yet negotiations continue.
I'm happy for that, but again, not what Bettman said he was going to do.

 

[Lil' Jimmy Norton*]

Quote of the day from Brian Burke... "The players saying they can make a better deal later is like telling Mrs. Lincoln the play gets better"

Thats a classic !! :lol

 

[TonySCV]

Agreed, but I was more refering to Bettman's supposed deadline; 'If nothing is on paper by the end of the weekend, than I will cancel the season'. I'm assuming nothing was (or is) on paper, yet negotiations continue.
I'm happy for that, but again, not what Bettman said he was going to do.

It's nitpicking, but doesn't say "If nothing is on paper... then I will cancel the season on Sunday". It just says he'll cancel the season. He can do it whenever he wants, but most were expecting it to happen by no later than Wednesday.

 

[kenabnrmal]

Quote of the day from Brian Burke... "The players saying they can make a better deal later is like telling Mrs. Lincoln the play gets better"

Thats just hilarious...

Burke, even when I don't agree with him 100%, never fails to make complete sense. And not only does he always make sense, he states his opinions with a dry sense of humor that makes him a great listen. I'm positive he'll be back running a team in the near future, but it'd sure be nice if he was a regular game commentator.

 

[Drury_Sakic]

I still fail to see how a hard cap is a great deal for fans.

In principle, if the cap is set high enough(say somewhere in the 37-45 million range depeding on other limitations) it still leaves a window open for the great teams to stay great.. its just they have to accept the fact they have to be careful...

Gone will be the ability of the NY Rangers to continue to stack money onto a fire each season..

Gone will be the ability of the Red Wings to get who they want, when they want on the UFA market.(not to say the Wings are in a habbit of giving out horrible contracts like the Rangers, but they are active with big FA contracts)



Thats not to say owners won't still give bad contracts... just they won't be able to continually hide bad contracts with more bad contracts..

 

[Bill_Meltzer]

Who knows?

The TSN guys seemed to be suddenly hopeful. I just turned on the AHL All-Star game, mostly to see the intermission updates and secondarily to see the game.

It should be noted, for whatever it's worth, that USAToday's Kevin Allen is quoting a source "speaking on condition on anonymity" who said the rest of the 2004-2005 season will be cancelled on Wednesday, regardless of what happens in the Daly-Saskin meeting (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/2005-02-14-lockout_x.htm).

Also, Canadian Press is reporting the meeting today apparently "didn't solve anything," although they don't cite a reason for declaring that and noted the meeting was still ongoing (http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/article.jsp?content=20050214_123026_5476).