Deal Agreed to in Principle

[Town Drunk]

$45 million, just like I thought.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=115396

Meeting planned; agreement in principle?


TSN.ca with files from CP



2/18/2005

The NHL and NHLPA will meet in New York on Saturday in an attempt to reach agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement. In fact, The Hockey News is reporting that the sides have already agreed in principle to a deal that includes a $45-million salary cap, and could 'un-cancel' the season Saturday.

Asked if there was any way a deal won't get done, a source close to the talks told The Hockey News said, "not that I can see. I couldn't possibly imagine the idea that somebody is going to try to make a name for themselves in the last minute here."

TSN has learned that Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux have been involved in a final bid to save the NHL season, working behind the scenes to get the two sides together. Sources said Gretzky and Lemieux could be part of backchannel discussions Friday night in advance of the official NHL-NHLPA meeting Saturday.

While NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow may not be directly involved, NHL vice president Bill Daly and NHLPA senior director Ted Saskin will be in attendance at Saturday's meeting. The NHLPA executive committee and past players' president Mike Gartner is expected to be in New York City.

According to sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity, several NHL owners have been in contact with agents and players in hope of getting a deal done.

"We can't let this thing die when we're so close," said one team executive. "We've come this far, it would be insane to lose the season over a relatively small gap."

Negotiations broke off late Tuesday night after the players rejected the NHL's final offer of a 42.5-million dollar salary cap, while the owners rejected the NHLPA's proposal of a $49-million cap.

''I think both sides took a step back the next day and realized 'we were that close,''' Calgary Flames superstar Jarome Iginla said Friday night from Edmonton. ''And I think both sides realized that for the big hit hockey would take, maybe we needed to take another crack at it - if that is the case, I don't know.''

Hopes of a deal being reached even after Commissioner Gary Bettman cancelled the season surfaced Thursday when Detroit Red Wings' captain Steve Yzerman suggested a deal could still be done by the weekend.

"I don't know if it's necessarily tonight, tomorrow morning, Friday night or Saturday. I know the season has been cancelled, but it's not too late to uncancel it," Yzerman told The Hockey News.

And while Wayne Gretzky denied reports that he had been working behind the scenes with Mario Lemieux to get a deal done, he said Thursday he hoped the season could still be saved.

"I did talk to Mario today," Gretzky told the Fan 590 radio station in Toronto on Thursday. "I had a brief conversation about pretty much what everyone else is talking about, can we believe we're in the situation we're in. Nobody understands why we're in this situation. Nobody has the answer to how we got here or how we're going to get out of here."

Bettman said at his news conference Wednesday the league would go no higher than $42.5 million and added that the owners' offer was now off the table.

But Bettman also left the door open for the NHLPA to accept the league's final offer, saying that if the players called and said they would take the $42.5-million cap, he "would have to look at it."

In the 1994-1995 labour dispute, a group of unhappy owners went behind Bettman's back and negotiated directly with the players, forcing Bettman to cut a deal.

That will be much more difficult this time around, as it would take three-quarters of the league's 30 teams to override the commissioner, meaning that he needs only eight votes to hold his position.

In answer to a question at his Wednesday press conference, NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow said he would step aside if the membership wanted to go in a different direction. But Goodenow said he had not been asked to do so.

 

[Town Drunk]

http://hockeyrumors.blogspot.com

Friday, February 18, 2005
Done Deal
From a source,

"The Deal is Done. The PC will be tomorrow."

from another source

"I have spoken to several players overseas and they are telling their Euro Club Teams that they will be leaving in the next 24 hours for North America. First got this from agents and then the players themselves."

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Wow. How many times and ways can Gretzky and Lemieux save this league's butt?

It's good to see those names and not Bettman and Goodenow.

My fingers are crossed....

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Another article:
http://www.cbc.ca/story/sports/national/2005/02/18/Sports/hockeytalks_resume050218.html

Talks back on: NHL, NHLPA to meet Saturday
WebPosted Fri, 18 Feb 2005 20:17:00 EST

Even with the NHL on ice, it appears the league and its players have not yet shut the door on resurrecting the hockey season.

* INDEPTH: Faceoff 2004-05


The NHL Players' Association announced Friday night that it will meet with the league in New York on Saturday, only this time, two of the greatest players in hockey history will join the talks.

Sources told Canadian Press that Wayne Gretzky, now a managing partner with the Phoenix Coyotes and Mario Lemieux, a player-owner with the Pittsburgh Penguins, will participate in Saturday's meeting along with commissioner Gary Bettman, NHL executive vice-president Bill Daly and NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow and senior director Ted Saskin.

* FROM FEB. 17, 2005: The day after: where does hockey go from here?

"Late Thursday night the NHL requested a meeting with NHLPA representatives in New York," the union said in a statement Friday.

"Today the NHLPA accepted the invitation and a meeting has been scheduled for Saturday."

* RELATED: Viewpoint: Ron MacLean

In the 24 hours since Bettman cancelled the NHL season, various reports – all citing anonymous sources – surfaced claiming that players, owners and agents were reaching out to each other to try and salvage the season.

New Jersey Devils president and general manager Lou Lamoriello told the Canadian Press that he was relieved that both sides have decided to meet again.

* FROM FEB. 17, 2005: Gretzky refutes involvement in CBA talks

"I've said all along that the most important thing is coming to an agreement," Lamoriello said Friday night from his New Jersey office. "Even after the season was cancelled it was just so important to get together as soon as possible.

"And I commend both of them for agreeing to do it and now, get it done."

Earlier Friday, the New York newspaper Newsday reported, based on a conversation with an anonymous "person with knowledge of the situation," that a "splinter group" of players was preparing to make the NHL an offer. The proposal, the source said, involves a $46-million US cap with a 100-per-cent luxury tax that starts at $42 million.

While it's contrary to labour laws for a group of players to unilaterally go to the NHL and negotiate, Newsday's source says the offer is being put together "outside the union."

"I think both sides took a step back the next day and realized 'we were that close,'" Calgary Flames superstar Jarome Iginla said Friday night from Edmonton.

"And I think both sides realized that for the big hit hockey would take, maybe we needed to take another crack at it ... if that is the case, I don't know."

On Thursday, a Detroit radio station reported Brendan Shanahan turned down an interview request because he was involved in meetings with the league.

But Rick Curran, Shanahan's agent, said his client wasn't involved in any secret meetings and called the radio station's story "fabricated."

Also on Thursday, The Hockey News' website was reporting Gretzky and Lemieux were working to save the NHL season.

This report, which also cited unnamed sources, said Gretzky and Lemieux "got involved, to try to talk some sense into the [union] executive committee."

Gretzky, in an interview with Toronto all-sports radio station The Fan 590, said he did talk to Lemieux, but it wasn't about restarting talks.

"To say Mario and I had a conversation to try to stir up the conversations and talks again, that's just not true," Gretzky said.

However, Gretzky didn't completely slam the door shut on the hockey season. Gretzky, like many other hockey observers, took note of Bettman's suggestion that the league may have been willing to negotiate further had the union dropped its $49-million salary-cap proposal to $45 million.

"I think that if we can get a deal done, you know the commissioner sort of left it open yesterday [Wednesday] that there still is that possibility and hopefully, maybe cooler heads will prevail and we can somehow work something out and we're playing hockey," said Gretzky.

Player agent Pat Brisson told the New York Times Thursday that three unnamed owners told him they had urged Bettman to try to negotiate later this week.

He said his clients and other players made the same request to Goodenow.

"There is conversation and agitation on both sides," Brisson said. "We had momentum and [Bettman] pulled the rug out. The players' association made a lot of concessions. This could have been resolved."

Red Wings veteran Steve Yzerman is also hopeful the season can still be saved.

"I don't know if it's necessarily tonight, tomorrow morning, Friday night or Saturday. I know the season has been cancelled, but it's not too late to uncancel it."

with files from Canadian Press

Actually this entire link is a "valuable" source of information....

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/indepth/cba/

 

[Town Drunk]

Yup.

Bettman and Goodenow need to be given their walking papers.

Bring in a new commish, and get rid of the instigator rule.

 

[sly fly]

If this is all it took, then heads need to roll.

You're telling me that this is all it took? A $45 million cap?

The game still needs some major changes.

 

[Stronso]

Drop The Pucks!!!!!

YEA!!!!! LET'S GO COYOTES!!!!!

 

[Brian in Mesa]

What season? 20 games and then playoffs?

What a waste.

 

[Town Drunk]

If this is all it took, then heads need to roll.

You're telling me that this is all it took? A $45 million cap?

The game still needs some major changes.

Well, a couple of nights ago, Bettman pleaded with the owners to take a $45 million cap. They said no. I guess with Mario's and Gretzky's persistence, they finally caved.

That said, Bettman should have been gone a long time ago. He's simply a bad commish. Goodenow needs to go too.

Hopefully with the new rule changes, and a little tweaking here and there, things can get rolling.

 

[sly fly]

Would it be possible to just stretch the season into early summer? Perhaps add 15-20 more games?

 

[Town Drunk]

What season? 20 games and then playoffs?

What a waste.

Not a waste at all.

If you want to sell your product, you have to put it out there. It’s best to play some games.

Besides, it’s the playoffs that count. The best team will end up winning regardless.

I can’t wait to get back to the tank and watch some live hockey. College hockey was nice, but we need the NHL back.

 

[Town Drunk]

Would it be possible to just stretch the season into early summer? Perhaps add 15-20 more games?

It's possible, but unlikely.

Teams would have to push their training camps back next season, and the season would most likely start later than it normally does.

Also, baseball is starting up soon, and there will be the basketball playoffs.

They'll probably play the 20 games or so, and the top 16 teams will make the playoffs.

 

[Stronso]

What season? 20 games and then playoffs?

What a waste.

Sorry Dude you are way off on this....the waste would have been not playing

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Not a waste at all.

I call the time lost while a bunch of millionaire owners and millionaire players hash out their differences a waste.

This should have been settled quickly without missing a game - if the fans mattered at all to anyone involved.

Oh, yeah - can we please put an asterisk next to the team's name that gets added to the Cup after this mini-season?

 

[sly fly]

Well, a couple of nights ago, Bettman pleaded with the owners to take a $45 million cap. They said no. I guess with Mario's and Gretzky's persistence, they finally caved.

That said, Bettman should have been gone a long time ago. He's simply a bad commish. Goodenow needs to go too.

Hopefully with the new rule changes, and a little tweaking here and there, things can get rolling.

1.) Remove red line.
2.) Increase goal width.
3.) Decrease goalie gear.
4.) Enforce obstruction.
5.) Eliminate the trap.

Voila, more end to end action!

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Sorry Dude you are way off on this....the waste would have been not playing

I'm right on in that case - the waste is the 50-60 plus games we lost out on because of the greedy players and greedy owners.

They (players/owners) can kiss butt all they want once a deal is done - they do NOT care about the fans. If they did, this would not have happened.

 

[Town Drunk]

I call the time lost while a bunch of millionaire owners and millionaire players hash out their differences a waste.

This should have been settled quickly without missing a game - if the fans mattered at all to anyone involved.

Oh, yeah - can we please put an asterisk next to the team's name that gets added to the Cup after this mini-season?

I interpreted that you meant actually playing some games this year is a waste. It isn’t.

And there won’t be an asterisk.

 

[sly fly]

I'm right on in that case - the waste is the 50-60 plus games we lost out on because of the greedy players and greedy owners.

They (players/owners) can kiss butt all they want once a deal is done - they do NOT care about the fans. If they did, this would not have happened.

As a show of respect to the "fans", prices should be slashed by 75%-90% at all arenas for this mini-year.

Would you go?

 

[Kel Varnsen]

As a show of respect to the "fans", prices should be slashed by 75%-90% at all arenas for this mini-year.

Would you go?

Yeah, and I think this would actually be a good time to experiment with the rule changes mentioned in this thread and elsewhere.

Hope it works out.

 

[Rats]

I'm right on in that case - the waste is the 50-60 plus games we lost out on because of the greedy players and greedy owners.

They (players/owners) can kiss butt all they want once a deal is done - they do NOT care about the fans. If they did, this would not have happened.

I think the best quote I saw that should have sunk in with these idiots is that there is no leverage. Espn replaced there time slot with a bunch of guys sitting around eating beernuts and smoking stogies while they played with poker chips.....and they got way higher ratings. That should tell the players that no one really cares about there game. The best chance they have is a total rollback in prices for there fan base this season and only modest increases for next year. They priced the blue collar fans out years ago when they started marketing to the Corporate crowd. They need to get cost way down so they don't try and gouge the fans as they have for the last 10 years. I am one season ticketholder that gave up there 4th row tickets 3 years ago after 12 years of loving the Blues. I am now a casual fan and don't hardly watch the game. It is a shame but the greedy players and the inept owners have destroyed a long standing tradition that was once Lord Stanleys Cup.

 

[NickelBack]

As a show of respect to the "fans", prices should be slashed by 75%-90% at all arenas for this mini-year.

Yeah - the money grubbing owners would do that!

 

[Town Drunk]

Well I, for one, will attend as many games as possible this year, if this goes through.

 

[NickelBack]

Sorry Dude you are way off on this....the waste would have been not playing

You are 100% right! The key here is if they paly anything this year, next season will start on time.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

TSN now says those reports are premature...

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=115396

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

...but a couple players seem to think its done....

Riku Hahl of Avs "The information I got is that the deal is done"

Ville Nieminen of Flames "the deal is so certain that I've agreed to return (to North America) on tuesday"

Lydman of Flames was told NOT to play on saturday, Ruutu of Canucks will play but confirms that he has been told that the deal is done.

Aki Berg did not travel with Timra to their away game, Miikka Kiprusoff will travel but won't be the starting goalie.

Link (in Finnish though) http://www.urheilulehti.fi/jaakiekonsmliiga/uutiset/article117758-1.html