[Discussion] Start Planning For Expansion and A Lockout/Stoppage.

[TheGuardian_]

22 hours ago, IBatch said:

How are these major issues?  The Cap was a major issue, one the owners were willing to lock out for.  Olympics, well Benning has all but stated they would go next time, if he re-negs I doubt the players feel strongly enough as a unit to make this a strike worthy action, but if they do I'd support them.  FA?  The players already are becoming UFAs younger than ever.  Don't think the league considers this a big issue, teams still get two contracts out their younger players.  

 

The only issue IMO that would cause another work stoppage is if the players decide as a group they simply can't work under the cap, and ask for the owners to remove it.  This could happen for two reasons:

 

1.  The largest demographic of players in the NHL are the middle class citizens.  

2. 10% of the NHL takes up 40% of the available cap space.  Second contracts for servicable journeymen are not as big as they used to be pre-cap percentage wise, as GMs are forced to cut and trim pay cheques to pay their superstars, or star players and still make it under the cap.  Often good players that deserve more take less to stay with their team, or find themselves traded anywhere, including a rebuilding team.  Not exactly job security, your reward for playing well for a good team up against the cap is not a raise and a long term contract, instead a one way ticket out of there. 

 

To me this is where the cap fails, along with creating a playing field that is too vanilla, and removing the rivalry factor between certain clubs.  

 

Kane, Toews, Crawford, Keith, Seabrook should have had a crack at becoming one of the better teams ever, the short year was one of the most dominant performances the NHL has seen since some of the 90s Detroit seasons.  It was so good they were named the 13th best team ever, going up against some amazing teams (Detroit was 8).  Imagine if they kept Byfuglien, Saad, Panarin etc...they would likely still be contending for cups.  Instead those five players collectively count for half the entire cap..silly right?

 

It's creating a class system like the NHL has never seen.  Guys that get a second contract and before would get a fair third are finding themselves without work because GMs need to play their rookies or find cheaper alternatives that usually aren't as affective.  

 

Its not like the money isn't there, because it is.  If Baseball can have quarter plus billion dollar payrolls and TO can pay a guy 33 million for two years to hit home runs and he's batting .145, no big deal....sure they play more games with a bigger haul at the gate but NHL salaries pale in comparison.

 

So in summary, I really don't see any of those major issues, escrow is accounting the players signed up for, since the cap started the cap has more than doubled, everyone is making money except for a few of Bettmans favorite failures he just won't let go (unless he plans to finally stop eating crow and moves ARI or CAR to Quebec).

 

Ferh when asked about the cap has always politely stated that the players stil would prefer the old system or one without the cap.  But not in a way that is combative or worrisome like his predecessors.  

 

I expect they will mostly deal with some of the problems owners and GMS have under the cap, like increasing or allowing a few more buy-outs.  Maybe add a clause that the cap only works until a week before the trade deadline, then it's a free market again and the teams have until the start of the following year to get back under the cap...that would make it a significant event again, instead of the boring,anti-climatic one it's become ... Bigger and more meaningful trades would be possible again.

 

 

The next CBA will be dealing with issues thought to need correcting, new things to be signed up for, September 2019 the NHL an then the NHLPA can end the current contract. That agents are making contracts that include reduced salary that year indicate some level of expectation of work stoppage.

 

Escrow, only the players pay for a shortfall in revenue, I am not sure what it is right now but if it is like 15%, it is costing the players. What is listed as a million dollar contract is only getting 750K, sure this is still a huge amount but not what was signed.

 

The NHLPA has issues, they have already rejected an Olympic clause for an extension of 3 years of the current deal.

 

The NHL also has issues they would like the right for a team to renegotiate a player’s contract or allow a player to terminate their contract, they want to place more limits on no-trade/no-movement clauses and they want to eliminate the payment most of a player’s salary as signing bonus.

 

You are probably correct in that there will be some sort of amnesty with contract buyouts, Weber's. Suter's and Parise's for sure, Leipold must have known when he signed them he wouldn't be on the hook, he was a NHL negotiator when they were signed and he was deeply involved financially with Nashville. 

[IBatch]

33 minutes ago, TheGuardian_ said:

The next CBA will be dealing with issues thought to need correcting, new things to be signed up for, September 2019 the NHL an then the NHLPA can end the current contract. That agents are making contracts that include reduced salary that year indicate some level of expectation of work stoppage.

 

Escrow, only the players pay for a shortfall in revenue, I am not sure what it is right now but if it is like 15%, it is costing the players but time. what is listed as a million dollar contract is only getting 750K, sure this is still a huge amount but not what was signed.

 

The NHLPA has issues, they have already rejected an Olympic clause for an extension of 3 years of the current deal.

 

The NHL also has issues they would like the right for a team to renegotiate a player’s contract or allow a player to terminate their contract, they want to place more limits on no-trade/no-movement clauses and they want to eliminate the payment most of a player’s salary as signing bonus.

 

You are probably correct in that there will be some sort of amnesty with contract buyouts, Weber's. Suter's and Parise's for sure, Leipold must have known when he signed them he wouldn't be on the hook, he was a NHL negotiator when they were signed and he was deeply involved financially with Nashville. 

If either side decides to walk out or lock our over these things I will disappointed... It does seem to be Bettmans way...

[cripplereh]

we will be fine for expansion

 

far as a lockout I think and have said before we need anyone who spends a dime or more a year to get a court order saying us as fans who pay the bills block a lockout and take that power away from bettman,least here in canada so a canadian team will win the cup

[Ryan Strome]

On 2018-05-02 at 1:36 PM, combover said:

I could see another lock out And another buy out allowance to help Gary’s pets in the USA get out from some terrible contracts.

 

expasion and sucks I hope it’s sooner than later.

 

Some Canadian teams need help out of some terrible contracts.