More CBA Setbacks

The NHLPA presented three offers to NHL.  Pierre LeBrun had a few quotes from Gary Bettman, says none of them (NHLPA offers) "even began to approach 50-50." Not encouraged, Bettman calls it a "step backward.”  And finally, "We were done in an hour today because there was really nothing there." 

From what I have read, the NHL short review of the proposals did not go over well with the PA.  Going back to the details: 

1.  Fehr insists that depending on revenue growth, NHLPA's first proposal does go down to 50 percent eventually. 

2.  Fehr says No 2 proposal gets owners down to 50 percent with "only five percent growth.” 

3.  Fehr on No 3 proposal - players to go 50/50 as long as owners promise to honor all contracts that were signed by players. 

Fehr says NHL rejected all 3 NHLPA proposals that dealt solely with players' share of HRR and core economics, didn't deal with other systemic issues. Says NHL only was only willing to work off its Tuesday offer.  I assumed that was what the NHL wanted all along. 

Per NHL.com, “In the third proposal, Fehr claimed the Union estimates the players would be losing approximately 13 percent of their salaries under the immediate 50-50 split the League proposed Tuesday, so the proposal the Union made was to segregate that 13 percent, have the owners pay it in full, and put a 50-50 split on the remaining 87 percent of contracts already signed and on future contracts.”

Player Agent, Allan Walsh feels that the players were presented with a $1.6B reduction in salaries and significantly less contract rights.  Per NHL Player, Paul Bissonette, “Players will take a 50/50 split. The players will agree to that if owners honor all existing contracts. It's simple.”

The NHL spoke about the latest proposal follow-ups.  Commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement. "It is not a 50-50 deal. It is, most likely a 56- to 57-percent deal in Year One and never gets to 50 percent during the proposed five-year term of the agreement. 

With more analysis, Bob McKenzie explains, every NHL team would be eligible to receive revenue sharing but top 10 money making clubs would be responsible for contributing 50 per cent of $200M pool.  The numbers that would be adjusted would be based on actual hockey-related revenue calculations following the season.  In addition, because NHL players buried in minors (Redden etc) would count against cap, re-entry waivers would no longer exist. 

McKenzie adds, One of most interesting aspects of NHL proposal is aimed at punishing clubs more than players, with regard to existing back-diving deals.  An important note on back-diving contracts (BDC), If player traded, then later in deal retires, original club on hook for cap hit.

Per Ryan Kennedy, “Talked to an agent about NHL's 2-year entry-level deal logic. He said it will limit big 2nd deals for more players: less time for big stats.  Two recent examples would be Evander Kane and Erik Karlsson, both of whom made big offensive jumps in their third NHL seasons.”

Per Aaron Ward on NHLPA offers,big picture-

1) Set dollar values in Years 1-2-3 for player compensation. Years 4-5,value set at whatever is higher (50% of HRR or year 3 number) and 50/50 in effect.

2) Players hang on to current compensation BUT only take 24.7% of all growth.  At NHL estimated growth of 5%,over 5 years you get to 50/50.

3) Day 1 starts at 50/50, remove 12.28% only to SET cap,benefits,escrow (estimated 87%) number only.

Per Pierre LeBrun, NHL offer calls for 2012-13 salary cap of $59.9 million but teams can go over up to $70.2 million in Year 1 as part of transition.

Arthur Staple adds, “If the divide now centers around paying the full value of existing contracts, it's even more outrageous how some owners acted this summer.  And I wonder how Zach Parise and Ryan Suter feel looking at their new owner on the neg. comte fighting to not pay them what he promised.”

Darren Dreger mentioned, “NHL is expected to cancel games thru Nov 1 only. Still hoping to have resolution and reg. season back on track Nov 2.”  Katie Strang confirmed it a little later on Friday,” League makes it official: announces cancellation of regular-season games through November 1.”

Like several fans, I am so tired of this lockout.  I am fed up with the owners driving salaries up and up while they try and poach free agents from each other.  I see the ridiculous long range contracts whose only purpose is to front load and loop hole the very rules they agreed to set in place.  On the NHLPA side, I know the players took a hit on the last CBA, and they have to be smirking at the Owners position after a record breaking 3B earnings from last season in this horrific economic climate.  Per The Globe and Mail, "Revenues have risen from roughly $2.2-billion to $3.3-billion – or an average of about $160-million a season – over the length of the current CBA, pushing the average revenue-per-team figure to $110-million."

The last NHL proposal seemed pretty fair and if some more hard work is applied to negotiations, the league and NHLPA could resume play.  I for one, refuse to believe that Bettman would allow the flagship, Winter Classic to not happen.  Plus what is really going to happen if the players do not return?  I guess they would just replace a few guys like Sidney Crosby, EvgeniMalkin, Steven Stamkos, Zach Parise, John Tavares, Pekke Rinne and Jonathan Quick.

Make it happen.  Two lockouts in eight years is a joke for a sport that struggles to maintain its identity in the United States against leagues like the NFL, MLB, NBA and Nascar. 

The excitement of the AHL aside, the fans want hockey and we want it now.

Isles Notes:

Eric Hornick points out some advantages for the Islanders in the possible new proposed CBA.

1. Isles would be eligible for revenue sharing.

2. Teams would not be eligible to stash players in minors and avoid salary cap hit.

3. Teams must pay the bottom of the salary cap range and not use bonuses, which were often not attained, to reach that point.

So that means a team, “no longer have an incentive to keep underachieving young players with large bonuses on the NHL roster.  It will be more practical to send players either to the AHL or (if age-appropriate) back to juniors.  no longer have an incentive to keep underachieving young players with large bonuses on the NHL roster.  It will be more practical to send players either to the AHL or (if age-appropriate) back to juniors.”

Among the players on in the Islanders system that it could affect are Niederreiter, Reinhart, Nelson, Halmo, Nilsson, Strome and de Haan.

Rick DiPietro continues to lose while playing in a second tier German league.  Per Eric Hornick on 10/17, “Rick DiPietro's German tm lost in OT tonight 5-4-Winnipeg native Kevin Saurette completed a hat trick by beating DP on an OT pen shot.  Kevin Saurette, who had 3 goals vs DiPietro today scored 2 goals in 27 career AHL games--never played in NHL--5th ssn in Germany.”

Sound Tigers Notes:

UPDATE:  Sound Tigers WIN! @KevinPoulin60 unofficially with 34 saves, BST now 3-0 after earning a 3-2 win over the Penguins.  de Haan left the game with an injury to his left arm.


BST plat the WBS at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Tonight's BST forward lines - Niederreiter-Cizikas-McDonald, Ullstrom-Sundstrom-Persson, DeFazio-Nelson-Kabanov, Halmo-Watkins-Riley.

Likely defensive pairings - Donovan-Hamonic, de Haan-Wishart, Ness-Landry.

Sound Tigers scratches - McIver, Cantin, Backman, MacKay, Gallant and Clark. WBS will dress seven defensemen and 11 forwards tonight.

Sound Tigers starters - Niederreiter-Cizikas-McDonald, de Haan-Wishart. Poulin in goal.

NHL Notes:

Adam Proteau makes a good point with, “Think of the outcry that greeted any NHLer who tried to renege on a contract he signed to get a better deal. That's what owners are doing.” 

Some teams, NYR & CBJ have moved forward with laying down ice in their home arenas per Murphy Siegel.

Per CapGeek, Top teams with two-way AHL salaries exceeding $105,000?

BOS $765k, 2. TOR $740k, 3. NYR $700k, 4. CGY $632.5k, 5. SJ $575k. 

The "Wade Redden rule" would put a small dent in some team's cap payrolls on two-way contracts exceeding $105,000.

Dee Karl said that Glen Healy mentioned that Don Fehr is making THREE times with the NHLPA than he did with Baseball.