mrquincy
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http://bostonherald.com/sports/hockey/other_nhl/view/20220912who_wants_a_lockout_in_nhl_maybe_both_sides_do
Perhaps the largest gathering of NHL players ever will take place in New York today and tomorrow, with some 250 expected to attend a meeting called by the Players Association to discuss the leagues pending lockout.
The NHL board of governors will also have a powwow in Manhattan tomorrow.
Does the fact there is still anything for each group to talk about days before the expected start of the NHLs fourth work stoppage on Saturday at midnight suggest a glimmer of hope that the league, never more successful than it is right now, can avoid another self-destructive shutdown?
Everyone interested in this game, against all odds, clings to hope it may be so.
Theres some way we have to find to resolve this, Bs adviser and alternate governor Harry Sinden said. There is a resolution, Im sure. And from what I understand they are working very hard to find it. They both have somewhat of the other sides interest at heart. That could lead to a compromise. I hope.
Coming on the heels of the shutdown in 04, there isnt anybody players, owners, anybody, and particularly the people who support the game in all the arenas in all the cities who thinks we should go through another one.
Unfortunately, thats not exactly true. Given the status of negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement, there are many folks on both sides who think thats precisely what should happen.
Officials of NHL teams would face enormous fines for publicly commenting on the expected lockout. But one general manager, speaking off the record, predicts there will be a shutdown that lasts at least a month into the scheduled regular season.
While there are a slew of peripheral issues in dispute, the looming lockout as always comes down to money.
Although league-wide annual revenues have risen some $1.2 billion to $3.3 billion during the seven years of the expiring CBA, and the average player salary has jumped from $1.83 million in 2003-04 to some $2.2 million, commissioner Gary Bettman has been candid in saying the owners feel the players are paid too much.
Players last season received 57 percent of league revenues. In its initial CBA offer to players, the league wanted to drop that percentage to 43 percent (an offer since raised to 46 percent). The Players Association accepted an across-the-board 24 percent cut in salaries to end the season-long 2004-05 lockout.
A lot of (players) think that pure and simple they were taken advantage of last time and the owners want to take advantage of them again, NHLPA chief Donald Fehr said Monday in an interview with the Associated Press.
If players are paid too much, its not their fault its the fault of the guys signing the paychecks. No one is forcing GMs to hand out ridiculous, long-term deals. And if small-market teams are struggling to compete with the big-market clubs like the Bruins [team stats], the players believe there should be NFL-like profit-sharing between the haves and have-nots.
We dont think theres an economic issue with the league as far as revenues, theres a disparity issue, Shawn Thornton said at the Bs golf tournament Monday in Bolton. We agree that the small-market teams need help. I think as players, were willing to partner with the wealthier franchises to help with that. Thats what our proposal strives for. But it looks like they just want to take a pay cut off the top, which the players are not OK with. I know personally I negotiated my contract (a two-year pact that starts this season) in good faith at a dollar amount we thought was reasonable. When I negotiated, I didnt think I was going to have to take a 25 percent cut off the top the next year.
We gave up a lot of concessions the last time. We were told then that those concessions were going to make the league viable. Now were being told a different story, and thats after league revenues went up more than $1 billion. Were hearing thats not good enough, they need more and more and more. There are a lot of players going to New York to become more informed and talk about things with (NHLPA heads) Don (Fehr) and Steve Fehr.
Are the players united in preparing for a lockout?
Yep, were prepared, Thornton said. We want to play. The players have never once mentioned a strike or anything like that. This is an owner-imposed lockout. We want to play. I think the fans want to see us play. But its out of our hands.
We dont want to keep going through this every few years. But if we trim another 25 percent off the top this time, what is it next time, and the next time?
The players are ready to fight to prevent that.
- [email protected]
Perhaps the largest gathering of NHL players ever will take place in New York today and tomorrow, with some 250 expected to attend a meeting called by the Players Association to discuss the leagues pending lockout.
The NHL board of governors will also have a powwow in Manhattan tomorrow.
Does the fact there is still anything for each group to talk about days before the expected start of the NHLs fourth work stoppage on Saturday at midnight suggest a glimmer of hope that the league, never more successful than it is right now, can avoid another self-destructive shutdown?
Everyone interested in this game, against all odds, clings to hope it may be so.
Theres some way we have to find to resolve this, Bs adviser and alternate governor Harry Sinden said. There is a resolution, Im sure. And from what I understand they are working very hard to find it. They both have somewhat of the other sides interest at heart. That could lead to a compromise. I hope.
Coming on the heels of the shutdown in 04, there isnt anybody players, owners, anybody, and particularly the people who support the game in all the arenas in all the cities who thinks we should go through another one.
Unfortunately, thats not exactly true. Given the status of negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement, there are many folks on both sides who think thats precisely what should happen.
Officials of NHL teams would face enormous fines for publicly commenting on the expected lockout. But one general manager, speaking off the record, predicts there will be a shutdown that lasts at least a month into the scheduled regular season.
While there are a slew of peripheral issues in dispute, the looming lockout as always comes down to money.
Although league-wide annual revenues have risen some $1.2 billion to $3.3 billion during the seven years of the expiring CBA, and the average player salary has jumped from $1.83 million in 2003-04 to some $2.2 million, commissioner Gary Bettman has been candid in saying the owners feel the players are paid too much.
Players last season received 57 percent of league revenues. In its initial CBA offer to players, the league wanted to drop that percentage to 43 percent (an offer since raised to 46 percent). The Players Association accepted an across-the-board 24 percent cut in salaries to end the season-long 2004-05 lockout.
A lot of (players) think that pure and simple they were taken advantage of last time and the owners want to take advantage of them again, NHLPA chief Donald Fehr said Monday in an interview with the Associated Press.
If players are paid too much, its not their fault its the fault of the guys signing the paychecks. No one is forcing GMs to hand out ridiculous, long-term deals. And if small-market teams are struggling to compete with the big-market clubs like the Bruins [team stats], the players believe there should be NFL-like profit-sharing between the haves and have-nots.
We dont think theres an economic issue with the league as far as revenues, theres a disparity issue, Shawn Thornton said at the Bs golf tournament Monday in Bolton. We agree that the small-market teams need help. I think as players, were willing to partner with the wealthier franchises to help with that. Thats what our proposal strives for. But it looks like they just want to take a pay cut off the top, which the players are not OK with. I know personally I negotiated my contract (a two-year pact that starts this season) in good faith at a dollar amount we thought was reasonable. When I negotiated, I didnt think I was going to have to take a 25 percent cut off the top the next year.
We gave up a lot of concessions the last time. We were told then that those concessions were going to make the league viable. Now were being told a different story, and thats after league revenues went up more than $1 billion. Were hearing thats not good enough, they need more and more and more. There are a lot of players going to New York to become more informed and talk about things with (NHLPA heads) Don (Fehr) and Steve Fehr.
Are the players united in preparing for a lockout?
Yep, were prepared, Thornton said. We want to play. The players have never once mentioned a strike or anything like that. This is an owner-imposed lockout. We want to play. I think the fans want to see us play. But its out of our hands.
We dont want to keep going through this every few years. But if we trim another 25 percent off the top this time, what is it next time, and the next time?
The players are ready to fight to prevent that.
- [email protected]
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