A Hill To Die On and Isles Notes

After a couple of days, basking in a media sun shower, the NHL lockout looked as if it just might be close to ending.  But after a few more hours and the NHL podium taking center stage on Twitter, it was over.  Rain clouds filled the sky and the lockout continued.

 

 

Per Pierre LeBrun, Daly says term limit on player contracts is so important to league it's "the hill we'll die on."  LeBrun wrote a great article that simplifies it for the rest of us.  It basically said the CBA term, Contract term limits and No compliance buyouts or caps on escrow in transition are the three main sticking points.

For the new CBA, the NHL requires a 10-year deal (with opt. out after eight years) while the NHLPA offered an eight year deal (with opt. out after 6 years.)  He explains it goes back to money for the owners over a guaranteed and longer period of time.

On Player contracts, the NHL wants their 5 year contract term limit over 10 years (w/ 5% variance) while the PA want an 8 year ceiling.  This was what Daly called the “hill they would die on.”  It was the owners after all who time and time again blew the contract terms higher and higher with more and more money to attract or steal players away from other would be suitors in today’s NHL.  They set the bar for agents and players to work with, and since it has spun out of control, they want to undo it.  That would include the many ridiculous contracts signed over the summer.  Zach Parise and Ryan Sutter to Minnesota come to my mind here.

Per Capgeek, 89 players currently are on contracts longer than 5 years.

Bob McKenzie adds, “But of those 89, just over half are on 6 or 7 yr deals signed as UFA or RFA with their own club.  So it's obviously a projection, but 5 yr term limits on contracts could conceivably only apply to just over 40 players.  Why would the PA be so adamantly opposed to 5 yr term limit when it affects so few, relatively speaking, of the membership.  And without doing number crunching, many of those 40+ contracts are "backdiving" and likely not do-able in new CBA. So # is further reduced.”

And basically, the third sticking point would include the ability to “either limit escrow early on in the new CBA and allow teams to buy out players but not have that payment count against the salary cap.”  With the NHL offering a generous 300 million outside system to bridge the fiscal gap, they are not willing to spend any more.  Instead, the want to have the first 12 months of the new CBA as an amnestry period of sorts to balance their books and make the cap budgetary constraints of the new CBA.  This, they feel will eventually level the field and allow them to adjust gradually to the new system.  Which Bob McKenzie said, the “$300M Make Whole, up from $211M offer, which more or less splits difference on NHLPA ask $393M.”  That’s a fair offer in my opinion.

Per Andy Strickland, “When NHLPA wanted Fehr back in room to close out deal yesterday, owners said it would be a deal breaker. Derailed process.”  So what will happen with the NHLPA?  Will they really consider the last offer, make an appeal to compromise and keep Fehr out of the final stages of negotiation?

 

Adam Proteau posted a few excerpts from his interview with former Isles Defensemen, Mathieu Schneider.  He offers his insider take on the CBA negotiations so far.

Schneider stated, “"It was a new cast of characters, but it was the same old story. It was a take-it-or-leave it offer and they walked out of the room … We had a counter-proposal ready for them, the owners wouldn’t even come and listen to it. They sent Bob Batterman and Bill Daly ... (t)hey essentially said they were not going to accept our proposal in the morning before they even knew what we were going to say.  The new owners wanted to come in and say, you know, we are where we are, let’s get this done, let’s forget how we got here and we said, 'We’re $182 million apart, guys, we should be able to get in a room and figure this out tonight.' They came back in with this ridiculous set of numbers and said, ‘No, we’re actually over $900 million apart.’  Their first offer was five years. We were at three & an option. We moved up to 5 years, they moved to six. In this last negotiation … this past week, we moved up to six, they moved up to 10. There’s no rhyme or reason for it … It’s been the case throughout the negotiations. They come in with a take-it-or-leave it, walk away, they try to pressure the guys … And (owners) essentially said, ‘If Don’s in the room, it’s a deal-breaker’. And I don’t know what you do with that."

It is speculated that the NHL will cancel the next bunch of games tomorrow and no meetings are reported to be on the docket for this weekend.

 

Isles Notes:

John Tavares has 12 and 19 for 31 pts in 20 games with bern.  (Same team as Mark Streit.)

Josh Bailey has 3 and 8 for 11 pts in 6 games with Bietigheim-Bissingen SC.  (Same team as Rick DiPietro.)

Per Anthony Stabile, Isles “have 3 Invites to the Canada's WJC tryouts. Griffin Reinhart, Adam Pelech and Ryan Strome.”

Ryan Strome has 22 and 40 for 62 pts in 31 games this season in the OHL.

Per @NYIslanders84, “Ryan Strome named player of the month. Leads OHL in scoring (20 g 39a) in 30 games played. 9 ahead of the 2nd leading scorer.”

Per the New York Islanders, “Anders Lee Named Warrior CCHA Player of the Month.”

Per Joe Yerden, former Islander, Mark Parrish retired from professional hockey on November 26^th.  “Over 700 games, 200 goals and an All-Star appearance …”

Per @nhlhistorygirl, “On this date in 1988, Isles fired Terry Simpson and re-hired Al Arbour.”

“On this date in 1996, isles retired Clark Gilles' no. 9. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O28I1457VCc …”

"We'll play, and win, by any style we have to." – Isles Bob Nystrom, 1980 playoffs”

“During one game in 1980 Isles vs. Sabres semi-finals, ref Andy von Hellemond ordered Billy Smith to the dressing room before handshake line.”

“On the day of a game...I'll go for a walk to talk to myself. I need to keep my mind a blank-so I watch Laverne & Shirley – Isles  Billy Smith”

“Billy Smith butt-ended Canucks, Tiger Williams, who then pinned him and tried to choke Smith with the chain he was wearing.”

“On this date (Dec 6^th.)  in 2010, (Former Isles Capt.) Bill Guerin announced his retirement.”

Former Islander, “Tommy Soderstom has Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, and required 3 heart catheterization procedures over a 2 month period.”

Per nhlfreeagents.com, Manchester Monarchs Signed former Isles (G) Peter Mannino to a Standard Player Contract.

Per Dan Weiss, “Rampage announce they've signed former NHL (Isles) veterans Jon Sim and Mike Mottau to professional try-out agreements.”

Per Matias Strozyk, Former Islander, “Alexei Yashin has been appointed General Manager of Russia women's national team. Will work in both athletic development and management.”

Per Kevin Schultz, “Hey Isles fans there may not be hockey but at least nobody left the gate open. AMMIRITE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE4bcq8Plzk …”    Amen Brother.

 

Sound Tigers Notes:

The Tigers have a game in Albany on Saturday, and home Sunday vs, Syracuse.

Hamonic is day to day.

Forward lines in practice today: Niederreiter-Nelson-McDonald, Persson-Sundstrom-MacKay, Watkins-Cizikas-Riley, Gallant-Backman-Halmo (DeFazio)

Per @TheSoundTigers, “Sound Tigers announce @ColinMcDonald13 has been named team captain for the 2012-13 season.  Second-year pro @zeeker11 named assistant captain; @JonnyLa27 named 2nd home asst. captain, Matt Watkins named 2nd asst. captain on road.

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers have lost 7 consecutive games dating back to November 21^st.

Brandon DeFazio has been suspended 6 games for leaving the bench to fight Brandon Segal of the Connecticut Whale in a 4-2 loss on December 6^th.

“The Bridgeport Sound Tigers announced (11/28) that defenseman Jordan Hill has agreed to terms on a one-year, American Hockey League deal.”

On December 3^rd, “The New York Islanders have reassigned Jason Clark from the Sound Tigers to the Gwinnett Gladiators of the ECHL.”

Per Christian Arnold, “If the NHL doesn't solve this lockout thing soon, a game between the Whale & Sound Tigers at Barclays would be a fun experiment.”

 

NHL Notes:

My thought:   How about ending the lockout and having an NHL Christmas Eve or Christmas day game marketed like the Winter Classic to entertain a captive sports audience?

Per Darren Dreger, Quebec Labour Board hearing in Montreal has been postponed due to latest CBA talks.

Per John Shannon, The NHLPA requested the return of Federal Mediators to the CBA process.

Per Katie Strang, “Forbes article on 2012 NHL team values makes good case for PA's stance on revenue-sharing. Says 30 teams never been further apart on $$.”

“According to article, top 5 teams (TOR, NYR, MTL, CHI and BOS) worth avg $605M while bottom 5 (CAR, NYI, CBJ, PHX, STL) avg at $145M.”

“Rangers are second most profitable team ($74 million). Coupled with TOR and MTL, those three teams account for 83% of NHL's income.”

Steve Zipay adds, “Forbes: Isles worth $155 million, up 4% on anticipated Bklyn move. Estimated revenue 2011-12: $66 milion. Operating income: minus $16 mil.”

Per Adam Proteau, “Forbes says the average NHL team is worth 18% more than it was worth last year & only 3 teams saw their value decrease. Worth a lockout, eh?”

Per Craig Custance, “Had 1 exec examine Forbes valuation of his team. Gate receipts were off appx. $6 million; operating income appx $12 mil. They're estimates.”

Anthony Stabile points out a great article by Joe Haggerty, “Another lockout gem by @HackswithHaggs http://www.csnne.com/hockey-boston-bruins/bruins-talk/Haggerty-Jacobs-should-be-held-responsib?blockID=807091&feedID=3352 …”.

And another by Dave Zirin.  A must read!

Minnesota Wild goaltender Josh Harding has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.