Will NHLPA response lead to settlement? (Ha!)
The NHL Players’ Association, trying to save the season, made counteroffers that the NHL dismissed during an unproductive, one-hour meeting in Toronto on Thursday.
Will NHLPA response lead to settlement? (Ha!)
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
The NHL Players’ Association, trying to save the season, made counteroffers that the NHL dismissed during an unproductive, one-hour meeting in Toronto on Thursday.
"We're not speaking the same language," said Gary Bettman, the NHL's commissioner.
He said the NHLPA presented three proposals, and called the meeting "a step backward." He said the proposals were all "variations of their first offer."
No new talks have been scheduled.
"I'm thoroughly disappointed," Bettman said.
Donald Fehr, executive director of the NHLPA, said the owners' propsal would cost the players about 12 percent of their salaries. He said one of the union's proposals was to move to a 50-50 split as long as the players' contracts were honored in full and no escrow was involved.
NHL players averaged $2.5 million last season; a 12 percent cut would put the average at $2.2 million.
On Tuesday, the NHL had offered the union a 50/50 split on hockey-related revenue (HRR), provided an 82-game season starts on Nov. 2.
The players’ union had a conference call before Thursday’s meeting, and of the four proposals discussed, all had gradual step-downs from the NHL’s 50/50 offer, ESPN reported.
Bettman said the NHLPA's proposals were "nowhere close" to what the league had offered earlier in the week.
The NHLPA had been asking to get 53 to 54 percent of the HRR. The players received 57 percent in the last collective bargaining agreement.
On Twitter, fans were irate with Fehr.
Tweeted AFleisher91: Donald Fehr is now public enemy #1 for hockey fans..he clearly cares even less about the fans than Bettman.
In addition to the HRR split, there are many other items that need to be ironed out.
The start of Thursday’s meeting was delayed from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. because the NHLPA had a conference call with its executive board and negotiating committee, which includes the Flyers’ Scott Hartnell.
The NHL has said it has lost about $250 million because the exhibition season and the first two weeks of the season were canceled. Some of that money can be recouped if an 82-game season is salvaged.
Bettman said a new CBA has to be signed by Oct. 25 in order to open training camps the next day and start the season on Nov. 2.
But after Thursday's meeting, he headed back to New York and had little optimism that an entire season could be played.
"Obviously, as the calendar ticks away, we're going to be cancelling more games," said the commissioner, adding that the cancelling of the Winter Classic was "rapidly approaching."
Said Fehr: "Today is not a good day. It should have been, but it wasn't."
(more to come)
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Niko Hovinen, the Flyers' highly touted goalie prospect, injured his collarbone in Trenton's ECHL game Wednesday and did not return. Hovinen was hit with a second-period shot in a 3-1 win over Reading.
Flyers GM Paul Holmgren said Hovinen was day to day and would be re-evaluated this weekend.
Poll: What is your reaction to an NHL lockout?
Tonguewagger you're an idiot!— sanfrand- Those fans who think Donald Fehr is public enemy number one fell for the Owners PR stunt. The Owners offer wasn't a good one and wasn't a big step forward. It was a HUGE PR stunt for the Owners and it seems alot of NHL fans took the Bait. This deal wasn't good for the players or good for the fans. I don't want the NHL players to fold. They should hold out and go player overseas until they get a fair deal. The NHL owners need to be taught a lesson as they will continue to try and take more and more pay each time there is a new agreement needed. The Players folded last time now they need to stand their ground. Gary Bettman is the enemy of hockey, not Donald Fehr.— ChrisM
- It's not as much about the percentage as it is the owners are taking back from the players. The difference is $60 MILLION dollars from what the NHL is offering. That's considerable! Not to mention the fact that they want to roll back the players salaries by adding the AHL salaries to the cap.
The issue isn't as much as the players wanting MORE is them not wanting considerably less.— macd41144 - How many of you are aware that the league hired a former GOP strategist to do a little PR work for them? Sounds like some of you fell for their dirty little trick (check the name Frank Luntz if you think I'm kidding).— Phantoms9805
- Scratch the word "former" from my previous post. Apparently, he's still in politics.— Phantoms9805
- Scratch the word "former" from my previous post. Apparently, he's still in politics.— Phantoms9805
- The Sixers will be the only game in town - Eagles are tired, Flyers on strike and the Phils are done....interesting turn of events. Go Sixers. Hockey could start in January for all I care - a year off whatever - glad to be off the roller-coaster - are those trees outside - is that my bike?— JourneyHome
- Flyers are not on strike. The players offered to continue playing while negotiations went on. This is a lockout... that's on the owners and the league. — wmichael
Sorry, I can't relate to either side. I'm just getting queasy thinking about how much Federal taxes I'll again be paying this year. Maybe I should start a non-profit in Philly??— dogman5- They are speaking the same language. Money.— P Even
- And proposal #3 from the NHLPA did get them to 50/50. All that the owners needed to do were to be men (persons?) of character, and honor the contracts they've already signed. But, the owners don't want to do that, so..— Phantoms9805
- I'll say it again...I hope it never comes back and I am a life long Flyers fan...1 sport down 3 to go...who needs them, it's getting extremely boring....go away, my beer league is more exciting...— cleflyer
- MEDIATOR— brio
- Donald Fehr's mistake is thinking he can play hardball with the hockey owners as much as he did with the baseball owners. What Bettman should tell Fehr is if we have this shared split there will be this many teams in the league, and if we split it your way there will be this many less teams in the NHL costing your membership jobs (and mean it.) If the NHL said to the PA that eight teams will cease to exist unless we get these concessions, the PA's position would change dramatically. If teams are operating at losses, just threaten to shrink the league. The fans in those cities would be upset, but no good business man should have to operate at a loss. Hockey's ticket prices are already too high. Let the PA kill the golden goose.— RunningTheBases
- I would love to see all fans of the sport put a bounty on that assclown Bettman's head.— blackknight
