The NHL Thread

Shouldn't the NHL just get a deal done and now they care about this!!

TSN.ca

NHL TO LOOK AT HOOKING, HOLDING AND INTERFERENCE STANDARDS

Away from the pressure of competition, Colin Campbell hopes the NHL can find some clarity on its standard for calling penalties.
The NHL's senior vice-president of hockey operations will oversee a rules summit with key stakeholders in the game Tuesday and Wednesday that is tasked with examining the way hooking, holding and interference calls were handed out last season.

"We've got lots of video clips to look at and we're trying to determine where our standard is and if we want to tighten it up at all," Campbell said Monday.

The meeting will be held in place of the research and development camp the NHL put on the last two years.

There should be a healthy exchange of ideas with five general managers (Darcy Regier, Lou Lamoriello, Ray Shero, Steve Yzerman, Mike Gillis) and four head coaches (Joel Quenneville, Barry Trotz, Dave Tippett, Adam Oates) in a room with players, referees and members of the league's hockey operations department.

Campbell labelled it a "think-tank for hockey."

The idea came out of the GM meetings in March, when a number of managers expressed frustration with what they believed to be a slip in standard for the way penalties were called. Campbell invited them to submit video of specific incidents, which will be looked at this week.

"Personally, I don't think the hooking and holding has slipped," said Campbell. "I think we have to find out what we want with intereference on the forechecking and interference off the faceoff."

The league's former disciplinarian thinks the discussion might branch off to other rules like slashing.

"Anything that stops a player from scoring," he said.

This will be the first exercise of its kind since the NHL held a major crackdown on obstruction coming out of the 2004-05 lockout. However, Campbell doesn't expect it to have nearly the same impact on the sport in terms of the number of penalties called.

"That was a much bigger change then," he said. "You were allowed to hook a guy hard three times before it was even thought about calling a penalty. There was lots of grabbing, lots of turnstile (moves) with defenceman sticking people in between the legs.

"It was a major turn back then and it was hard to actually implement."

The latest summit is intended to try and get everyone on the same page.

Campbell was pleased that a handful of players accepted an invitation even though collective bargaining negotiations are ongoing and is curious to see if the attitude in the room is consistent with how the managers felt in March, when their teams were in the heat of playoff races.

"I want to find out -- I'm just one guy watching games," said Campbell. "There's lots of opinions out there so I'd like to see us sit down and just get that opinion from particularly the three groups that are dealing with it all the time: the referees, the players and the coaches."

Not trying to change your opinion on this just trying to help you better understand the situation. I think you are the one missing the point because from all the info that came out since Parise signed with the Wild says that Zach had this planned for a long time. Like Mike said it was Zach pushing for a 1 year deal last summer not NJ and he made it seem like he wanted to prove himself again after the knee injury that cost him all of the previous season, which was a lie. We have also learned that Lou approached Zach in January, which he promised he would, and offered him a deal at which point Zach said he wanted to concentrate on hockey.

Do you understand any better now?? I'm not sensitive, I'm just trying to help you understand what really happened because you are so wrong. But you can believe whatever you want.....ignorance is bliss.

I just think the Devils should have offered him more than a 1 year deal. I am not sure I agree that Parise wanted to prove himself by signing a 1 year deal. It was his way of not wanting to stay a Devil IMHO.

It's all good man. We can agree to disagree. I understand your point.

Key word is "offered". We don't know that they didn't offer more than 1 year (unless I'm missing something that came out last year?), we only know what the player agreed to sign. If Parise didn't want to sign a long-term deal with NJ this summer, he probably didn't want to sign a long-term deal 1 year ago either. By signing for just one year he was able to just bide his time for the UFA-day bidding war and big payday. He's not the first or only player to do it; Semin did it last year too, but he and and his agent apparently overestimated his value on the open market.

Semin has all the talent in the world if he shows passion in what he does. Parise is not as talented as Semin, but Zach works very hard, and plays a more complete game than Semin. I would rather have Parise on my team than Semin based on work ethic even though Semin is more talented.

Parise was smart in signing that 1 year deal if he wanted out of NJ. I still think was a stupid move for him to go play in Minnesota as the Devils are so close to winning it all. The Wild are going to take a while for them to get in the position that the Devils got to this year.

long story longer............

Parise fucked over the Devils. He pulled the wool over their eyes, lied and manipulated management just so he and his BFF could take their talents to St. Paul.

Taylor Hall signed a 7 year extension today. Devils should have done the same with Parise when they had the chance. Fucking dummies.

Gary smelt it, Ebeneezer Scrooge (his primary adviser in the CBA talks), delt it.

I always said if there's one organization that could teach Lou Lamoriello a thing or two about running a team, it's the Edmonton Oilers.

If only Gary Suter had Taylor Hall as a friend Hall could have ended up a Wild. lol



Talks continue tomorrow.

TSN.ca

The NHL's latest round of collective bargaining talks ended before they began.
A scheduled bargaining session was cancelled Wednesday afternoon after top executives from the league and players' union held a secret morning meeting to discuss the best way to move forward in the discussions.

They mutually decided to reconvene with their negotiating teams on Thursday morning, when key economic issues are slated to be back on the table.

"I think system-related proposals and economical proposals are the most critical issues and probably the issues where we have the widest divergence of views currently," deputy commissioner Bill Daly told The Canadian Press in an interview. "I'm all in favour of spending as much time as possible trying to bridge those gaps."

The clock is ticking. The current collective agreement is set to expire Sept. 15 and the NHL says it will lock out the players if a new deal hasn't been reached.

The atmosphere around the talks is a mix of uncertainty and growing frustration -- with NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr acknowledging he didn't "know what's going to happen for sure" when the sides met again Thursday.

"You get up in the morning and you try and work that day to see if you can make progress," he added. "If you don't find an agreement that way you do it again the next day and you keep doing it until you find a way."

On Thursday, the NHLPA will expand on its proposal as it pertains to rules governing player contracts, according to two sources. Those details weren't previously included when the players presented their offer last week.

The sides have put two very different offers on the table and are still grappling with a wide financial gap.

They attempted to start moving toward a more formal negotiation with only the four main players in the room -- Daly joined NHL commissioner Gary Bettman for Wednesday morning's two-hour sitdown with Fehr and his brother Steve Fehr, the union's No. 2 man.

"I think more than anything else it was to review where we are in the process, where we've come from, where we are with the various proposals and to determine how to move the process forward in the best way possible -- hoping and understanding that both sides are committed to using the time left to making a deal as quickly as possible," said Daly.

Very little progress seemed to be made. However, Donald Fehr cautioned against viewing the subsequent cancellation of an afternoon bargaining session as a bad sign.

"This is one of the normal things that happen," he said. "Sometimes you schedule things and they don't come off, sometimes you don't schedule things and you end up with much longer or more involved meetings, sometimes you change the format. This is an ordinary part of the process."

The union put forth an offer that includes a smaller percentage of revenues for players over the next three seasons in exchange for an expanded revenue sharing program to help struggling teams. The NHLPA estimated that players would be giving up US$465 million in salaries if the league continued on its pace of 7.1 per cent growth each season.

The league's proposal called for a major drag on salaries -- accomplished by lowering the players' share of revenue from 57 per cent to 43 per cent -- while introducing new contract restrictions, including a five-year cap on contracts.

Beyond the monetary issue at the heart of talks, each side has prioritized a secondary cause.

The NHLPA would like to see revenue sharing between teams expanded and proposed the creation of an industry growth fund that would see $100 million contributed each year for struggling franchises. It would be part of a wider plan totalling $250 million in annual redistributed funds and Bettman would be given the discretion to decide how the money from the industry growth fund is spread around.

The NHL is largely happy with the current economic system, but has made no secret of the fact it would like to see the end to heavily front-loaded, long-term contacts. As part of its proposal, deals would be required to pay the same amount each season.

Fehr paused when asked if Wednesday's meeting of key executives included a shift in position from either side.

"I'm not going to try and characterize it," said Fehr. "I think it would be not conducive to the process for me to try and do that. So, you just (have to) bear with me on it."

Commentary
So much to cover, so much time
Updated: August 22, 2012, 6:58 PM ET
By John Buccigross | ESPN.com

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Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesIs Shane Doan on his way to Buffalo? (He is not the type to shuffle.)

It's been awhile, but Bucci hasn't forgotten about you. On the contrary! So, without further ado, let's get into this.

Mother of All Mailbags




Bucci:
If the Pens don't land Shane Doan (seems unlikely) and can't trade for Bobby Ryan, who might be available at the deadline? Who are the big 2013 free agents?


Perry Cunningham
Waynesburg, Pa., via Steubenville, Ohio


I was told Tuesday night, as was first reported by The Buffalo News, that the Sabres' four-year, $30 million deal ($7.5 million a year) offer to Shane Doan is real. No other team would come close to that offer. This means it likely will come down to the Sabres or the Coyotes. Or Doan could take a discount with the Penguins, Canucks, Rangers or anyone else he thinks has the best chance to win the Cup. I think it's most likely he stays unless the allure of the Stanley Cup military press is too inviting to ignore.
I was told Phoenix was thinking more in the two-year contract range. So, the situation probably will come down to Doan taking the Sabres' deal or using it as leverage and at least getting the Coyotes to at least three years and at least $5 million a year. That still would leave $15 million a year on the table, a lot of money for Doan to bypass as he negotiates what will be his last contract. But if I'm the Coyotes, there is no way I offer more than three years for $15 million. If he doesn't accept that, I let him walk. His game will only deteriorate, and they've won only two playoff series with him (both this past season). He's a tremendous man who plays with every cell in his body, and it would be great if he finished his career and enjoyed his ranch in the desert, but $30 million over four years? Wow. I still say he somehow stays in Phoenix.
As for 2013 free agents, this status can change at any moment because of contract extensions, but as of now: Ryan Getzlaf, Jarome Iginla, Corey Perry, Nathan Horton, Val Filppula and Alexander Edler are a few who come to mind.



Hi, John,
If there is any progress in the talks, are there any indicators that the two sides will agree to continue negotiations on the CBA and start the season? Or are the owners adamant for a lockout?
Thanks,
P. Munzing


Question No. 1: That will not happen. Gary Bettman is an agent, the owners' agent, and a Scott Boras win-at-all-costs kind of agent. (They were born exactly five months apart in 1952.) It is what he is best suited for. A person or entity gets the best deal only when he or she has leverage. The more leverage, the better the deal. You will never get the raise you think you deserve at your job unless you threaten to leave. When you are willing to live out that threat, you have even more leverage. Remember, Bettman works for the owners. He has to deal with 30 of them and their various fiscal concerns, and Fehr.

When players start losing paychecks, Gary Bettman and the owners' leverage will accelerate no matter what unified front they put up. Players are rich, owners are wealthy, and there is a big difference. Boras' clients almost always test the free-agent market because that is the best way to make the most money, and as we know, the money scoreboard is the one some people are most interested in. Bettman-produced lockouts are designed to give his "players" (the owners) the best deal they can get. The "partnership" word he likes to throw out there during interviews is pure marketing and mostly fraudulent. As Fehr pointed out last week, the players don't have a say in marketing, promotion, franchise location, etc.
Bettman lives for this. He is a confrontational person who enjoys that battle. It's his Trivial Pursuit board game. Acquiring big-ticket corporate partners and negotiating CBAs are his primary jobs. His job is to increase the franchise value of the owners. That's it. He's largely done that, especially for the top-tier franchises, as is reflected in his salary. He has a high salary because he has been good for the owners; otherwise, he would be commissioner of the Arena Football League.
Bettman has the charm of a heavily starched shirt, but he is smart and relentless. He organized and professionalized the offices of the NHL, increased revenues and helped oversee the new-media infusion that has made this the best time, in terms of media access and information, to be a fan of the NHL. The NHL has an excellent website that is much better than the NBA's, an affordable Center Ice package, and excellent television partners in the U.S. and Canada. (I will let others debate the "The NHL should be on ESPN" argument.) The Winter Classic, the presentation of the Stanley Cup (excluding his involvement, which has to stop -- it's a distraction), "24/7" on HBO, and, yes, the expansion of the game in the U.S. are all good things, in my feeble mind, that have put the game in a good place.

There are those in the media who hate Bettman, and that certainly has contributed some to fans mostly despising him. There are others in the media, as Ray Ferraro (@rayferrarotsn) tweeted last week, "some media are totally in GMs' pockets and will parrot whatever they want." I'm not one of those media types. Just last week a former NHL player professed his hatred for Bettman to me in person, a common theme. When he asked me my opinion, I told him what I tell everyone: "None of us is perfect. I actually think he's been good for the game." Certainly the work stoppages are troubling, and from that perspective Bettman deserves criticism. But he deals with some interesting owners, especially among the high-revenue teams. NHL players are not unreasonable people. I think we all understand that.
Any on-ice problems that you might have with the league really can't be directed at Bettman. He has largely delegated that part of the job because his knowledge and understanding are limited. We all know deep down that he doesn't LOOOOVE the game like you do. He can appreciate the fans singing "O Canada" in Vancouver or the passion of the Stanley Cup playoffs, of course. But does he get that Christmas Eve feeling of a Bruins-Canadiens game in the middle of January? Probably not. He entrusts pretty much everything on the ice to other people. It's not his ball of tape.
At some point, owners might want to consider hiring a hockey person who can help lead and grow the game in terms of passion over currency. I'm willing to admit that the expiration date on Bettman's tenure might be arriving or has arrived. His lack of an on-ice connection seems to be growing. He is more comfortable at a climate-controlled, giant, corporate negotiating table than a cozy, cold rink. But again, this lockout is about the NHL figuring out how to help out teams that are bleeding money. The floor is too high for a lot of teams.
Question No. 2: Are owners adamant for a lockout? No way. It's obvious the big-revenue teams don't want one. The Rangers can charge more than $300 for a ticket and high rates for restroom advertising that smaller-revenue teams cannot. Low-revenue teams can't get to the salary floor. There is no way you can tell me the economy is better now than it was in 2005. Revenues might have gone up, but not $30 million a year for a team like the Blue Jackets. U.S. teams like the Rangers, Bruins, Blackhawks, Red Wings and Flyers have extremely high franchise values. And certainly other U.S. teams that have very strong fan bases and must be doing pretty well -- Buffalo, Pittsburgh, San Jose, Minnesota, Washington to name some -- certainly see the negatives in it for them.
The issue is one that goes back to the values at kindergarten. How much of the pie will owners share, and what is good for the game? I always have been in favor of as many NHL teams in the U.S. as possible (within reason) because NHL teams manufacture NHL fans, and that's how the game is grown. I believe there is enough talent in the world. It can be slower growth in some places than others, but it's a fact. And lack of traction is usually due to lack of success. Southern California and South Florida are now both producing high-end hockey talent. The game of hockey deserves to be everywhere; it's great enough to be everywhere. Will it not work in some places? Only if it is run into the ground by poor or unlucky management.
Are the Jets better off in Winnipeg than Atlanta? Of course. Would the Coyotes produce more revenue in Quebec City? Absolutely. Could things have been different in Atlanta? Well, the city had two chances. But the Thrashers made the playoffs once in their 11 seasons in Georgia. You know what the Atlanta Flames' career playoff record was? 2-15. Two and frickin' 15. That's not a fair measurable as to whether hockey would ever work in Atlanta. It took Phoenix 15 seasons to win a playoff series.
I know the NHL isn't a charity, but Bettman and the owners are stewards of the game. They have to recognize this, and the richest teams have to do a better job at sharing. The players know they have it good and know teams are struggling. They will probably give in to some salary rollback (10-15 percent) if that money is given to the struggling franchises. Hockey participation took a huge hit during the 2004-05 lockout. This week I called to sign up my son Jack for the annual readiness camp our rink in Connecticut has every late August. Canceled: not enough participation. The game is again being vaporized from the consciousness of American fans.
Hockey is a third-line grinder itself. That's why it has continued to survive, and really thrive, all these years while being led by suits who don't have the game's best interest in mind. But they are competitive. Too competitive, in fact. Flyers owner Ed Snider never wants to see the Penguins or Rangers win a Stanley Cup, but especially not before his Flyers. The Blackhawks did everything they could to pry Marian Hossa from the Red Wings. The players are trained to be selfless. Some NHL owners selfishly flex their false bravado with their regional checking accounts.
The NHL's problem is more about overzealous competitiveness than greed. Or maybe it isn't. Players know that they are nothing without a strong core. The best athletes have a strong core. That's true of any entity; a person, a company, a country. The selfish, rich teams have bludgeoned the middle-class teams with their opulent signing bonuses, end-around tactics and firm belief that their "success" is more skill and providence than it is geography, luck and accident of birth. Sound familiar?


Matt Frields: ?@mfrields



Bucci,

@Buccigross What is the effect on the coaches if the @NHL does lock the players out again?


I was told by an employee with one organization that there is a 20 percent cut (80 percent value of salary collected). Come Dec. 31, it drops down to 50 percent, and then after March 1, it's an 80 percent cut. I imagine these things vary from club to club.
Also, don't forget marketing, PR and support staffs that lose their incomes. The same reductions are applied to coaching and training (medical and equipment) staffs. It's a scramble for those people to find other work because other pro sports teams already have full staffs.
When you look at the lockout through this lens, it seems even more cruel, unusual and unnecessary.



Christopher: ?@cslap134
@Buccigross: What's the impact both on and off the ice of the Red Wings losing out on the big-name free agents, since they usually land 1-2?
I think it's pretty significant. The Red Wings are obviously not the championship team they were. A year ago, they certainly had visions of Shea Weber and/or Zach Parise. And then when Ryan Suter took his game to another level last season, he quickly got on their radar more intensely. In 2011-12, Henrik Zetterberg had the lowest points-per-game average of his career since he became a regular. Pavel Datsyuk (he'll turn 35 next July) had the lowest goals-per-game average of his career. Nicklas Lidstrom is gone. Zetterberg and Datsyuk certainly could bounce back with strong seasons, and any kind of lockout might actually aid them come playoff time. There are plenty of other nice players on the roster, too. Still, the questions for Red Wings fans are, "Are we still a championship team?" and "What will we be in three to five years?"


Bucci:
What teams do you see as potential destinations for Tim Thomas? Will teams use him to reach the salary floor and, if so, what could the Bruins get in return?
Nicholas R. Pacitti

I don't believe there is any way Tim Thomas sacrifices $3 million this season. Now, if we miss two months in a lockout and there is a 10 percent rollback, that $3 million would become about $1.5 million, so maybe he would sit out the whole season. But if the salary floor is still an issue after the new CBA is negotiated, one could imagine a team trading for Thomas' $5 million cap number/$3 million combo. It wouldn't have to pay for a player who is becoming a free agent and would get a $5 million cap number. I still stay Thomas will play this coming season.

Bucci:
Glass half-full: What concessions will the players and owners each make to ensure hockey starts on time?
Someone knocked the glass off the counter and all my teal Kool-Aid is all over the place: What are we going to do between late September and early June without the NHL, again?
Thanks,
Jordan "sirsharkie" Dodge Union City, Calif.



As I said above, the players know they have it good and understand that some teams are not doing well. They need help from the rich teams via revenue sharing and/or a lower floor. The players would agree to a 50-50 split and a small rollback if that money went to lower-revenue teams and a stronger revenue-sharing program.

The rich teams have to help support the smaller teams. If the teams not making money and the teams around the break-even point all band together, something can get done. I don't know why we have to wait until December to get this done
NHL owners have to infuse more revenue sharing, and the players have to allow certain salary restrictor plates like term limits and perhaps signing-bonus limitations as well to help level the playing field. The NFL employs socialism, and that league has done quite well, although it is easer to share billions of television revenues than it is to share the NHL's hundreds of millions.
Hey, John!
The question for you is: Which teams will make the 2013 Frozen Four?

Brandon
Long Island
Boston College, Western Michigan, Minnesota and North Dakota.
Bucci,
1. Top 5 chicken parm in North America?
2. Have you ever been to a Gopher hockey game in Mariucci Arena?
Charles Neff
1. Bucci's, Bucci's, Bucci's, Bucci's, Bucci's. No one makes better parm than I do because no one uses my secret ingredient: LOVE.

2. Yes. When all was well in the world and ESPN aired the NHL games, I covered the 2004 NHL All-Star Game in St. Paul, and while I was there I attended a Minnesota-Bemidji State game. Great rink.

John:
If the NHL lockout does last months into the regular season, will college games get more TV coverage, etc.? And if so, how much more?
Thanks Bucci,
Danny D
I would imagine most of the schedule is already set. There could be a few games added to the schedule if there is no hockey in October and November. But with college football taking up so much airtime, if we had a one-to-three-month lockout, I don't think we would notice much difference.
Bucci:

Two questions:
1. What is the back story to the "Famous" Bucci chicken parm that you and players/coaches refer to? What is the secret that makes it famous?
2. Do the Blue Jackets have the ship finally going in right direction or should I get ready to watch them lose the lottery again?
Phillip Buerk
Columbus
1. There is no back story to my chicken parm. It's just awesome. If you are referring to the Ray Ferraro story, you can probably Google "Buccigross Chicken Parm Ferraro" and probably come up with something.
2. The Blue Jackets likely will be in the lottery again unless they surprise with good goaltending. They are constructing a nice defensive corps and have decent depth among their forwards. What if Cam Atkinson scores 15-20 goals? What if Ryan Johansen suddenly emerges with 20 goals? Columbus should have only two focuses this upcoming season: 1. Be a hard team to play against. That should be the case. 2. Goal prevention. Everything else is secondary.

Bucci:
What could the Blackhawks do to really become serious contenders in the West this season? They are still looking like a 6 seed that will get bounced in the first round.
Thanks,
Michael Moran
Goaltending. Goaltending. Goaltending.
John:
What does the addition of Notre Dame (and UConn, I guess) do for Hockey East?

Sam Zorfas
Notre Dame expands the skate ruts of Hockey East and is always good for any televised games. Selfishly, I'm pumped UConn is joining Hockey East because it will play most of its games 10 minutes from my house. I will get season tickets and see great college hockey without traveling an hour or so. The tickets will be affordable, and I know there will never be a lockout. It also enhances Connecticut as one of the finest hockey states in the union. From youth to high school to prep school to multiple D-1 NCAA programs, it's an excellent, cozy state to be a hockey fan.

Hey, Bucci,
With the addition of Rick Nash, another spectacular year from King Henrik and the further development of our young studs, do you see the Rangers as the favorite heading into the upcoming season? If not, then who is, and where would you rank the Rangers?
Jay
Bloomington, Ind.
The Rangers had the most points in the Eastern Conference last season. They added Rick Nash and will have Chris Kreider from the get-go. These are two big men who can really skate. They aren't the confrontational, mean type of players, but they should get 50-60 goals between them, which is exactly what the Rangers need. If they can get their goals above 250 (they had 236 last season) and keep their goals allowed under 200 (187 last season), they will win the Presidents' Trophy.
I heard from a very good source that the Rangers were close to a Dan Boyle-for-Marian Gaborik trade. This makes sense from the John Tortorella-Dan Boyle Tampa Bay Stanley Cup connection. And it would help improve the Rangers' below-average 15.7 percent power play.
Trading Gaborik for Boyle would deepen the Rangers' defense and give them a top-six forward group of Brad Richards, Nash, Ryan Callahan, Derek Stepan, Carl Hagelin and Kreider, which is pretty strong if Kreider develops into the NHL force he appears destined to become. Keeping Gaborik would give them a little more depth and allow one of those players to drop to the third line. I suppose that would be Kreider, but he looked like one of the Rangers' better players in the playoffs and is a horse who needs to run and play with good players. It will be interesting to see. The scoring really drops off after the first two lines for the Rangers.

But certainly the Rangers are right there with the Bruins and Penguins as the Eastern Conference big three. When the Bruins are healthy, they clearly have the most depth. The Penguins probably have just a shard more than the Rangers but with Jordan Staal now in Carolina and the Rangers getting Nash, it certainly is a little closer between the Rangers and Penguins. A slew of team could be right on the heels of the big three that should make for an exciting conference: the Flyers, Senators, Sabres, Caps, Lightning and Hurricanes.

If we ever get to play.


Mike Altieri
Los Angeles

"Always remember there was nothing worth sharing like the love that let us share our name."--"Murder in the City," by the Avett Brothers





Bucci,

I'm a bit late on the draw, but I am using these pictures as inspiration to get a CBA completed. At age 6 weeks, Quincy (no relation to the defender with a similarly pronounced but arguably misspelled last name) was present for the Wings' home victory over the Flyers to tie the record for most consecutive home wins.

Brad




Bucci:
Me and my bud, Karl, created T-shirts just to wear to every game in hope Nathan Horton would score.

Kevin Nisbet



Bucci:
Mike Richards' hometown is Kenora.

Best regards,
David Spencer



Hi, John:
This is a picture of my family last year. Both of my parents attended every Coyotes game with me since 1996. I lost them both recently, within 9 months of each other. Daddy was 99, Mom was 96. They gave me my love for the game. I miss them so much.

Thank you,
Sharon Conover



John Buccigross' email address -- for questions, comments or crosschecks -- is john.buccigross@espn.com.

GARY Suter?? Haha.

No. I think foregoing your first three years as a UFA (as it currently stands. Chances are, lowering the UFA age is one concession the owners will make) to earn dough now and play with Eberle, RNH, Shultze and Yakupov for the duration is a pretty fair move. After Eberle signs in the next couple of days, the Oilers should be deep in the mix by the time the new rink opens.

Why didnt Garth follow this template??

Gary really needs to get a handle on his flatulence

The Oilers are building a solid team, but still have issues on defense and goaltending. They could compete for a division within a few seasons and have a good chance of making the playoffs. The Flames have took a big detour compared to the Oilers.

In all fairness to the Isles not that it is an excuse. They have not gotten number 1 picks for a couple years in a row. The Isles have done a bad job of not holding onto their talent and have not had a good defense in a while.


Nits gone

TSN.ca


Antero Niittymaki is going to continue his hockey career back in his native Finland.
The 32-year-old netminder has signed with his old club team, TPS Turku of the Finnish league.
Niittymaki spent seven seasons in the NHL with the Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and San Jose Sharks. He appeared most recently in the league with the Sharks in 2010-11.
A variety of injuries last season limited Niittymaki to 13 games in the American Hockey League for Worcester and Syracuse.
"It feels good to come back to TPS," said Niittymaki in a statement released by the Turku team. "The club made it possible to put this in place over the summer, and we came to terms very quickly on the contract."
Niittymaki appeared in 235 NHL contests with a record of 95-86-31 and a goals against average of 2.95. He had a save percentage of .902 with five shutouts.

TSN.ca


Another NHL lockout is beginning to feel like an inevitability.
Unable to move beyond the philosophical stage of talks, the owners and players have watched another week slip by without progress. They sat down together for a quick session Thursday morning before reporting the same significant gap that has existed all along.

The main issue that divides them is far from complex.

"We believe we're paying out more than we should be," said commissioner Gary Bettman. "It's as simple as that."

Of course, the NHL Players' Association doesn't quite see it that way.

Executive director Donald Fehr has acknowledged there's room for some flexibility in that area -- last week's proposal included three years with a slightly lower share in revenues for the players -- but he hasn't come to the table in a conciliatory mood after taking over a union that capitulated during the last round of negotiations.

"Everybody understands that employers would always like to pay less," said Fehr. "That's not a surprise to anybody -- it's disappointing sometimes -- but it's not a surprise."

He went on to add that the services his constituents provide are irreplaceable.

"From the players' standpoint, they want a fair agreement, they want one that is equitable, they want one that recognizes their contribution," said Fehr.

With both sides so entrenched, real negotiations have yet to begin even though the Sept. 15 deadline for a lockout is fast approaching.

The parties attempted to make some progress Wednesday by clearing the meeting room of everyone but the key figures: Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly along with Fehr and his brother Steve Fehr, the union's No. 2 man. They soon discovered there was little common ground.

Those same four men will reopen talks next Tuesday in New York during what promises to be a key negotiation session. The sides have tentatively blocked off the rest of the week for meetings as well, but they must first determine if there's anything worth talking about.

That's far from guaranteed.

A league that lost the entire 2004-05 season to a lockout is in real danger of having the start of another one disrupted for the same reason. The current CBA has seen the NHL grow from a $2.1-billion industry to one that pulls in $3.3-billion annually -- a fact that isn't lost on either side.

"We recovered well last time because we have the world's greatest fans," said Bettman.

The essential difference between the offers put forward so far is perhaps best articulated in terms of their impact on the salary cap. Under the NHL's initial proposal, it would fall to $50.8 million for next season. The NHLPA's would see it set near $69 million.

The league is also believed to have verbally raised the possibility of seeing the players' share in revenue drop incrementally rather than all at once. Theoretically, it could be done at a rate that is matched by an expected increase in revenues -- essentially keeping salaries constant over the duration of the agreement while owners take in more profit.

So far, the union hasn't shown much interest in negotiating off of that kind of model.

While it's natural to assume the parties might be more willing to make concessions as Sept. 15 nears, Fehr pointed out that they already know what's at stake.

"If there's going to be a lockout -- and that's something that the owners will choose or not choose -- then you would have missed games, you would have lost revenue, you would have lost paycheques," he said. "But that doesn't mean that the parties don't understand going into it that that would be the case."

With the possibility of a lockout becoming more real, the posturing is starting to begin. Bettman lamented Thursday that the union wasn't ready to open talks a year ago -- the commissioner did say throughout the season there was more than enough time to make a deal -- while Fehr continues to point out that Sept. 15 is only a deadline because the NHL has made it one.

The bottom line is that they need to make an agreement and there isn't one in sight.

Seven years ago, the sides battled one another over the philosophical view of whether the sport needed a salary cap. With that out of the way, this fight is all about money, although Bettman declined to go into detail when asked why the owners were seeking such significant givebacks.

"I'm not going to get into a public debate on that," he said. "Obviously, if we didn't think that there were issues that needed to be addressed we wouldn't be in this type of negotiation."

The fucking league is so hypocrytical. Gary is playing hardball with the P.A, meanwhile, the owners are spending like sailors on shore leave.

The big issue is revenue sharing and Gary protecting his mistakes. The 'have' teams are sick of paying off the 'have nots'. Unfortunately, the league owns one of these teams. U can't develop a CBA to make Phoenix a viable franchise. The league has doubled revenues in the last seven years. Time for the owners to leave well enough alone.

Same old tune every year. What's the use? By March, none of the obstruction is called to create "exciting" playoff hockey.

Now Gary is blaming Donald for his farts.

"We have the best fans in sport" "They will come back" Fuck you Gary, you cunt.

NHL Network is currently airing Devils-Rangers ECF game 6 which has the greatest Doc Emrick call in his Hall of Fame career, so everyone should set their DVRs before they go out!!!


HENRIQUE, IT'S OVER!!!!!

I almost think the NHL is trying a little bit to take away some of the attention to the upcoming lockout. Oh well talks resume tomorrow.

TSN.ca



The battery of lawyers and sprawling negotiating committees are being relegated to the sidelines.
As the NHL's collective bargaining talks resume in New York on Tuesday, they'll do so with only four men at the table: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and his deputy, Bill Daly, on one side; NHL Players' Association executive director Donald Fehr and his top assistant, Steve Fehr, on the other.
"Both sides agree that this, at this point in time, might be a productive way for us to try and get some traction," Bettman said when negotiations broke last week.
There's been very little evidence of traction over the last two months.
While the parties have met face-to-face every week since the end of June, they've made very little headway on the framework that will shape the next agreement. That prompted the first small session with just Bettman, Daly and the Fehrs in Toronto last week, and led to the scheduling of another one with the talks shifting back to New York.
The sides are in need of anything that might encourage progress with a Sept. 15 deadline looming for a lockout.
"When you get into discussions like this sometimes things can become more or less cumbersome depending on the nature of the group and what you're talking about," said Donald Fehr. "And, you find a way to satisfy everybody's comfort level and go on. If you try it one way and that doesn't really work you go try it another way.
"If that doesn't work you try it a third way."
The biggest issue holding up talks is finding agreement on how the league's revenues should be split up. Players received 57 per cent under the expiring CBA and the league wants to see that number reduced considerably.
The NHL's initial offer involved cutting the amount to 43 per cent, although it has indicated a willingness to negotiate off that number.
Based on last season's revenues, every percentage point lost would cost the players $33 million. After capitulating in the last round of negotiations and hiring Fehr to lead them in this one, that group appears ready to fight against significant givebacks.
In fact, Fehr declared last week that "the players aren't afraid of a lockout."
For an agreement to be made, something will have to give. Bettman has made it clear that he believes the owners are paying out too much money.
"The players have done very well under this deal," said Bettman. "The average salary has gone from $1.45 million (in 2005-06) to $2.45 million, and I think if given their druthers -- and they've said publicly -- they'd be happy to keep playing under this deal even while we negotiate. ...
"My sense is that they prefer to keep things the way they are, and so that slows up the process."
The sides have looked like competing hockey teams at the conclusion of previous negotiating sessions, with the number of well-dressed attendees often unable to fit together in one elevator.
The gathering will be decidedly smaller on Tuesday as the leaders of the NHL and NHLPA try to push talks in a positive direction.
"Hopefully we'll be productive when we get to it," said Fehr. "We have a lot to do. I have always believed that there is enough time.
"If there is a mutual will to do that, I still believe there is enough time to do that before the expiration of the contract."

This Coyotes thing never ends.

TSN.ca

The Glendale City Council has directed staff to extend its arena management agreement with the NHL for another month.
City Attorney Craig Tindall says it'll allow potential Phoenix Coyotes owner Greg Jamison more time to try to buy the team.

The Arizona Republic reports Glendale's third 30-day arena management agreement with the NHL was set to expire later this week.

Monday's extension came nearly four months after the city council approved a 20-year, $324 million deal with Greg Jamison, a former San Jose Sharks executive who is trying to buy the team.

Glendale has twice pledged $25 million to the league to operate the arena and keep the team in Glendale.

The NHL has operated the Coyotes since former owner Jerry Moyes took the team into bankruptcy in 2009.

Gary's solution is to roll back salaries and get the teams with revenues to keep Phoenix afloat. What is going on anyway: does Bettman have a monthly BSDM party in Glendale with some burly ex-marines?

I just pooped my pants..............

WRUS,

Just watching some of the US Open. I know this is probably old news but I didn't know Ovie was dating Kirilenko.

WRUS doesn't like this shit so stop posting it!! It's Ovechkin's personal life and what he does his no one's business but his, so cut the shit.

Oh wait, WRUS only thinks that we shouldn't discuss a player's personal life if there are rumors that a player is sucking a dick...a player with a woman is totally fine though...discuss!