Buffaloed
webmaster
With such a disparity in team revenues and an unwillingness to meaningfully share it, even the NHL's own proposals don't look that promising for small market teams. The small market teams should just announce they are folding, or give a deadline if a CBA isn't negotiated that they can live with. The remaining NHL would have 8-14 teams with their $50 million cap or whatever they manage to negotiate.
The folded teams could start their own league. All teams would be owned by a single public corporation that fans, players, and former owners could invest in and be rewarded through dividends and stock appreciation. General Managers would be elected by the shareholders and would receive bonuses based on performance. All players would be employed by the corporation so salaries could be set with no question of collusion. Salaries would be tied to profits and players would receive stock benefits as bonuses. And with the continued existance of a smaller NHL, there could be no question of restraint of trade. There would be room for cities like Winnipeg, Quebec, Hamilton, and Hartford in such a new league. If a franchise became highly successful it could even be sold to a private owner to join the NHL, with the profits benefiting everyone.
Some people may think the NHLPA's ability to decertify is the hammer. The possibility of 16-22 NHL teams folding represents a far bigger hammer.
The folded teams could start their own league. All teams would be owned by a single public corporation that fans, players, and former owners could invest in and be rewarded through dividends and stock appreciation. General Managers would be elected by the shareholders and would receive bonuses based on performance. All players would be employed by the corporation so salaries could be set with no question of collusion. Salaries would be tied to profits and players would receive stock benefits as bonuses. And with the continued existance of a smaller NHL, there could be no question of restraint of trade. There would be room for cities like Winnipeg, Quebec, Hamilton, and Hartford in such a new league. If a franchise became highly successful it could even be sold to a private owner to join the NHL, with the profits benefiting everyone.
Some people may think the NHLPA's ability to decertify is the hammer. The possibility of 16-22 NHL teams folding represents a far bigger hammer.