- Andy Strickland via twitter: Source said that NHL and NHLPA are not any further along in the CBA process than they were on Sept. 15th. (It’s mind boggling that, that is even possible. Sigh)
- Bob McKenzie of TSN: McKenzie thinks there are 2 fundamental obstacles to get a deal done.
The first is that Bettman and the owners want too much too quickly, a significant and immediate reduction in the players’ share of Hockey Related Revenue that would result in a first-year pay cut of no less than 12 per cent, and perhaps more than that. Many (outside of the NHLPA anyway) don’t dispute the notion that the NHL and NHLPA are destined, eventually, to go from the old 43-57 share arrangement to around 50-50, but the NHL seems hell-bent on getting there immediately with no consideration of transitioning to soften the blow to the players. For me, the ultimate issue is not going to 50-50 as much as it is how you get there. It took seven years for the old CBA to swing in the players’ favor, why does it have to ruthlessly and awkwardly snap back the owners’ way in one fell swoop?
The second roadblock is Fehr and the NHLPA clinging steadfastly to the notion that — upon expiry of a CBA that has been very good to them and faced with the old lockout-gun-to-the-head approach — they’re going to escape this conflict without any tangible reduction in the dollars they earn. As righteous as they believe their cause to be, and as empathetic as many have been to that cause, I still find it beyond incredulous that the lockout is on, the players are losing salary as we speak and there has yet to be any acknowledgement in the form of an NHLPA proposal that contemplates the players taking an actual dollar less than they’ve been getting. I know why Fehr doesn’t think they should have to; I also know there’ll be no meaningful negotiations until the players move into that universe.
- Allan Walsh via twitter: “Some billionaire owners can’t stand the missed revenue from the lockout and are contemplating action. Watch! ” … “privately, that a few big market owners have hijacked the NHL and we want the NHL to start” Andy Stricland via twitter: (tweeting with Walsh) “those big market owners won’t play under players proposal that asks them to share $$. Have no issue playing under old system tho “
- Allan Walsh via twitter: Don Fehr, “I tend to believe that planned economies don’t work very well. That’s what we have in hockey and the capped sports. that said, the players are willing to live with it (a cap), if we can get a deal done.”
- Sportsnet: They have a ‘NHL Lockout Clock” tracking lost salaries. 9 total games missed, $13,053,404.89 in salary. Average salary lost per game: $1,472,315.25. Average salary lost per hour: $483,459.44.
- Ottawa Citizen: Sergei Gonchar on Russian stars remaining in Russia,
“Yeah, why not?” Gonchar, the Ottawa Senators defenceman told ESPN.com on Friday. “If you think about it, maybe you can put something in the new CBA. If the guys feel like it’s not fair what’s on the table, they might ask (NHL Players’ Association executive director Don Fehr) to put something in the new CBA to allow them to stay back home. I mean, why not? We don’t know where it’s going with that new CBA. Everything is possible. That’s why I think there is a chance that a guy like Alex (Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals) might stay back home.”