2458 replies to this topic

[Playmaker]

The only ones to blame are the fans. After the 2005 lockout, I cancelled my season tickets,(despite those generous "Joe Bucks") haven't purchased a single Wings or NHL merchandise and watch maybe half the games on TV. Back then, I thought I couldn't live without hockey, but the NHL proved me wrong. The fans have pretty much bent over and handed Gary Bettman the Astroglide. He's having these conference calls with the owners telling them not to worry, the fans will come back and sadly, he's probably right. How different things might be now if the NHL was playing to mostly empty arenas after the last lockout. Then 5 or 6 years from now when the same thing happens, the fans are going to be like huh, what, a lockout??? What's the saying...fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me (unless you're GWB).

[rrasco]

Per Dreger's twitter:

As we just discussed on Sportscentre. NHL advised PA it will absorb share of Make Whole provision. This is a considerable concession.

If this turns out to be true (both that the NHL actually said it would do this and that the math supports their claim), then they better be able to knock out a friggin deal very very soon.

I'm not even sure I know what that means. And on that note, I'm not even sure I ever understood the make whole provision to begin with. I tried, it just never clicked.

[Hiei]

Even if they knock out a deal, I can't come to visit beautiful Detroit and Ann Arbor this year

[cusimano_brothers]

So, the League has wheeled out the "trojan horse" for the players to look at? Be careful, lads.

[cusimano_brothers]

Mathieu Schneider has an interesting proposal: a cap on escrow.

Edited by cusimano_brothers, 03 November 2012 - 07:09 AM.

[55fan]

Mathieu Schneider has an interesting proposal: a cap on escrow.

From that article:

The idea of a cap on escrow has been an under-reported part of these negotiations, largely because both math and the definition of escrow are involved.

That made me laugh. Mostly because I can't do math.

[haroldsnepsts]

I'm not even sure I know what that means. And on that note, I'm not even sure I ever understood the make whole provision to begin with. I tried, it just never clicked.

I know what you mean.

I read the NHL's proposal with the make whole provision, I read Fehr's explanation to players, and while I get the basic concept or make whole I can't say I really understood all the nuts and bolts of how it worked in the proposals.

So once again I'm trying to look at this in a positive light but the issue is pretty convoluted and the NHL offered to pay for "a share" of the make whole provision. Who knows what percentage that will be.

[Euro_Twins]

What if Bettman actually paid $250k payment for the winter classic but said he cancelled it, and now is trying to push the PA to make a deal so he doesn't lose the owners money... Just a ridiculous thought, for fun

[haroldsnepsts]

Per Dreger:

I'm certain of this, based on number of texts received from players. They want a deal and want their leadership to focus on getting it done. Not to say the players are caving...they're not, but they want focus to remain on negotiations and away from petty memos to media.

I hope this is true. It'd be great if there's pressure from both owners and players for the leaders to spend less time on press releases and more time locked in a room hashing out a deal.

[chances14]

Per Dreger:



I hope this is true. It'd be great if there's pressure from both owners and players for the leaders to spend less time on press releases and more time locked in a room hashing out a deal.

hopefully it is. i have a feeling that the winter classic being cancelled might have woken some of the players up in realzing that the owners aren't bluffing

the problem i see is that, simliar to bettman, fehr, has has almost unlimited power so if he's on his own agenda, there's nothing that the players can really do about it.

http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/nhl/article/1265993--nhl-lockout-don-t-expect-a-mutiny-in-the-nhlpa-cox

just something to keep in mind


also this from strickland

#NHL informed #NHLPA last week they're prepared to come off stance on certain issues. Are we seeing signs of NHL finally ready to negotiate?

Several players on #NHLPA conf. call encoraging PA to not push #NHL away and to engage the league

Talking to players...if #NHL moves on contract rigjts that dont hurt young or future players it could lead to #NHLPA vote

[frankgrimes]

hopefully it is. i have a feeling that the winter classic being cancelled might have woken some of the players up in realzing that the owners aren't bluffing

the problem i see is that, simliar to bettman, fehr, has has almost unlimited power so if he's on his own agenda, there's nothing that the players can really do about it.

http://www.thestar.c...n-the-nhlpa-cox

just something to keep in mind


also this from strickland

Oh well finally we m i g h t see some progress...

[chances14]

some more tweets from dreger

As I said many times last night, the offer reported on Make Whole was made verbally on Tues...B.Daly to S.Fehr. Part of lengthy discussion.

Formal or otherwise, the fact the owners are willing to cover the costs of Make Whole is in play. I'm surprised D.Fehr isn't more pleased.

Rather than criticize language of reports, PA leadership would be better served working on ways to make a deal for its players.

For the record, it was a player related source who provided the tip and the NHL reluctantly confirmed the story just before 6pm Fri.

I'm certain of this, based on number of texts received from players. They want a deal and want their leadership to focus on getting it done.

Not to say the players are caving...they're not, but they want focus to remain on negotiations and away from petty memos to media.

i think this is a very good sign

Following further phone conversations today, Bill Daly and Steve will meet tomorrow in a city and location that both sides have agreed to keep confidential in an attempt to keep the focus on the talks and not on conducting media scrums. We will update everyone following this meeting tomorrow.

maybe, just maybe, both sides are finally going to stop all the pr bs, buckle down and try to get a deal done.

[chances14]

Pierre LeBrun ‏@Real_ESPNLeBrun
I wouldn't read anything into it either way but Bill Daly and Steve Fehr still meeting ..

[Nightfall]

Pierre LeBrun ‏@Real_ESPNLeBrun
I wouldn't read anything into it either way but Bill Daly and Steve Fehr still meeting ..

I think this is the longest they have met so far in the negotiations.

[chances14]

saw this on hfboards in regards to this meeting

So they started with the Lord of the Rings trilogy and might move on to the Star Wars movies afterwards. With an agreed upon hour long break for pizza (it took 2 hours of vigorous negotiation to agree upon an hour long break).

And then maybe some retro gaming. Busting out Mario Kart and GoldenEye for the N64.

This could be a long night.

Apparently talks between both sides broke down at the Pizza Hut when they couldn't agree on pepperoni or Hawaiian.

Pizza Hut staff are upset because they want to go home for the night, proposed a 50-50 split, half pepperoni, half Hawaiian. Fehr/Daly not seeing eye to eye on this. Fehr wants Daly to honor his previous promise of tangy dipping sauce.

So, now talks are totally off. Fehr has set up shop by the old Street Fighter II machine next to the Pizza Hut entrance, Daly has joined in with a party of 4th graders already at the restaurant celebrating a birthday.

On the plus they are sending intermittent text messages and posting on each other's Facebook wall. They could meet but not before Daly polishes down his root beer mug apparently.

Fehr still hopeful they can come an agreement and order something before the Pizza Hut closes in 45 minutes, but it's not looking good right now guys. They could both be locked in the restaurant for the night with no pizza period.

They will decide the split by rock, paper, scissors.

The main hurdle is that NHLPA doesn't accept NHLs definition of scissors.

Rock, paper, scissors.

Fehr: Dynamite!

Bettman: We're not speaking the same language right now.

Edited by chances14, 03 November 2012 - 08:56 PM.

[chances14]

Katie Strang ‏@KatieStrangESPN
#CBA Talks still ongoing between Bill Daly and Steve Fehr

by my estimation, they've been meeting for at least 6-8 hours. something good has got to come out of this.

[Hockeytown0001]

Glimmer of hope?

[chances14]

@tpanotchCSN: Union source says both sides still talking. Get ready to turn clocks back for 1 extra hr to talk!

by my estimation of watching twitter timeline, this meeting started around 4pm. so they're going on 7hrs now.

these are the kinds of meetings that should have been going on months ago

Edited by chances14, 03 November 2012 - 10:00 PM.

[Euro_Twins]

@tpanotchCSN: Union source says both sides still talking. Get ready to turn clocks back for 1 extra hr to talk!

by my estimation of watching twitter timeline, this meeting started around 4pm. so they're going on 7hrs now.

these are the kinds of meetings that should have been going on months ago

This is wishful thinking, but this may result in something positive, maybe a deal within the week? *fingers crossed*

[BottleOfSmoke]

If a deal is reached this week, will they be able to retroactively uncancel the WC? PLEASE?!