905 replies to this topic

[cusimano_brothers]

Niklas Kronwall and Justin Abdelkader are the Wings' PA representatives, but any player can represent his team at these meetings. Cleary, 33, went because "it's important to have veteran presence there, and to represent Detroit. It's not too far to go, either; the meetings are usually either in New York or Toronto."

Every single member of the NHLPA must be proactive when it comes to their jobs.

[Dabura]

I decided to put this here because I didn't want to start another thread. Anybody else see that Dan Cleary was representing the Red Wings at the labor talks? I know that Abby and Kronwall are the union reps but according to one article I read, the team decided to send Cleary because they wanted a veteran to represent them (rather than Abby) and it didn't say why Kronwall didn't go. Anyway, if Cleary is well respected enough around the locker room and organization, anybody else think he might be the one getting Zetterberg's soon to be vacated "A"?

Yes.

[kipwinger]

Yes.

Also, I think this puts to bed any speculation that Cleary is going to be the odd man out of our roster anytime soon. Looks to be a pretty integral part of the team leadership at this point.

[55fan]

From interviews I've read, Cleary seems well-respected, but he's rather gruff. Does that make him A material? I don't know.

[puckloo39]

the talk about lockout depresses me. I hope they settle this somehow, 'cause I think the impact on the sport will possibly be irreversible. They will reap what they sow.

And, I have a non-refundable plane ticket to a game in December. Get over this greed and nonsense and drop the damned puck.

[kipwinger]

Didn't the NFL and NBA labor talks come right down to the wire? I'm sure that things will get worked out in the end, this is all just posturing. There's too much to lose for both sides if there's a lockout. As I've said before, players strike when there's nothing to lose, owners strike when there's everything to gain. Neither is the case currently.

[ogreslayer]

Didn't the NFL and NBA labor talks come right down to the wire? I'm sure that things will get worked out in the end, this is all just posturing. There's too much to lose for both sides if there's a lockout. As I've said before, players strike when there's nothing to lose, owners strike when there's everything to gain. Neither is the case currently.

That may be true but if there's a group dumb enough to kill part or all of season trying to get their way like a 2 year old, it's the NHL owner group. The PA's already said they would be willing to start the season under the terms of the old CBA while they work out a new one. I have a sneaking suspicion that the owners won't though.

[cusimano_brothers]

The players now receive a 57 per cent share of hockey-related revenues, yet the owners' initial offer would drop it to 46. Former Red Wings great Ted Lindsay said it's "understandable" the league is asking for rollbacks. After all, the players signed a quality deal with a quality percentage back in 2005. Now -- some think -- it's the owners turn.
"Certainly they have a right to ask for anything they want, but if the players had any brains, they wouldn't accept it," Lindsay said. "But you have to start somewhere."
Lindsay found it contradictory for the owners to cry "poor-mouth" at a time when record deals are being signed in a league with record revenue in excess of $3.1 billion. Defenceman Shea Weber, for instance, last month signed the second-largest contract in NHL history, when Nashville matched a 14-year, $110 million offer sheet by Philadelphia.
Lindsay said the owners are off base.
"They have to sell this game," he said. "Not destroy it."

[Nightfall]

That may be true but if there's a group dumb enough to kill part or all of season trying to get their way like a 2 year old, it's the NHL owner group. The PA's already said they would be willing to start the season under the terms of the old CBA while they work out a new one. I have a sneaking suspicion that the owners won't though.

For the record, the players never said they would. They just said that negotiations can continue past the deadline. Fehr in no way said they WOULDN'T strike, just that the possibility was there.

Other than that, I agree with Kipwinger. The Owners had everything to everything to gain last time and locked the players out. This time around, with revenues almost double what they were 7 years ago, the owners have little to gain while the players have a lot to lose. Neither side is going to strike, and if they do, they are idiots. They would be better off continuing to talk past the deadline.

[cusimano_brothers]

Doanld Fehr, world traveller:

He visited Moscow late last week -- sitting down with Evgeni Malkin andIlya Kovalchuk, among others -- before holding a session Monday in Barcelona that was attended by roughly 40 players, includingHenrik Zetterberg, Mark Streit and Jonas Hiller.

[St. Michael (the Red Wing)]

September 15th is coming up quickly, I hate to say it.

[ogreslayer]

**** move by Bettman. Your turn now Fehr:

NEW YORK -- Commissioner Gary Bettman made the NHL's intent very clear, saying the league plans to lock the players out if a new collective bargaining agreement cannot be reached by September 15, when the current CBA is set to expire.

http://espn.go.com/n...dates-cba-talks

[b.shanafan14]

Natural hat-trick: 3 consecutive goals by one player
Gordie Howe hat-trick: 1 goal, 1 assist, 1 fight

Bettman hat-trick: 3 lockouts in one tenure as league boss

[dobbles]

i still dont understand how the owners can cry so much about a deal that they came up with. they won the last labor dispute and now all of a sudden its the worst situation ever? to me the owners are 100% to blame. they were the ones that created the current agreement and they are the ones that let their gms continue to hand out these giant contracts.

i think the players can certainly give up a few percentage points of the revenue, but anything more than that is just the owners trying to grab leverage.

[Nightfall]

i still dont understand how the owners can cry so much about a deal that they came up with. they won the last labor dispute and now all of a sudden its the worst situation ever? to me the owners are 100% to blame. they were the ones that created the current agreement and they are the ones that let their gms continue to hand out these giant contracts.

i think the players can certainly give up a few percentage points of the revenue, but anything more than that is just the owners trying to grab leverage.

IMHO, there is blame on both sides.

The players and agents are using loopholes in the current CBA to force teams to sign these players to long term deals. The owners are equally at fault for signing those deals. The Red Wings have already been forced to sign Franzen to a long term deal that he could have gotten somewhere else. The owners and GMs want to field great teams, and its hard to do when a couple players are handcuffing the team for 10-15 years in some cases.

As evidenced in any professional sport, if there is a loophole like this and it is exploited by the players, there will be a couple dumbass owners who will sign them. Hell, just a couple months ago, the Red Wings nation was dying to get Suter for 12 years and $80 million, and if Holland couldn't get it done then its his fault. Thats just evidence of a damaged system.

That being said, I am disappointed with Bettman's stance on this. I would hope they would have continued negotiating without a lockout. Now, he wants a lockout if its not done in 5 weeks. Good luck I suppose. I hope there are plenty of late night bargaining sessions scheduled for 5 weeks.

[frankgrimes]

Someone needs to lock that Minime out. It would be the third lockout under him, no way Fehr and the NHLPA will dance like he wants them to do.

The owners got exactly what they wanted and now they will lockout their players for getting what they wanted? Talk about a big FU to the fans, Bettman you are the biggest disgrace this sport has ever seen resign already!

[rrasco]

My summer already sucks as it is, with no hockey to look forward to, I'll strangle kittens.

[ami]

....Bettman hat-trick: 3 lockouts in one tenure as league boss

dont you think, this guy - Doanld Fehr - at least worth mentioning too? Those MFs, unions are ruining it first hand!!

[frankgrimes]

dont you think, this guy - Doanld Fehr - at least worth mentioning too? Those MFs, unions are ruining it first hand!!

Hardly Fehr was part of the strongest MLB players union ever, this Minime clown is part of 3 lockouts now if things are going his way. He is an absolute joke and should be booed loud and hard.

[Barrie]

Someone needs to lock that Minime out. It would be the third lockout under him, no way Fehr and the NHLPA will dance like he wants them to do.

The owners got exactly what they wanted and now they will lockout their players for getting what they wanted? Talk about a big FU to the fans, Bettman you are the biggest disgrace this sport has ever seen resign already!

Agree, when is enough enough with this guy!? Isn't "3rd time's a charm", and "3 strikes (in this case a lockout) you're out"?

The fact that we're going to have a 3rd lockout under this guy is a complete embarrasment!