When will a deal get done?

[The Joker*]

This is getting serious, the NHL is on the verge of getting wipped off the face of this earth. When will a deal get done?

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[The Joker*]

Personally I think (and hope for the sake of the game) that a deal is reached before June 1st

 

[blamebettman*]

whenever the clear thinking owners throw bettman and his loons out the window

 

[Lobstertainment]

After the start when the players realize the owners are still not caving and they are losing money again, then they'll throw Goodenow and his loons out.

 

[The Joker*]

After the start when the players realize the owners are still not caving and they are losing money again, then they'll throw Goodenow and his loons out.

The owners CANNOT let the lockout go that long. The state of the NHL would be in a disaster. They'd be better playing with the current financial situation than having a cap then, no fan support + no tv contrats=no money

 

[Scoogs]

Neither side will let it go past July 1st... Waaaaaaayyyyyy too much at stake.

It would be the second time I would be amazingly surprised.

First time was when they were so close but they cancelled the season.

So really... I shouldnt be surprised if it isnt done by July 1st.. lol

 

[The Joker*]

Neither side will let it go past July 1st... Waaaaaaayyyyyy too much at stake.

It would be the second time I would be amazingly surprised.

First time was when they were so close but they cancelled the season.

So really... I shouldnt be surprised if it isnt done by July 1st.. lol

As would I. But if it got past July, even June 1st, the state of hockey in N.A. would be about as ugly as Paris Hilton with no make up on.

 

[Scoogs]

the state of hockey in N.A. would be about as ugly as Paris Hilton with no make up on.

Or with make up... either/or

 

[GirardIsStupid]

It has to get done soon enough to preserve next season. I don't think there's anyway on earth both sides will piss away another whole season. However, the NHLPA is stalling big time because, as we all know, the pressure to begin a season on time falls on the shoulders of Gary B. Bettman and his governors. I also believe that for any new CBA deal, the large markets will have to give up their cash (rather than rake in tonns of money based on a low cap figure) either by revenue sharing or via a high/low team salary figure that's quite large. So, it becomes an issue of who gets screwed over now that the players have given in: the large market teams having to revenue share versus the small market teams still not being able to spend as much as the large markets.

 

[FLYLine27*]

Not a CHANCE they will let it go past July 1st. Im honeslty 95% they arent stupid enough to let it that long.

Between June 1st and July 1st

 

[Nifty=HHOF]

I hope it's done before May 4th, however my guess it will last past the start of next season. I still think it's a high-stakes game (maybe lower stakes now ) poker and both sides are waiting for the other to blink first.

 

[WickedBruinsGirl]

I hope it's done by June 1st. But that is probably wishful thinking.

 

[CRUNK JUICE]

Neither side will let it go past July 1st... Waaaaaaayyyyyy too much at stake.

It would be the second time I would be amazingly surprised.

First time was when they were so close but they cancelled the season.

So really... I shouldnt be surprised if it isnt done by July 1st.. lol

I'm really not sure they were ever that close with the first deal. Call me a fatalist if you want, but I really believe both sides are willing (dumb enough) to let this drag on and on and on...

If there's a season, I don't think it will start on time.

 

[The Joker*]

I'm really not sure they were ever that close with the first deal. Call me a fatalist if you want, but I really believe both sides are willing (dumb enough) to let this drag on and on and on...

If there's a season, I don't think it will start on time.

Damn, that's some optimistic thinking

 

[CRUNK JUICE]

Damn, that's some optimistic thinking

Would you rather I lied about what I think? And from the poll's results so far, I'm not the only one who thinks this way. I just don't have much faith in either side.

Can you blame me?

 

[The Joker*]

Would you rather I lied about what I think? And from the poll's results so far, I'm not the only one who thinks this way. I just don't have much faith in either side.

Can you blame me?

Nope, but you gotta hope eventually both sides move past their "leaders" egos and get the deal done.

 

[CRUNK JUICE]

Nope, but you gotta hope eventually both sides move past their "leaders" egos and get the deal done.

I do hope for exactly that. But at the same time the old saying "**** in one hand, wish in the other, and see which one fills up first" comes to mind.

That said, I am optimistic about the NHL's chances if this thing continues to drag on. I think a massive amount of young talent exists that will ultimately help hockey's popularity (read: ratings) a great deal.

 

[Mess]

I just don't see how you guys are so optimistic ..

Both sides are keeping busy with Replacement player posturing by these filings recently .. Well replacement players would not exist until next season at the earliest which would mean October will come with no agreement yet ..

As the NHL continues to lower its Hard Cap offers, that only makes the difference larger ..

Until one side breaks this is long from over IMO



.

 

[not quite yoda]

Frankly I don't think anyone can guess how far this will go. The only one with the proper information to make an educated guess is Goodenow. Only he knows how far they'll go until they fold to the reality that the owners won't offer more than what they can afford.

 

[SENSible1*]

Frankly I don't think anyone can guess how far this will go. The only one with the proper information to make an educated guess is Goodenow. Only he knows how far they'll go until they fold to the reality that the owners won't offer more than what they can afford.

If Domi's comments can be taken as reflective of a significant portion of the PA membership, then I don't think you'll see the players follow Bob to much further down the road to ruin.

The owners would be smart to wait until the season has started if Bob continues to use his percieved leverage to get a player friendly deal. Once the paychecks start going missing again, Bob will be in big trouble and the players will sign a much more owner friendly pact.

Sure the short-term cost could be high, but the long-term gains could be huge for the league if they just wait until Goodenow's support collapses.

 

[ti-vite]

I stick with my prediction of last september:

January 2006.

If they are going to screw it up, you know they will screw it up real good. They are experts at that. When lawyers take over...

Push the 'reset' button boys...

 

[Mess]

If Domi's comments can be taken as reflective of a significant portion of the PA membership, then I don't think you'll see the players follow Bob to much further down the road to ruin.

A Sens fan building an argument around what Tie Domi says , now there is something you don't see every day .. !!!!

 

[SENSible1*]

A Sens fan building an argument around what Tie Domi says , now there is something you don't see every day .. !!!!

Well I did qualify it with the all powerful IF.

 

[Luongownage]

The lockout will drag on past the start of the season. Right now the PA believes that all the pressure is on the owners to cave, with TV rights and promotion deals that need to be negotiated, along with the dark, threatening cloud that is the mass ammount of UFAs. Couple that along with a desire to get Crosby into the league to give the new marketing campaign a boost, and Goodenow thinks that he has leverage and can negotiate in his favor. Once again, he believe that stalling tactics and deadline hunting will work in his favor, and is looking for an owner collapse. However, the owners won't cave, as was demonstrated by the announcement of the cancelation of play. So the PA will sit on its @$$ waiting for the golden deal that Goodenow thinks is in the pipeline, after offering weak forms of caps and linkage that only were introduced to stave of the threat of impase and replacement players.

But thats ok, I am enjoying the NBA playoffs with the Heat on a tear and look forward to watching the Sox go for a repeat in the fall, along with seeing my Leo's get the Grey Cup. After that, there is the olympics and the Super Bowl, so missing hockey isn't really that bad.

A year ago I thought I never would have said that. *THAT* is the real damage that is being done to hockey. Once it comes back, will even the truely hardcore fans manage to find their passion again?

 

[Timmy]

The lockout will drag on past the start of the season. Right now the PA believes that all the pressure is on the owners to cave, with TV rights and promotion deals that need to be negotiated, along with the dark, threatening cloud that is the mass ammount of UFAs. Couple that along with a desire to get Crosby into the league to give the new marketing campaign a boost, and Goodenow thinks that he has leverage and can negotiate in his favor. Once again, he believe that stalling tactics and deadline hunting will work in his favor, and is looking for an owner collapse. However, the owners won't cave, as was demonstrated by the announcement of the cancelation of play. So the PA will sit on its @$$ waiting for the golden deal that Goodenow thinks is in the pipeline, after offering weak forms of caps and linkage that only were introduced to stave of the threat of impase and replacement players.

But thats ok, I am enjoying the NBA playoffs with the Heat on a tear and look forward to watching the Sox go for a repeat in the fall, along with seeing my Leo's get the Grey Cup. After that, there is the olympics and the Super Bowl, so missing hockey isn't really that bad.

A year ago I thought I never would have said that. *THAT* is the real damage that is being done to hockey. Once it comes back, will even the truely hardcore fans manage to find their passion again?

We've cancelled our tickets this weekend, committing to putting the money towards the mortgage and/or home improvements instead. The playoffs should be on right now, and I'm outside with my kids, going for walks, playing in the park, meeting others in my community...

Hell, I've even lost weight from all the running around instead of sitting on the couch.

And my one-year old son can hit a ball with a hockey stick now, after a little practice.

I hope he doesn't get cocky, or I'll lock him out.

I hated cancelling (that is to say, giving up our seats) because I support the owners and the ultimate survival of the league, but neither party really deserves money I've earned that can be put to better use elsewhere.

Honestly, spring has never been this much fun before.