Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Thursday Games, Prospects, Today in History

Today is a dark day in the history of the NHL.

Today is a dark day in the history of the NHL.
- MBFlyerfan

Well Said..... This is straight BS

Today is a dark day in the history of the NHL.
- MBFlyerfan

Amen

Anybody else miss hockey yet?

Anybody else miss hockey yet?
- BulliesPhan87

This guy does!!

Anybody else miss hockey yet?
- BulliesPhan87

Yes

Today is a dark day in the history of the NHL.
- MBFlyerfan

I never would have thought in 2005 that we would be experiencing another lockout so soon. Maybe that was naive.

I never would have thought in 2005 that we would be experiencing another lockout so soon. Maybe that was naive.
- funmaster18

That's what is making me so mad. In 05, you could see the reasoning behind it. Now, the NHL is making record profits, but mismanaged it by stubbornly forcing teams like Phoenix to stay in markets they can't thrive in. I love the game, but if they cancel the whole season, I am just going to move on to watching football etc. and the NHL won't be getting a dime from me going forward.

I remember being at the 6-2 game in 2007 in Montreal when the Flyers killed the Habs. Back then, it was really a lot of fun to go to games etc, but with the labour strife the last 7 years, the lustre is wearing off for me and I expect it's already gone for people who aren't die hards like myself.

HEY NHL DISNEY ON ICE CALLED TO THANK YOU!

HEY NHL DISNEY ON ICE CALLED TO THANK YOU!
- Philly1980

Today is a dark day in the history of the NHL.
- MBFlyerfan

So was the last time they locked the players out.

I say, let the NHL give the NHPLA what it wants.

Then the owners can decide just how much revenue sharing they really are willing to do. Draw the line in the sand and the remaining owners buy out the teams that don't make the cut. In other words, contract the league by 2 to 5 teams. Hold a dispersal draft. Definitely a cold solution and, due to bankruptcy laws, probably impossible. But it would be ironic to see a "union" eliminate 50 to 125 jobs because they priced their labor out of the market. Can anyone say US Steel Industry?

I say, let the NHL give the NHPLA what it wants.

Then the owners can decide just how much revenue sharing they really are willing to do. Draw the line in the sand and the remaining owners buy out the teams that don't make the cut. In other words, contract the league by 2 to 5 teams. Hold a dispersal draft. Definitely a cold solution and, due to bankruptcy laws, probably impossible. But it would be ironic to see a "union" eliminate 50 to 125 jobs because they priced their labor out of the market. Can anyone say US Steel Industry?
- GeorgeBailey

Have you ran this by the NHL Bylaws?


This is really a solid idea. Screw over the fans of the teams that will be contracted just so you can get back at some players for the lockout.

Have you ran this by the NHL Bylaws?
- MJL

Rules, schmules. Pfft!

Those and the mentioned bankruptcy laws. I'm sure an arrangement could be negotiated. I'd like to know the specific history regarding the Cleveland Barons absorption and how Cincinnatti and Birmingham went away (for $1.5M each).

Rules, schmules. Pfft!

Those and the mentioned bankruptcy laws. I'm sure an arrangement could be negotiated. I'd like to know the specific history regarding the Cleveland Barons absorption and how Cincinnatti and Birmingham went away (for $1.5M each).
- GeorgeBailey

Well forget the rules then. How about just plain common sense?

Screw over the fans of the teams that will be contracted just so you can get back at some players for the lockout.
- MJL

Not really. The teams that would be absorbed are not really economically viable. Is the league really any better due to their existance? How long should the owners who have put capital at risk subsidize franchises that are bleeding cash? At some point, those franchises will need to move or be absorbed, thereby screwing those fans at a future time.

I'm just watching for the ice girls... oooo lala



Poni from Rusty 1-0

Stapleton 1-1

Anybody else miss hockey yet?
- BulliesPhan87

Stolarz Nebraska -Omaha this weekend.

Mikhaylov and The Fedontenkos are down 2-1. Ersberg isn't getting a lot of help in net.

Anybody see the girl in the crowd that the just cut to during a change on the fly?

She was laughing and pointed at something....

7.5/10

At least 10 of the 30 teams have been sold in the last several years, one has already been moved, apparently 15 to 16 can't meet payroll and turn a profit, one is owned by the league and New Jersey and the Isles are on the verge of financial collapse. This league is in complete flux. The problems are with the basic NHL structure, not with player salaries.

While I can't agree in the least with the proposal as stated I certainly can understand the sentiment. The NHL needs new leadership and the ownership of 50% of the teams needs to be stabilized with a vision of the future not a gouging of the players and a lockout. There's no true fix to the ills of the league to be found in a new CBA.

And I don't disagree with a single thing you said. This league needs a more brash forward thinking vision of the future and that takes new leadership because the brash vision that was installed in the 90s has created as more problems than it has growth. We're more than 15 years into the plan they still haven't recovered from leaving for the USA network in the 80s.

Anybody see the girl in the crowd that the just cut to during a change on the fly?

She was laughing and pointed at something....

7.5/10
- Giroux_Is_God

The production crew are doing great service to the men watching this cast and the ice girls are shaking it for the show.

At least 10 of the 30 teams have been sold in the last several years, one has already been moved, apparently 15 to 16 can't meet payroll and turn a profit, one is owned by the league and New Jersey and the Isles are on the verge of financial collapse. This league is in complete flux. The problems are with the basic NHL structure, not with player salaries.

While I can't agree in the least with the proposal as stated I certainly can understand the sentiment. The NHL needs new leadership and the ownership of 50% of the teams needs to be stabilized with a vision of the future not a gouging of the players and a lockout. There's no true fix to the ills of the league to be found in a new CBA.

And I don't disagree with a single thing you said. This league needs a more brash forward thinking vision of the future and that takes new leadership because the brash vision that was installed in the 90s has created as more problems than it has growth. We're more than 15 years into the plan they still haven't recovered from leaving for the USA network in the 80s.
- mayorofangrytown

Yeah..what he said. Pretty much at least. Whatever comes from this CBA probably will not fix the longer term problems of franchise profitablility/viability. If the current owners and the players want to support a 30 team league until the weaker franchises can experience population/fan/revenue growth to become economically viable both sides will need to subsidize it. While both sides have a vested interest in keeping those franchises going, I think the players have more at stake.