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This issue so complicated because of the polarizing figure that is Gary Bettman. A New York lawyer running the most popular sport in Canada. 3 significant work stoppages in 18 years. @Nightfall is partially right when he says that Bettman was not the "cause" of the lockout. Admittedly, that would be an oversimplification. I heard a TSN podcast today where one guy wondered if this isn't just the "new normal" given the fact that salaries were so constant for so many years and then shot up exponentially in the past 20 years. He wondered if the underlying problem isn't just that nobody knows "what anything is worth" in the NHL. But I refuse to give Bettman a pass on "causing the lockout" for this reason: He DID create and stubbornly support the environment that caused this lockout to happen in the last 2 CBA's. When you a situation where you can make $3.3 billion in profits AND it can also be true that (allegedly) 18 franchises are operating in the red, you have fundamental problems. If I honestly believed that setting HRR at 50/50 and just telling the players to give a little more back would solve those problems, I would turn on the NHLPA and Fehr in a heartbeat. But here's the thing: I have zero confidence that Phoenix, Dallas, Nashville, Florida, etc are suddenly going to become profitable simply because you cap player contracts at 5 years, lower the salary cap, and take money out of the players' share. I have zero confidence because we were told that everything in '05 CBA was necessary to save those bottom-feeder teams, and it didn't work. The problem is the structure of the league, and the freedom of the owners to continue spending even with a hard cap in place. The deeper problem is that the league is badly overexpanded into places it doesn't belong. Phoenix is not going to start drawing 15,000 a game just because you made it so the Parises and Suters of the world only sign $40 million deals instead of $98 million ones. And when ownership in Phoenix or any other city in Bettman's "Grand Sun Belt Experiment" tried to sell to owners/cities with actual money and an interest in hockey, Bettman blocked it. Unless you are willing to dramatically revise how revenue sharing works and commit yourself to having the Tornto-type markets carrying the struggling teams (which is obviously problematic), this will continue to happen. And Bettman (who whoever represents the owners) will continue to ask for additional money every CBA simply because they can.

I have seen the vile hatred for Bettman, but lets be honest here..... Bettman is not the cause of this lockout. You can point the blame to the owners who voted to lock the players out moreso than Bettman. Even if Bettman was canned, then his successor could be even worse. After all, the ownership is going to hire a pitbull, not a poodle. They are also going to hire someone to represent them. Bettman is taking a lot of flack for what the ownership wants. Yes, I believe even Mike Illitch is supporting Bettman because he is tired of seeing his profits getting thrown to teams that can't survive in these crappy markets. He is tired of seeing a $3.5 million dollar profit margin. Hell, Hudler makes more than that. Otherwise, I won't take down my Red Wings stuff. I have been a fan of the Wings since I discovered hockey back in 1994. I just won't fund the players or the ownership by going to games or buying merchandice. The only money they will see is what I pay for in my cable bill to watch them. Hell, I will even go out of my way to watch games on streaming services because I won't buy the center ice package.

So just to clarify, Israel and Hamas can agree on a ceasefire, but the NHL and NHLPA can't figure out how to share $3 billion?

If it's any consolation, I hated Bettman before his contribution to a 3rd work stoppage in 18 years.

Just for clarification, Bettman didn't create the environment. The owners did. He did support it only because the ownership supported it. I understand why Bettman is taking the flack for this, but at the same time there are barely anyone that is able to look deeper into this situation. Yes, Mike Illitch is supporting this lockout. Why are there no fans upset at him? I guess being the mouthpiece means that they are going to take all the flack, but thats ok I suppose. As for firing Bettman, nothing would please me more. Well, firing both Fehr and Bettman would please me the most. What I fear is Bettman's replacement. Sometimes the Devil you know is better than the Devil you don't know. That could be true in this situation as well, especiially if the owners hire in someone who is more draconian than Bettman. Same goes for Fehr, but I believe in this case both sides leaders should be fired. Mediation is non-binding, which means that what the mediator says is just a recommendation. Non-binding mediation isn't something that has teeth in my opinion. Just like back in the last lockout, the mediator put forward some great ideas but one side or the other shot them down. It really is the same as having an informed expert that has no side that is willing to put their opinion and thoughts on the subject.

Thanks to TSN for a "Legal Look: A Primer On NHLPA Decertification". I now have more of an understanding of what is involved.

Look, as far as GM's go I think Holland is one of the best, so I think he does a good job. However, you can't lose 3 of your top 4 defensemen in the course of two years and not bring somebody in. Obviously you can't replace Lidstrom, but you can replace Stuart and a very old and beat up Rafalski. Players were available, they weren't signed for one reason for another. I think that was a mistake. So to answer your question, yes I think he does a good job, but he didn't that time.

(Belated response, sorry.) The "Who?" game is lame. I don't know who Kenny should've-would've-could've picked had his head not been inserted firmly up his arse. (Rafalski, Stuart, Lidstrom. And our top-4 at present is, what, Kronwall-White--Quincey-Ericsson? Seriously?)

Was/is he good/sick?

If anyone complaining about this thread right now attends a single NHL game in the next seven years, then they are fake raging in here. I know I am going to put my money where my mouth is. No more NHL Center Ice No more buying tickets to NHL games No more buying NHL merchandise The NHL, players and owners, can go f*** themselves.

I totally forgot about Alexander Semin. Carolina can have fun with his horrible work ethic.

Maltby was a 50 goal scorer in juniors! Edit: am I doing this right?