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It would appears that just like the NHL this thread has reached an impasse. Maybe if we would have started to argue in January we would be done by now.

saw this posted on hfboards so i figure i would post it here as well. fsd is is letting people decide what to show in replace of red wings games if regular season games are cancelled Vote for the griffins! http://www.foxsports...ges/viewerform/

You know, the sooner you let go of an idea that owners and (to a somewhat lesser degree) players are anything but two rational economic actors that behave strategically in order to maximize their respective incomes, the less nerves you will burn up thinking about this. They do not and are not really expected to care about the fans feelings, as long as the fans keep buying tix, and otherwise spending money on NHL product.. And as the 3 previous work stoppages have amply demonstrated, we fans are really that dumb and will grumble a bit, but come back and support the NHL, whenever they decide to play hockey again. So your idea, that with different negotiating teams and/or more time, the compromise would have been found, is not plausible. Personalities and negotiating tactics are determined by the strategic goals, not the other way around. In other words, the players hired Fehr to do exactly what he is doing, and the owners pay Bettman to do exactly what he does. If either side wanted a compromise, they would have behaved differently. From what we've seen so far, the owners are trying to crush the PA yet again, and the players are determined to not be crushed like it happened the last time. At the very least, the players want to make the owners victory so costly, that the owners may hesitate to do this again in the future. Both sides are following thought out strategies, and I don't see a quick resolution, unless something fundamental changes.

The players were the big losers last time. The just expired CBA was dictated by the owners and was designed to benefit them. Prior to the current CBA the players share of the revenue reached 74%. There was no salary cap. If the players won and kept the old system, the top salaries now would have been nearing $20 mil./year and the average salary would have been higher by at least a quarter, and given the existing then trend, probably even higher. Let me clarify it for you. The owners want to cut the players salaries and limit their growth in the future. Since the league revenues went up 50% over the life of the existing CBA, there was no rational way to explain to the players why they would have to give up another 20% of their salary every year, when the players have signed contracts on hand. Since the owners didn't have any rational arguments, they had to somehow force the players to give up money they were contractually promised. The lockout is the most obvious option. This is not only about greed. This is also about players' pride and self-respect. If the lockout lasts till January, and the players then win (that is their CBA offer,as it stands now, is adopted) the players would still lose more money then if they accepted the league offer right now. And the players know this. The players motivation is to make sure that in the future they will not be forced to give up part of their salary any time the owners feel like taking it, without a fight. So the next time the owners want to redistribute income in their favor, they will know that they would have a fight on their hands.

MOTHERf****** f***Sf****** f***ED HOCKEY. f***! That was absolutely necessary for those around me. They are now safe. For one more day.

It's depressing me hearing about Datsyuk playing. He's 34 years old and doesn't have a lot of seasons left, certainly not at top level. Every game missed is a big deal at this point in his career.

Voted for griffins because I really want to watch nyquist/smith/jurco... They're the future. (Commented college hockey as #2 choice of course)

Huds "picked up" an abdominal problem? He should've just left it where it was...

Man, even after he had been traded to another team, Huds is still getting the gears here. Hope the injury isnt terrible Huds and good luck on your rehab

You only mention this because you know damn well that we were too busy rootin on the Wings record home streak in January to have carried on any sort of serious argument such as this at that time

I read that the doctor wasn't even there. Yzerman gave Feds Mr. Miagi style hand clap, rub, and press treatment and pointed to his C on his jersey. "This is for 'cup', Sergei" is all he said. The rest is history.

Sure they can. The owners can lock out the players any time they want. That's what it means to be an owner. Is it a good tactic, no, but they can absolutely call a lockout whenever they see fit, and nothing is going to take that power away from them. As soon as enough Dan Cleary and Cal Clutterbuck types that don't have the option of signing a lucrative deal in Europe start missing paychecks, you're going to start seeing cracks on the NHLPA side.