The Official CBA Negotiations/Lockout Super Thread

I don't know why they couldn't have played this season under last years contract and negotiated during the regular season. The cap was already established this year at 70 million so give the fans a bone and play the games. You sign a legal document stating that there will be no lockout, or owners would be responsible to pay the players their full wages. You also state no strike at all (probably when the playoffs start which is what the players would do as they know they aren't getting paid and the owners make their most money at that time) or the players pay back every penny they earned up to that point.

Then we get to see games, the league doesn't have a huge black eye, the deal has 1 full year to be worked on and they could meet once every 2 weeks or so and still meet 26 times.....it's a win/win for everyone.

Eh! What do I know....at least it gives Quick more time to heal, it gives the Kings more chance to rest up to defend the title. And it saves me lots of dough as had the season started on time, my son and I were going to fly out to LA to see some games, but now it's too late as I needed the season to start on time to plan vacation and such. Now the schedule will be different if they cancel games, etc....so screw you NHL!!!!!!!!!

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Originally Posted by aragorn

I see that both sides confirmed to ESPN.com that the NHL approached the NHLPA and asked it to consider freezing the salary cap at $64.3 million, the number which was in effect for the 2011-12 season, instead of raising it for the July 1 start of free agency. The league’s view was that raising the cap for this past offseason was an artificial inflation of the cap given that a new CBA was in the offing. The NHLPA declined the offer, very much in its rights under the expiring CBA, but it certainly didn't help in the situation they now find themselves in.

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CBA negotiations at 'crucial' period - Cross Checks Blog - ESPN

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We’ve been telling you about the key philosophical divide that currently has things grounded to a halt: The owners want to shave money from the players right from the outset of the next CBA (via escrow), while the players are willing to take less in the future but no less than they already have ($1.873 billion in salaries last season). It’s a dramatic difference of opinion.

To add context to this disagreement, consider what happened in late June as an important precursor to this. At that point, both sides confirmed to ESPN.com that the NHL approached the NHLPA and asked it to consider freezing the salary cap at $64.3 million, the number which was in effect for the 2011-12 season, instead of raising it for the July 1 start of free agency.

The league’s view was that raising the cap for this past offseason was an artificial inflation of the cap given that a new CBA was in the offing. Not surprisingly, the NHLPA declined the offer, very much in its rights under the expiring CBA to have the salary cap increase July 1 according to corresponding revenues. As such, the salary cap went up to $70.2 million for the July 1 opening of the market, and some teams went ahead and spent like drunken sailors.

From that moment on, the league and owners were intent on recouping some of that money in the ensuing CBA talks.

The summer’s free-agent spending under the new salary cap was an important factor in what now stands as the No. 1 philosophical battle between the sides.

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Not a new development, but maybe previously unreleased information?

Anyway, if you take $70.2M-$64.3M and multiply it by 30, the difference comes out to $177M.

That number is meaningful only if ALL teams spend to the $70.2M cap.

The NHLPA didn't go for that?

Really?

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Originally Posted by Lappy!

Shoot a giant cannon off, indoors.

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And I forgot Boomer the mascot who was looking a little too excited if ya know what I mean.

http://cdn1.sbnation.com/imported_as...mer_medium.jpg

Let the layoffs begin. Absolutely sickening...

NHL staff reduced to four-day work weeks during lockout

#CBA NHL has canceled all pre-season games through September 30th
Retweeted by James Mirtle

“People don’t care as much this time around — that’s what’s scary,” Brendan Morrison, a member of the NHLPA’s 31-man negotiating committee, said on Day 3 of the latest lockout. “Last time, people were in an uproar, right? This time around, I don’t sense that as much . . . it’s almost like, ‘So what? I’ll save 20 grand on season tickets this year.’ That’s a little bit scary.


I hope you impart that to your fellow players and I hope the owners hear it as well. Loud and clear. You are taking turns stabbing the golden goose, people.

Yeah, really. I mean, it's in their (owners and players) mutual interest that there is no lockout (not just financial reasons), but because both sides play the greedy role, there IS a lockout. They rather lose everything and damage reputation, than make a compromise. And it's like this everywhere...people as stupid as this are everywhere, and unfortunately, many people that affect our lives are like this. Common sense is so rare these days...

And thanks to genetics and parenting, I can't see the end of this in my lifetime (and I'm in early twenties).

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Originally Posted by Bollocks

Yeah, really. I mean, it's in their (owners and players) mutual interest that there is no lockout (not just financial reasons), but because both sides play the greedy role, there IS a lockout. They rather lose everything and damage reputation, than make a compromise.

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Spot on. A lockout should NEVER have been an option this time around. The NHL and NHLPA have caused unrepairable damage to the league, and further damage will continue to be done as long as the lockout is in place.

Mike Modano estimates he lost $7M in last lockout - ESPN

In my opinion the players should just cave right now, and just move on. The owners are more than prepared to sit out a year as they have done before. I really don't think this is a scare tactic. The players will ultimately lose because they have ZERO leverage. They could UNITE all they want, all day long, put out videos with sad stories of pond hockey growing up with sensitive emotional background music, it just doesn't do anything.

The more the players wait, the more it hurts their so-called "cause."

The NHLPA and all the players should start having talks with more players like Modano who were around during that time, and make an honest assessment.

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Originally Posted by Broon

Mike Modano estimates he lost $7M in last lockout - ESPN

In my opinion the players should just cave right now, and just move on. The owners are more than prepared to sit out a year as they have done before. I really don't think this is a scare tactic. The players will ultimately lose because they have ZERO leverage. They could UNITE all they want, all day long, put out videos with sad stories of pond hockey growing up with sensitive emotional background music, it just doesn't do anything.

The more the players wait, the more it hurts their so-called "cause."

The NHLPA and all the players should start having talks with more players like Modano who were around during that time, and make an honest assessment.

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It's also a different atmosphere for the players. Those that are injured are still getting paid. Many free agents from this year and last received a Signing bonus prior to the lock-out. There's not much urgency when you've already been paid 80% of your salary and you don't have to step on the ice.