Ok so i am still trying to REALLY understand this whole thing.

The Players currently get 57% of the sales? Right? They got that in the last settlement? The owners what that reduced? Right so far?

Teams are losing money left and right. Owner are claiming to be poor yet sign 100 million dollar contracts for 10 years to some. The Wild are one of the teams losing money, right? it seems the owners cant police them selves. So, if the players Give a ltiie to help teams like Phoenix, Tampa and others like my Blues , why cant they work it out?
its for the better of the game. UNLESS you want to retract teams, not a bad idea either.

thoughts? Bueller?
- Stricknasty's Hero

Minnesota is a bad example. If they are losing money, it's probably not a lot. They also made an investment for their fans here. Suter and Parise signings were huge PR money and will probably get Minny into playoff revenue in the hockey State. Even one Playoff Round will probably garner profit for the organization. So with that, and the developing prospects in the system and the opportunity to get more, attract more free agents, etc. They made an investment up front to make more money long term. It's similar to San Jose where they bring in huge free agents or trade for big contract players. They know it'll be a smart long term investment and cough up the cash.

The League should be sharing an overall account of money to pay for any monetary lose by an organization. And thus, allow all the owners to make profit at the very least through concessions and merch, gate prices and TV revenue and so on. This way, every team has equal financial footing to sign free agents and pay their homegrown talent. That brings a sense of parity and fairness to a business that is continuously growing into a bigger sport.

At this point retracting the amount of teams seems like a bad idea. Moving Franchises is one thing, but retracting would stunt growth. Less opportunity to grow the game overall. Like Phoenix for example. Maybe the truth is the possible fan base isn't from Glendale area, but Phoenix and the huge metropolitan area around the city and abroad. And the more teams focused in a general area, it's cheaper because of lower travel costs, and more opportunity to bring in fans. I'm actually in support of a team in Phoenix, but it should be IN phoenix, not Glendale.

The Players need to realize that growth means they'll get their money regardless of what percent of the total pie they have. So a CBA should be signed for a longer term, with minimal reductions every calander year from their salaries that is paid into this League Sharing Account. And then they continue to pay a certain percentage into it every year, as do every owner and any outside revenue by percentage.

Player pay 1-2% of total salary league wide
Owners pay 5%

All outside revenue from broadcasting should be shared in the same manner, one account every team can dip into when in trouble.

Owners should get some sort of bonus for sharing more, maybe being able to spend over cap, some sort reward or anything really.

Eliminating Penalties against the team cap wise for buying out players. Anything to save hard cash and soft investment.

At least that's my view.

Just curious, where was this posted they were getting together this weekend, TSN has nothing on it and can't find it anywhere.

http://www.journaldemontreal.com/2012/09/18/la-lnh-pourrait-faire-appel-a-des-joueurs-de-remplacement

Sorry the article is in french , but Bill Daly could be flirting with the idea of using scab players....
- Alexzanki

They can't use scabs because the players are not on strike, Can't use scabs in a lockout.

Said this in the Devils blog.

If it's like this in November, then I'd be worried. Right now, there's no urgency. Training camps don't NEED to be 20 something days long. They could do a 10 day or less training camp if they wanted to. That and the fact that October isn't so important with World Series/Football, the attendance numbers in October aren't really all that good. So October isn't that much of a priority for the owners.
- _Zippy_

This is true for the southern people. But most Canadians are looking forward to hockey over Football and baseball.

They can't use scabs because the players are not on strike, Can't use scabs in a lockout.
- A_SteamingLombardi

One former NHL executive feels if a labour deal is not worked out with the players by Jan. 15, 2013, the NHL hiring non-union players could be the owners' prerogative and very well their next logical move. And former Maple Leaf assistant general manager Bill Watters said make no mistake, it could be done very easily.

They can't use scabs because the players are not on strike, Can't use scabs in a lockout.
- A_SteamingLombardi

The NFL refs are locked out.

One former NHL executive feels if a labour deal is not worked out with the players by Jan. 15, 2013, the NHL hiring non-union players could be the owners' prerogative and very well their next logical move. And former Maple Leaf assistant general manager Bill Watters said make no mistake, it could be done very easily.
- braidan

I would not be against that, only if it gave us cheaper tickets!

This is true for the southern people. But most Canadians are looking forward to hockey over Football and baseball.
- acresd

Not just Canadians, but ALL of the "large market teams," Canadian AND American.

It's the "smaller market" fans that are indifferent and for obvious reasons.

Eklund: Marathon Sessions Ahead For the Weekend? Big Opportunity.
- Eklund

Wow..........like there's a sense of urgency?
Can't imagine why....

This season is toast.

Go Seahawks!!

Wow..........like there's a sense of urgency?
Can't imagine why....
- jmo16

Lock the Mother Franking Sum Bi0tches in a room Throw them bread and water until they come out with a solution.

So when is your book coming out Ek?
- Oilhab

It's been at the editor's for two and a half years and they're only half way through all the misspelled words.

They keep going back and forth on words ending in "er" "re" because on Monday-Wednesday-and Friday Ek is American and all the other days he's Canadian.

It's been at the editor's for two and a half years and they're only half way through all the misspelled words.

They keep going back and forth on words ending in "er" "re" because on Monday-Wednesday-and Friday Ek is American and all the other days he's Canadian.
- bcallaway

Damn editors, they are going suck every last drop of Ek Chram out of that thing.

Mike Russo, MN Wild beat writer, in a chat today: "I'm worried, but in the past day, I have talked to more and more people on both sides who are still convinced we'll be seeing hockey in the next month. I'm not as optimistic -- but I'm not generally optimistic the sun will come out either. So, there's that."

He is famously cautious, but it is interesting to hear what he's being told from both sides of the fence.

No offense met to Ek, but Ek has consistently been Little Miss Sunshine that this wasn't going to turn into the great big long and ugly, and frankly there's not been a lot to support that up to even today.

One former NHL executive feels if a labour deal is not worked out with the players by Jan. 15, 2013, the NHL hiring non-union players could be the owners' prerogative and very well their next logical move. And former Maple Leaf assistant general manager Bill Watters said make no mistake, it could be done very easily.
- braidan

Can be done easily but as a fan I would never pay premium price to watch minor leaguers.

This has been said before, but why do Ek's sources sound like Ek?

So we should expect a 3 hour meeting, over the normal 2 hour meeting.

How do these guys get through their day, gotta feel sorry for the laborous meetings and schedule. Tough. Pfft.

So we should expect a 3 hour meeting, over the normal 2 hour meeting.

How do these guys get through their day, gotta feel sorry for the laborous meetings and schedule. Tough. Pfft.
- moondawg

This is something I saw on ESPN, interesting for sure, not sure if it has been posted here already...
http://espn.go.com/nhl/st...ates-lost-7m-last-lockout

So we should expect a 3 hour meeting, over the normal 2 hour meeting.

How do these guys get through their day, gotta feel sorry for the laborous meetings and schedule. Tough. Pfft.
- moondawg

Boardroom rental costs are insane these days......

Just to confirm.. if the lockout were to go all year the contracts come off for 1 year?

So for example, the leafs:

Connolly, Lupul, Lombardi, MarCarthur still become UFA july 1st 2013 if not signed?

Does Cody Franson (who is RFA) remain a RFA & simply gets a year less of RFA?

Just to confirm.. if the lockout were to go all year the contracts come off for 1 year?

So for example, the leafs:

Connolly, Lupul, Lombardi, MarCarthur still become UFA july 1st 2013 if not signed?

Does Cody Franson (who is RFA) remain a RFA & simply gets a year less of RFA?
- AlfieisKing

Yes, if the season is cancelled, everyone loses a year off their contract, including impending UFAs and RFAs.

I'm not sure what would happen with unsigned RFAs such as Franson. Maybe they become UFAs, depending on their age?

The more I listen to the talking heads...the more I think this is going to go awhile. A long while.

Hope you have a war chest saved up EK because you're going to need it just as much as any other related NHL publication(s).
- Canadian kid

Actual hockey discussion makes up about 7% of what goes on here. People go elsewhere for actual credible information. I am pretty sure Hockeybuzz will be just fine.

One former NHL executive feels if a labour deal is not worked out with the players by Jan. 15, 2013, the NHL hiring non-union players could be the owners' prerogative and very well their next logical move. And former Maple Leaf assistant general manager Bill Watters said make no mistake, it could be done very easily.
- braidan

Maybe they should hire scab GMs. Habs get Milbury.

They can't use scabs because the players are not on strike, Can't use scabs in a lockout.
- A_SteamingLombardi

I believe that once a CBA has expired there is no binding contract with the union and they are free to look elsewhere for players.

I think that is the way it works anyway.

*still praying for scabs, AND a new league started by the players, so we can all sit back and watch the whole thing implode!*

Agreed -- long sesions will be required to work out details once the parameters are set.

I disagree that it has to take a month or two to break through on the major issues. Unlike last time, there aren't any structural issues at play. It really is just about a number and at some point hopefully in 3 or 4 weeks, both sides will have an internal consensus on a number that they can live with and narrow the gap
- Canada Cup

It doesn't take more than an hour to break through on the major issues.

It takes a month or two for the pain to set in.

Right now, the players are missing something they don't care about anyway and the owners are losing money. There is ZERO motivation for the players to move at all.

The screws tighten on the players when they start missing paycheques. They start to crumble within because *some* players will be collecting a paycheque elsewhere while the majority won't.

So, they will ask themselves why they are fighting the good fight while their brethren continue to earn a living.

Then the players finally start negotiating, and we settle around 50/50 with not much else changed, except a limit on contract length....

Which is where we have all known we would end up all along.