Newsguyone said:
Get real. That was the old law of the land.
Teams like the Wings played by the rules.
WHenever a new law is passed, you have to make sure that former law abiding citizens can make the transition in a fair way.
I could care less about the 20 other teams. They're allready getting their salary cap.
You can't punish a team for competing hard. You simply can't.
There needs to be a way to bring the big market teams under the cap.
A dispersal draft isn't going to work.
For one, it makes the league look Pejorative Slured.
For two, it's just the wet dream of some small market pansy who likes Jagr's hairdo.
For three, there's no gaurantee that anyone actually picks up the salaries of any of the guys the teams want to dump?
Do you think anyone will take Cujo???
I don't.
He was available on the waiver wire last year. Twice.
And no one took him.
So let's get real.
You want your bloody salary cap?
Good.
Now find a way to make it work.
If you're solution is "Just buy the players out", then don't expect your "solution" to get out of committee, because owners like Illitch won't let it.
And if you start pissing off the rich owners, you jeopardize your solidarity.
No, you're missing the point. I have said repeatedly, that I think that a dispersal draft is a good starting point and a decent idea.
How does it not make sense? It would work generally like the Rule 5 draft in Baseball, the Waiver Draft in the NHL to an extent, and almost like an expansion draft in any other sport. It wouldn't be a forced thing where teams have to take players, but it would allow other teams looking to add players to do so. You can say it sounds Pejorative Slured, but I think you're missing the idea. with a structured framework, it would give a decent avenue to allow some teams, if they so desired, to drastically slash payroll.
I don't think that they should just protect 6-8 players like some have suggested. I think teams should be able to protect more along the lines of 15-18. Incentives could be given for teams to both offer up players and for the teams who take the players. What it would eventually break down to is a system where some teams with cap room, would take on a player like CUJO, in exchange for a prospect or two. As a GM in the NHL, I'd take CUJO in a second if I knew I'd get a solid prospect and get him at a cheaper rate. Especially if I have money to spend. Baseball regularly makes trades like this. Sammy Sosa ring a bell? He was shipped out to a team who could afford him. Other teams have made similar trades.
Now that wouldn't have to be done through a draft. But it's going to be done irregardlessly of whether or not you, or the big market teams want it.
I understand the implication of playing by the old rules. That's fine, they played by them then. But these are tough times. Hockey is quickly falling behind the other sports. If you want to call for fair play, and playing by the rules, then if a Cap is made, the teams should be made to stick by them. Whether that means they have to ship out players with prospects to get Cap relief, whatever it takes to get under the cap.
And the days of being afraid of the rich owners are over. The majority of hockey owners aren't making money, and they aren't happy. While it might impact some of the top market franchises in the short run, those owners will realize in the long run, they will grow their profits more so with a cap, then with free spending. Controlled player salaries, and salaries tied to revenue means owners will make more money if they're fiscally smart, and they hold a fan base. Which the top market teams will consistently do.
I'm not talking about making your precious team give away each legitamate NHL player they have, leaving a team with CUJO, Hatcher and 28 rent a players. One or two players from each top market team, moved to a smaller market team would be better for the league.
And as a side note, I've already gotten over my Jagr fix, had him here in Washington, and see just how flawed that past system was. Adding another 15million+ onto the payroll to make sure he succeeded was a joke. Teams couldn't keep up the spending and still be viable.
Like it or not, this isn't rec hockey, this is a business.