Timonen: 'Afraid it might take a while'
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Flyers Report: Broad Street Bull
Timonen: 'Afraid it might take a while'
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
After the NHL lost the 2004-05 season to a labor dispute, the players crawled back and were big-time losers in the negotiations.
Salaries were drastically cut and a cap was installed.
This time, the players are more unified and determined to stand up to the owners, veteran Flyers defenseman Kimmo Timonen said.
“Seven years ago, we missed a year and then the players gave up,” Timonen said after working out at the Skate Zone in Voorhees on Thursday. “We gave up a 24 percent rollback; we gave up a salary cap.”
This year, the league’s initial offer “was the same it was seven years ago _ 24 percent (rollback in salaries) and 43 percent of the revenue sharing,” as opposed to 57 percent in the last CBA, Timonen said.
“I think that was the wrong way to start the negotiations this time,” he said. “I think the union is much better this time around. We’re more informed, we’re more open. You can lock in (to information) on your phones. We know what’s going on.”
As for the owners’ demands, “I don’t think it’s going to work this time around,” Timonen said.”Both sides have to give up something, but coming from seven years ago and what we gave up, I don’t think it’s going to happen this time. That’s why I’m afraid it might take a while.”
One of the main issues is hockey-related revenue (HRR). The players received 57 percent of the pie in the last CBA; the owners are offering 49 percent in the first year of the proposed six-year plan, It is at 47 percent in the last year of the contract.
There are numerous other issues that are holding up a new CBA, including revenue sharing, lengths of contracts, and changes in free agency.
Donald Fehr, executive director of the NHL’s Players’ Association, “is more open” and “asks a lot of questions,” Timonen said. “There’s no closed-door meetings like happened way back. It’s easy now to follow what’s going on, and he tells us in simple words what’s going to happen.”
If a new collective-bargaining agreement isn’t signed by 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, the owners will impose a lockout _ the third since Gary Bettman became the commissioner in 1993.
“Hope is kind of slim right now, but we’ll see,” said Timonen, who plans to stay in Haddonfield and not play overseas _ unless it looks like the whole NHL season is going to be shut down.
Lilja update. Flyers defenseman Andreas Lilja was allowed to walk around without crutches Thursday for the first time since he had surgery in late July to repair a degenerative condition in his left hip. If there is a lockout, Lilja will get paid and be able work out at the team's training facility because he is rehabbing from the injury.
The Flyers hope he is ready to play in late October or early November.
Waivers wire. The Flyers put defenseman Danny Syvret and winger Matt Ford on waivers. If they clear at noon on Friday, they will take part in the Phantoms’ AHL training camp, which starts Sept. 29 in Voorhees.
Follow Sam Carchidi on Twitter @BroadStBull.
Wake me up when it's over (thats what my wife always says, you too, howd I guess that). Lilja hope you are well soon and thank you for all your efforts. Theres a lot of trash talk that goes on here but 99.9% of Flyers fans care about everyone that has ever put on the orange and black.— NYPHILLYPHAN- Flyers and the NHL can count me as one fan who will not be abck after the lockout. I'll put the money I normally spend on Flyers games into my savings account. Both sides just don't get it, they make millions from people like me who barely scrape by year after year and they are all complaining about more money.— dcn
- Just think this will be a very long lockout and the season could be a waste of time if there is even a season. If I was the players I would not fold at all make the owners fold this time around. Teams like Nashville can't afford not to have home games because of the amount of $$ that was paid to Weber and and the $$$$ owned to him on July 1st.— srcdaddy1216
- It's gonna get ugly. I don't want to hear about it once it starts.— PhillySubsMac
- Players already gave up enough. The league has to suffer for the 10-12 teams that cry poor in cities they don't belong and owners that shouldn't have teams. The owners can start by getting rid of Bettman, worst commissioner in sports. He has failed the sport. He twisted the game to attempt to gain casual fans and lost hardcore ones in the process. Sucks for the players and fans.— Sidewinder7
- They should ask ME to settle this.— fredo
- If the players cave, or don't hurt the owners where they live, they'll get locked out every single time.— joeibt
- STAND firm and SIT out the year! Bettman and Fehr are leading you and the Sport to extinction.— cooperhawk
- The Flyers could struggle to make the playoffs, and most definitely are not Cup contenders this year, so I'm not too worried about losing the season. The owners will never "cave'' in this battle with a rich man's "union." (Average NHL salary $2.4 million.) The owners will wait two seasons if they have to. Won't be necessary though. First missed paycheck for the "union" members is about a month away. By way Sam, your article lacks any comment from the league. Is that fair?— eagle1971
- When is Bettman done? When is it time to reelect a new commish? I will always watch hockey no matter how long this takes. I can't believe this is about to happen all over again. I agree with dcn, I barely make it right now with this economy and the only thing that's helps me forget about bills and paying off debt is looking forward to watching flyers games. This is bullsh*t. Go Phils!— phillyfan16
- Divide and conquer. The owners' "offer" is part of the changing relationship between capital and labor. It does not matter if labor is making $2.4 miilion or $15,000, they are labor because the owners own the means of production. If the owners want to keep cutting pay, like owners everywhere for several years, let them play the games. Hockey, or any pro sport, cannot exist without the most accomplished players in the world. Many people have money, but only a few great hockey players exist.— Philly Born
- I don't want a lockout, I love hockey more than words, but I'm behind the players and if it comes to a lockout then they have my support. The owners are nothing but a bunch of lying greedy money mongers. Crying poor when they give out the contracts they do...LIARS!!! The owners need to realize that without the players there is no league, and the players can play elsewhere if they want so they're the ones with all the leverage IMO. If there's a long lockout though I'm done with this league. From a fan's perspective this is just utter BS. Thank you to all the owners for screwing the fans yet again.— Fly Guy
- Talk about censorship. I know who pays off this paper to bury any "bad news". Too bad the mogul who became one through Comcast-Spectacor has such thin skin, or so this paper believes, in not printing my previous comment.— PhillyboyinNYC
On a more universally ridiculous issue: the caption to the Timonen picture says he is "scheduled" to have surgery. Why hasn't he had his surgery already? What is that but simply another ploy for players to short change the owners and play the minimum possible number of regular season games?
Funny how Carchidi never writes about that one.
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- Billionares vs. Millionares. I will not go to support these greedy mfers again.— jdld610
