Damn lockout (hockey topic)

[Sharkbait]

::sigh::

All you anti-hockey ppl, pls do me a favor and just keep it to yourselves, 'k? This really depresses me.

NHL lockout about to become reality
By IRA PODELL, AP Sports Writer
September 15, 2004

TORONTO (AP) -- First, the talking stopped. Now, the games have, too.

Hockey has run out of time and tournaments. All that's left is a lockout.

Players from Canada and Finland spoke about being focused on the World Cup of Hockey's final game and not on their fight with NHL owners.

But Canada ended that tournament with a 3-2 victory Tuesday night. So amid the cheers, the beers and probably some tears, the questions turned to what was going to happen next.

The current collective bargaining agreement between owners and players expires at 12:01 a.m. Thursday. With no talks scheduled, a lockout is a virtual certainty once the NHL board of governors conclude a Wednesday meeting in New York.

``We're supposed to be partners,'' said Mario Lemieux, the player-owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins. ``It's not a question of going to war or winning a battle, it's just a question of what makes sense for the business and what makes sense for the players.''

Training camps won't open this week and games -- slated to begin Oct. 13 -- will soon be canceled, too.

``I think everyone is going to be on the same page and hopefully something is going to happen sooner than later,'' New Jersey goalie Martin Brodeur said. ``As for my plans, I'm just going to probably coach minor hockey, my kids.''

Wade Redden took off his practice gear unsure of when he'd have a chance to put it on again.

His injured shoulder wouldn't allow him to play for Canada. The lockout will extend his rest time.

``Tomorrow is D-Day and it's going to be probably the last time we get on the ice for a bit,'' Redden said Tuesday.

A bit would be an optimistic view. The sides haven't spoken since talks broke off last Thursday, when the players' association made a proposal of a luxury-tax system with revenue sharing, a rollback of salaries, and changes to entry-level contracts.

The owners said that framework doesn't ensure cost certainty for its clubs, and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the sides ``weren't speaking the same language.''

``It's a sad situation but there's nothing you can do right now,'' free-agent forward Teemu Selanne said. ``Everybody is expecting a long lockout, which is not good for hockey, but it's going to happen no matter what.''

That's what happened in the 1994-95 season when the game was shut down for 103 days and the schedule was cut nearly in half. If no deal is reached by January, as it was the last time, the season would likely be lost.

The message in the locker rooms of Canada and Finland was clear. Players won't accept a salary-cap system and they are prepared to wait as long as necessary to get a deal they can live with.

Even if that means sacrificing a season or two.

``I'd rather not miss a year in hockey when I'm 25,'' Dallas forward Brenden Morrow said. ``I'd like to be playing, but I'm just one small piece of this whole puzzle.

``So until we can divide up that pie and everyone be happy with their piece, we're not going to get too much hockey played this year.''

Ville Nieminen, a forward with the Calgary Flames, will join his hometown team in the Finnish Elite League that begins this week. European players have more options in that regard than their North American counterparts, who could join some optimistic startup leagues.

``If I don't do anything, I can't play hockey ever again. I like food too much,'' Nieminen said.

Morrow has opportunities to play in Europe, but he has been reluctant to act on them because he has an infant at home and is not eager to go so far away.

``I want to take a few weeks after this tournament, go back to Dallas and wait for a miracle to happen,'' he said. ``If it doesn't, then I'll check over my options.

``I don't think I'm going to go a year without hockey. I'm going to end up doing something, eventually. I'm just not doing anything tomorrow.''

On Monday, Nieminen took some of his younger Finnish teammates to the players' association offices and introduced them to representatives.

His quiet, 20-year-old teammate Joni Pitkanen has just one NHL season under his belt, and the Philadelphia Flyers defenseman is not looking to return to Finland.

Pitkanen just got here and wants to get more comfortable with the smaller North American ice rinks and with English -- a language still quite foreign.

``It was a big change for me and I don't want to take a back step and go home again,'' Pitkanen said.

So, he will instead play with the Philadelphia Phantoms, the Flyers' minor league team in the AHL.

Teppo Numminen's career might be over if the lockout stretches too long. He's 36, with 16 NHL seasons behind him. His time in North America might be done for good.

``Maybe as a player,'' he said. ``If this drags out, I might be back for vacation.''

It seems there'll be plenty of time for that.

 

[Sharkbait]

If this goes the whole season (or more) which it very much looks like it will, I really think this could be the end of the NHL as we know it. In some ways that really sucks, but in some ways the NHL has been going in the wrong directions for years now.

 

[Sharkbait]

This photo pretty much sums up my thoughts...

 

[Corry]

Ok...without me reading that entire thing, what exactly is a lockout?

 

[Sharkbait]

The players union and the team owners can't come to an agreement about a new collective bargaining agreement, so they're going to have a lockout--sort of like a strike but it's from both sides at the same time. Instead of the players striking, the players are going to strike AND the owners aren't going to let them play anyway.

In effect, no hockey until at least January, and probably not even at all this season (and possibly next season as well).

 

[Big Mike]

I think the problem is at the highest level. Gary Betman, the NHL commissioner and Bob Goodenow, the Player's Association President, are to blame.

Betman is incompetent and Goodenow is stubborn and ignorant. They each have their team of lawyers and spin doctors that don't seem to care either.

The way I see it...the owners are to blame for the problem. They were the ones who started shelling out the enormous salaries. The players did not refuse...who would?
But Now it's the players who need to step up and fix this. The PA will not even consider any deal that involves any sort of salary cap. The PA is acting like a four year old in an argument.

The NFL put in a salary cap and it's the best run pro sports league. Why doesn't the PA see this?

I believe that the vast majority of the players don't feel as strongly as they are represented by the PA. They just want to play...it's not like they still won't be getting huge salaries. Unfortunately the players can't or won't stand up to their own union. I can understand that...they don't want to be black listed.

It seem that neither side really understands the consequences of an extended lock-out. Ratings in the US (where the money is) are way down. Americans (as a whole) just don't want to watch hockey. The lock-out will just serve to worsen this situation until the league becomes obsolete. It's an endless spiral of death...they must do something to fix the problem...and do it soon.

 

[graigdavis]

:cry:

That sucks. But I really hope something better comes of it. Maybe the NHL can reconstruct and get players that just want to play and not for half a billion a year. Maybe ticket prices will be cut so you can actualy afford to go. If not, then farm leagues and college teams will have a bigger crowd and that would be awesome! I know Im going to be spending more time at BW watching hockey, and watching Clevelands farm league.

 

[Sharkbait]

I agree. I love seeing hockey at the highest level, but we've got 2 teams within easy driving distance (columbus and chicago, and nashville's only a couple hrs further), and I would never consider going to see them in person--too damn expensive. :|

But I will go to a lot more Ice games this year here in Indy...

 

[Big Mike]

I agree...

The Oilers moved their farm team to Edmonton this year. So we will have pro hockey here this year anyway.

 

[Sharkbait]

That's good. After last season, the Indy Ice folded their professional club, disbanded, and brought in an amateur team from some development league. :shrug: Buncha kids, but now it'll be like watching the "somedays" instead of the "hasbeens"

 

[Big Mike]

On the good side...

A lot of the lower level hockey is really fun to watch. These guys have something to play for. They are trying to get noticed, they are trying to get their chance.

All too often it seems that the pros just mail it in.

 

[Chase]

Figures, I get high def TV just in time to catch the last game of the Stanely Cup playoffs (which is awesome to watch in HD) and now there won't be any season....and I was looking SO forward to watching games in HD.

 

[santino]

I hate lockouts, don't know much about the NHL but in '99 the NBA didn't play for a while too.

 

[Sharkbait]

Figures, I get high def TV just in time to catch the last game of the Stanely Cup playoffs (which is awesome to watch in HD) and now there won't be any season....and I was looking SO forward to watching games in HD.

Did you get to watch any of the world cup? Did they broadcast any of that in HD?

 

[Chase]

Nope, all of that was standard definition...they don't give enough love to hockey!