Thanksgiving or Bust?

[X8oD]

Tonight my local news said that the NHL has given notice that if there isnt an agreement by Thanksgiving, that they will cancel the season.

Any info on this? It was regular sports news, not like a rumor show or anything like that.

Click to read more...

 

[me2]

Tonight my local news said that the NHL has given notice that if there isnt an agreement by Thanksgiving, that they will cancel the season.

Any info on this? It was regular sports news, not like a rumor show or anything like that.

Its going to be bust.

 

[Egil]

COnsidering they didn't reach an agreement last time until January, yet still ahd a season, I don't see why they need one by Thanksgiving. I also don't even think they need an agreement by January, a 28 game regular season schedule (play every team in confernce at home and on road) followed by the playoffs is sufficient. And to do that, finishing on time, you would only have to start the season in mid Febuary.

 

[degroat*]

A 28 game season would not be enough.

 

[roadrunner]

A 28 game season would not be enough.

That's my understanding, too. Half of a season or none at all is what we were told back in September, if I'm not dreaming...

Now, if there is a half-season, the NHL sked just resumes "as is", right? I would assume the NHL wouldn't rewrite the entire sked because of all of the NHL arena's previously scheduled events. Anyone know for sure??

 

[garry1221]

which channel was it chuck? also i wouldn't be surprised if this was a ploy just to get the PA to start making some real proposals to help start negotiations. With the short time span til thanksgiving i hope something can be salvaged of the season.

 

[Isles72]

put a very large asterik beside whoever wins a cup with a 28 game season !

 

[Egil]

A 28 game season would not be enough.

Why not? You play everyone in the conference twice, home and away, so you actually have a fairer seeding method than normal. Then you have the playoffs as normal (which is all that really matters anyways). I fail to see the problem (some of the playoff revenue would undoubtedly have to go to the players to make it work, but whatever).

Most Euro Soccer leagues play a home and away schedule, and it seems to work just fine for them. I fail to see why it can't work here.

 

[Tom_Benjamin]

That's my understanding, too. Half of a season or none at all is what we were told back in September, if I'm not dreaming...

Now, if there is a half-season, the NHL sked just resumes "as is", right? I would assume the NHL wouldn't rewrite the entire sked because of all of the NHL arena's previously scheduled events. Anyone know for sure??

In 1995, they redid the schedule.

There was no interconference play. New Jersey won the Cup without ever leaving the Eastern time zone! I would imagine they will make the same choice to maximise the number of games they can play by reducing travel.

It doesn't take long to identify open dates and crank a new schedule through a computer.

Tom

 

[X8oD]

which channel was it chuck? also i wouldn't be surprised if this was a ploy just to get the PA to start making some real proposals to help start negotiations. With the short time span til thanksgiving i hope something can be salvaged of the season.

NBC, Channel 4, Bernie Smilovitz

 

[degroat*]

Why not? You play everyone in the conference twice, home and away, so you actually have a fairer seeding method than normal. Then you have the playoffs as normal (which is all that really matters anyways). I fail to see the problem (some of the playoff revenue would undoubtedly have to go to the players to make it work, but whatever).

Most Euro Soccer leagues play a home and away schedule, and it seems to work just fine for them. I fail to see why it can't work here.

I fail to see how you can say that playoff teams determined by a 28 game season is fair.

 

[YellHockey*]

I fail to see how you can say that playoff teams determined by a 28 game season is fair.

You determine a Stanley Cup champion by a maximium of 28 games for the winner.

 

[PecaFan]

COnsidering they didn't reach an agreement last time until January, yet still ahd a season, I don't see why they need one by Thanksgiving.

That's because last time they actually started playing before they had a full agreement. They came to an understanding, then started playing, then actually started the final negotiations and writing of the contract.

In fact, this process is what caused problems in the CBA. The PA kept bringing up new things, asking for more than what they had done in the agreement in principle. The owners had to give in on some things, because they couldn't very well start a whole new lock out.

The owners have specifically stated they won't do that again. They'll get the agreement all finalised and written up before training camps ever open.