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The NHL 2004-2005 Season (LOCKOUT! now over) (1 Viewer)

Moe Maishlish

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Yeah, tell me about it!

I'd love to hear the NHLPA's position on that issue.

The lowest paid NHL player is probably payed at least double the salary of the highest paid rink-lackey... and it's up to those little guys to make sure that the millionaire's on ice can have a proper place to play!

:thumbsdown:

Moe.
 

Lew Crippen

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That is true, but no one pays to watch the guy drive the Zamboni. If the ‘little’ guy could skate 30 mph, wind up and fire a shot on net at 120mph while a defenseman was hooking him, then he’d be making the big bucks too.

I am sorry for those who lose their jobs during any strike, just as I am for airline mechanics and flight attendants who lose their jobs through no fault of their own and help desk staff and assembly line workers who lose theirs due to outsourcing and plants being relocated.

I am just suggesting that this is not that simplistic.
 

Jason Seaver

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Lew, haven't you read a discussion about labor/salary negotiations in sports before? Any player, owner, or other person in the industry concerned about their own interests is a greedy, selfish son of a bitch who doesn't deserve to be anywhere near the sport.

Geez, get with the program.
 

Chris Lockwood

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> the average NHL player salary is higher than the average NFL player salary

Wow. I had no idea. I assumed the NHL would be the lowest paid of the 4 major leagues. Apparently they started jacking up the pay a few years ago. When was that?
 

Quentin

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In the NFL, ALL salary for each team (the hard cap) is paid by TV revenue. That's why the NFL cap raises whenever there are TV licensing re-negotiating. ONLY TV revenue is used to pay player salary. All other revenue (merchandising, stadiums, etc.) goes to the teams/league. Thus, they prosper.

In the NHL, each team gets somewhere between 3 and 6 million per season for TV revenue. If you have a stud on your team, that MIGHT pay HIS salary.

Something has to change, or there will not be an NHL anymore. A hard cap must be implemented. The owners won't end the lockout until it happens.
 

nolesrule

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I heard unofficially today at a Lightning-related invitation-only charity event at the Tampa Museum of Art that it looks like there will probably be a shortened season beginning in January, like in 1995.

I got to meet Lord Stanley's Cup today at the event. There was a display of insider photographs taken by the team's photographer, who is an acquaintance of mine. Some very nice photos...I hope they et released in a book. My favorite was a shot of Andre Roy pouring beer into the mouth of Martin St. Louis who was laying on a table having his face stitched after game 7.
 

MikeH1

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Any of you just catch that interview tonight with Bettman on CBC National News? I don't know if it was just me but it looked like Peter Mansbridge wanted to rip his head off at times.

Tommorrow night their interviewing Bob Goodenow from the Players Union and having a Q & A.
 

Scott Merryfield

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The consensus opinion is that is a best-case scenario. Worst case is that this entire season will be lost, and if that happens the owners will be continuing the lockout until at least January 2006.

Right now, the two sides are not even scheduled to negotiate, and neither side is willing to budge on the major issues. I think the chances of having any NHL hockey this season are less than 50%.
 

Moe Maishlish

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Ok, so let's say that happens... what would happen AFTER January 2006? It's not like the owners are magically going to concede the CAP issue and give in to the NHLPA. Some substantial agreement would have to be reached for the owners to allow the season to resume/commence.

We also have to consider that, if it goes that long, both the players & owners will be suitably sick of each other, just making matters worse. On top of that, fans will probably have developed enough contempt for the league & everyone associated with it that the season will be a washout anyway, with little interest for the game, if any.

Moe.
 

Scott Merryfield

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The point is that if this season is completely lost, the owners will have no incentive to settle for the beginning of the 2006 season. They make most of their money during the playoffs -- if that is lost, why would they concede major points the following summer or fall?

I think this may end up being the longest, ugliest owner/player dispute we've seen so far in professional sports.
 

Jeff Ulmer

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If a lockout continues for any length of time, I would also supect there will be a few teams folding as a result. I would also suspect that the players are getting paid regardless of whether they are playing - it would be foolish for the NHLPA to agree to salaries being terminated by a lockout from another party. If these two sides can't get their heads out of their asses, they deserve to go under, and I doubt many fans will be feeling sorry for them.
 

Scott Merryfield

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I do not believe the players will be getting paid during this lockout. Since the collective bargaining agreement has expired, the owners are simply shutting their doors and "laying off" the players until a new CBA is signed.
 

Lew Crippen

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The NHLPA has no say—their contract with the NHL is over. The whole point of all of this is a new contract to replace the old one.

With no contract with the NHLPA and no games being played, the clubs have no obligation to pay salaries.

And they are not.


EDIT--Scott, you beat me to it. :)
 

Lou Sytsma

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Each side has built up a war chest and the players were told ahead to budget themselves for this two or three years ago. It will take at least a season and more before the pinch is felt. At the time, the owners feel they will have the upper hand as they come from money in most cases.

The players only make money when they play. How well they have saved up will be a large factor.
 

Lew Crippen

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Both sides. Look at the number of players who have signed with other leagues. Plus some of them have signed for the entire season (with no out clause if a contract is signed in time for a partial NHL season.
 

Casey Trowbridg

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I think you're right, and I also think that if they don't play hockey this season and it extends in to January 2k6 the NHL is as close to being on life support and having a guy standing by the plug as you can get.

If there is no NHL hockey from the 2004 cup finals until the new year of 2006 then by then hockey will largely be forgotten about and those hockey fans that would go to and watch the games, a lot of them will have found different ways to enjoy their time and spend their money.

Its not looking good for this league right now.
 

Lou Sytsma

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In the US perhaps but not in Canada. The fans will be lining up like always to fill the ACC in Toronto.
 

Casey Trowbridg

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But it won't be enough to sustain the league. The NHL isn't worried about selling itself in Canada because it knows that it doesn't have to sell itself in Canada. The league also knows that if they can't sell it in the U.S. they've got trouble.
 

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