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2018-2019 NHL Thread – Thunderstorm Warning

Five years is too short - I'd say that seven is a good length though.

And the contract length limits are a way of minimizing the effects of bad contracts for owners and front office staff. I understand the players wanting their money to be fully guaranteed no matter what, but one of the things that make the NFL competitive every year is that teams can get out from under bad contracts relatively quickly, and option that isn't readily available in the NBA, NHL, or MLB.

I don't follow the NFL closely, is it really more competitive than the NHL?
 
OK, quick, back of the envelope numbers, in the finals for the seven years since the NHL lockout:

NHL: 12 teams represented, 7 different winners
NFL: 9 teams represented, 5 different winners
NBA: 8 teams represented, 5 different winners
MLB: 9 teams represented, 5 different winners

Side note, hockey is awesome.
 
Jesus Christ

Gotta leak negativity so the other side thinks you're about to walk away, then they'll cave!

In other news, Ryan Miller apparently went off on someone yesterday. Drama!
 
The players may feel like the owners are using the excitement of being close to a deal and getting started soon to squeeze them. If asking for a mediator is a stall tactic, it is likely to show the owners they aren't bending to that pressure.

Kind of like Bettman proposing a two week break, except done in a way that is less PR-stupid (but just as obnoxious).
 
And now the owners aren't even going participating in the meetings and are leaking to the media how "furious" they are at Fehr, who hasn't been in the room the last two days. The manufactured drama would be funny if it weren't endangering hockey :(
 
And now the owners aren't even going participating in the meetings and are leaking to the media how "furious" they are at Fehr, who hasn't been in the room the last two days. The manufactured drama would be funny if it weren't endangering hockey :(

Owners seem to think they have a good plan offered and want the players to vote, but Fehr won't bring the proposal to the players.

Meanwhile:

Dejan Kovacevic ‏@Dejan_Kovacevic
And there it goes. Meeting over. The end. Thanks for coming, everyone. … Idiots rule.

I don't know if a season will be played at this point.
 
Owners seem to think they have a good plan offered and want the players to vote, but Fehr won't bring the proposal to the players.

They’ve thought that about every offer they’ve put on the table. They have posted them online, allowed 48 hour windows for owners and GMs to call players, and leaked details to the media all in an attempt to get the players to overrule Fehr. Every time it made the union stronger, do they expect a different result this time?

Maybe it’ll work. Maybe they’re close enough, and it is late enough in the lockout, that the players will finally push to accept the owners’ deal. But that seems like a pretty big risk to take. (Especially when they’ve cratered their credibility by trying that tactic twice before.)

But maybe there is a reason the owners tried this make nice round of talks in early December, so there would still be time to make a deal even if it blows up.
 
Huh, Fehr says they have an agreement on transition payments and pension. So the remaining divide among big items is:

- term limit for contracts (8 yrs vs. 5 yrs)
- % variance year over year on contracts (5% year over year vs. lowest year must be at least 25% of highest year)
- length of deal (8 yrs vs. 10 yrs)

Grain of salt, obviously, given the source (owners may disagree on his conclusions), but, um, that should bring the owners back to the table, no?
 
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DAMN! Forgot that tonight was the night that the Bears are playing at the Verizon Center. I totally meant to go. Ooops.
 
So wait, catching up on Bettman's comments.... he didn't even debate the numbers? Just said that CBA length and contract length are important, and that the owners' feelings were hurt last night? Come on, if Fehr is lying about something, give the details, cause you look AWFUL.

Apparently a bunch of the players are in the back of the room listening to the press conference. Awkward.
 
Chris Johnston ‏@reporterchris
Ron Hainsey says the NHL told players last night that bringing Don Fehr back into the room was potentially "a deal-breaker."

Hahaha. The NHL wanted to get a deal done without Fehr. The players insisted on bringing Fehr back. The owners decided to end talks and pin the blame on Fehr. Fehr brings a proposal that makes it look ridiculously stupid to let the process break down now. The owners are sticking with the original plan, with owners sending out press releases blaming Fehr, who, again, wasn't in the room for any meeting they took part in, as far as I know.

Don Fehr: professional troll.
 
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The one thing that really bothers me from the players POV is this fight over the length of the CBA. Time flies by and the old CBA was 8 years. What is the big deal in having it go for 10 years?
I thought the 10 year plan had an opt out after 8 years anyway. I agree, by the way. Maybe they're just trying to use it as leverage for other concessions.

These latest obstacles could alienate some of the more moderate owners which would obviously not be good for getting a deal done.
 
Sky Kerstein ‏@SkyKerstein
A "Fire Bettman" chant has broken out at Verizon Center
 
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