After reading some of the stories and various news items and other things around the
blogsphere I get a sense that the Bully Boy and NHL Commissioner
Gary Bettman is bound and determined to lock the
NHL players out so they can get their 24% Roll back. Seems to be the owners/Bettman's way or the highway - seems counter productive. I do believe both sides are going to have to give some. I don't it's realistic to expect the players to give that much back especially after some of the contracts that were signed this offseason.
I also saw that the NHL owners lock the players out and there is no hockey this season the NHL owners will still get a 200 million dollar payment from NBC.So the NHL owners will recoup some of their loses if they do lock the players out.
Former Boston Bruins Defenseman and TSN Hockey Analyst
Aaron Ward says that we are no where - there is no substance to the negotiations and he all but guarantees that there will be a lockout. I also agree, I don't see how the players and the owners get anything done when they don't know where to start.
The reoccuring theme that is starting to emerge the labor talks is that there appears to be a frustration surrounding the CBA negoations from both sides.
As a rabid fan of the NHL I can't see how a lockout does anyone any good - if there is a work stoppage there will be a fair number of fans that will feel alienated and might not come back when the CBA have been signed. Much like they did in 2004-05 fans will find something else to do. Thank God that
college hockey doesn't lock the players out.
