The Puck Stops Here

There have been many reports that the lockout is almost over. Many media sources have guessed at what the new CBA will look like. The guesses have looked a lot like a Gary Bettman wishlist. Salary cap, salaires tied to 54% of revenues PLUS the 24% rollback of salaries. This CBA would be more than Gary Bettman and the NHL ever publically asked for in this lockout. Many players find themselves wondering what they sat out a season for if the NHL is dictating the settlement. These tend to be the younger players who will be most affected by this CBA. They are the ones that will lose the most money with a bad CBA deal. They are starting to openly question the NHLPA leadership. People like Trevor Linden and Bill Guerin who have very little left in their careers. Each game they miss is costing them and they do not have a future to make up that money. They may have had enough and just want a deal even if it sells out the futures of the younger players.

There is some speculation that the NHLPA might vote down a particularly bad settlement agreement.

I think that Bob Goodenow is engaging the NHL in understanding their revenues and trying to find a mutually agreeable revenue definition. Then the rest of the CBA will be discussed in more detail. I don't think he agrees in principle to many of the NHL dictated items in a settlement framework. I think that other older players in the NHLPA such as Trevor Linden do. I think there is (or will be) a power struggle as a result of this. I think this lockout is far frrom over. I remain skeptical that the bargaining is almost over.

Here is a Bruce Garrioch story that outlines many of these points.