NHL won't adopt T.J. Oshie Rule

Original NHL logo, used until 2005. A version of the logo features it in the shape of a hockey puck. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

According to Greg Wyshynski of Puck Daddy, don't count on the NHL adopting the T.J. Oshie Rule. I would say that I like this... It works great for International play.

Puck Daddy -- “Obviously, the one feature that’s different in international competition and the National Hockey League is the ability to use the same shooter in a game-winning shots competition,” said deputy commissioner Bill Daly on Tuesday, before the qualification round of the Sochi Olympic tournament.

“We haven’t even talked about that with our general managers at any point and time, but I would very surprised if the general managers would ever be supportive of that type of concept. It’s tough enough that they don’t like the shootout as it is.”

One of the reasons why the GMs would find the concept repellant: The idea that “shootout specialists” might need to be a consideration on their rosters. Which would be great news for the Linus Omarks of the world, but not something Daly sees the League’s team executives desiring all that much.

NHL CBA negotiations now a game of chicken?

National Hockey League Players' Association (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I have sometime's wondered if this is what's really going to happen. I was also wondering if the NHLPA will realize they can no longer get anymore out of the owners and then sign the best agreement, they can get.

It would appear that the owners aren't going to give them much. Me personally, I would advise the players to sign the deal that's on the table soon, if there is no movement by the owners so they can save the season.

Bruce Garrioch,OTTAWA SUN --- The NHL and NHL Players' Association have turned to a dangerous game of chicken with the season on the line.

Who blinks first?

NHLPA special counsel Steve Fehr did reach out to NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly for a short telephone conversation Tuesday, but no talks are scheduled even though both told QMI Agency Saturday they're prepared to bargain.

Daly said in an email to QMI Agency Tuesday that NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr is trying to bide his time to see if he can get his best deal for the players when the loss of the whole regular season is truly on the line.

But Daly also admitted a meeting wouldn't solve much because the NHL isn't going to go any further than the offer tabled two weeks ago in New York as the massive losses continue to mount for both sides.

"It disappoints me and saddens me because it's just more days lost," wrote Daly. "But, I'm not sure what meeting does from our side. There is nothing left to give and its clear Don is aiming toward a 'deadline' showdown."

This NHL Lockout has been a gong show, there is no reason this should have come to this. I like most are now wondering, when is the 2012-13 season is going to begin. Is there going to be an NHL season, if not, will there be an NHL season next year? We're running out of time for a season this year.

Not 100 percent, but it's likely NHL will cancel more games before end of the week
— Pierre LeBrun (@Real_ESPNLeBrun) December 18, 2012

During the regular season, I watch 4-6 NHL hockey games every week. I follow the Boston Bruins and the Minnesota Wild and watch whoever is playing when neither team is on TV. This fall, much like the 2004-05 season this fall has been empty. My life has a void again, like the 2004-05 season. I find myself watching movies and bad sitcoms to fill the void. The people that are casual fans might not come back when the lockout is over.

A recent study of 1,000 Canadians found that the found the NHL lockout is so bad for the league's image that it's comparable to BP's Deep Water Horizon's destructive oil spill. Yeah! That's not good. So you have to wonder if this game of chicken the two sides are playing is doing more damage than good.

All that I want for Christmas is a meaningful NHL season.

RT @craigcustance: Hard to argue this from Brisson: "Canceling the season -- there's no words to describe how devastating that would be."
— Steve Zipay (@stevezipay) December 19, 2012

NHL proposes meeting between owners, players

National Hockey League Players' Association (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This newspaper article came through my twitter feed. After reading a few of these articles it would appear that the owners are pulling out all the stops to break the NHLPA. I can't think of anything else that they're trying to accomplish.

Seriously! What else could this be?

It would also appear that the NHL owners are trying to check the unions solidarity as well. I suppose they think they can peal a few of the players off to pressure the union to sign their deal that they presented earlier.

Like some have said, this lockout just might be about the players with the big contracts. I am beginning to lean that way.

Rob Rossi, Triblive --- Now with a second lost season in eight years a growing possibility, the league has proposed a meeting between only owners and players, deputy commissioner Bill Daly said.

Daly declined to provide details, and he would not say whether all NHL owners or representatives would be available for the meeting that would exclude league and union executives such as commissioner Gary Bettman and union head Donald Fehr.

The Players’ Association did not say if it would agree to the meeting – though many players, including Penguins from Sidney Crosby to union rep Craig Adams, have said they would like to hear from more owners.

What do you think?

It would appear that the NHL owners have no intention of negotiating and seem to be dead set on cancelling another season if the players don't take their offer that is on the table. So we wait.

Is a deal close between the NHLPA and the NHL Owners

You have to wonder if a deal is close to being done. Articles like this give me hope that we can salvage a NHL season.

Dan Oldfield, CBC Sports --- We've heard that the No. 2 guys in the NHL and the NHLPA, Bill Daly and Steve Fehr, held a "marathon" bargaining session this weekend. We also learned there are plans to bring the parties together for more formal talks this week. What does that mean?

I’ll be bold here and say it means a deal is inevitable.

One can only believe that a marathon session (with several breaks) means that Daly and Fehr had something to talk about and they were clearly checking compass directions with other key players. More than that, there obviously is reason to return to the table. They would not be doing this merely to restate positions already well known to each other.

The two sides are meeting today in New York City. According to the NHLPA the following players Craig Adams, David Backes, Martin Biron, Chris Campoli, Sidney Crosby, Mathieu Darche, Ron Hainsey, Johan Hedberg, Milan Lucic, Manny Malhotra, Steve Montador, Shawn Thornton, Kevin Westgarth.

Sunday Evening Humor and CBA discussions.

My wife put this picture on my Facebook page so I thought I would post it because I thought it was kind of funny. I believe that everyone needs a little humor in their lives - especially for hockey fans with the prospects of the hockey lockout causing the loss of an entire season. As this this work stoppage drags out, It looks like there is a very good chance that we're not going to have an NHL hockey season this winter - I don't see how this lockout ends very quickly.

Watch the video's below, it appears that the NHL Owners and the NHLPA are in no hurry settle this work stoppage.

Think about this, the NHL has locked out the NHL players and instead of working out their major differences - these two sides are talking about player safety. While I think that player safety is an important issue there isn't going to be any hockey until they work out the percentage of the Hockey Related Revenue that the players and the owners share... Right now it's 57-43 in favor of the players. It appears that the Owners want a 50/50 split.

If you watch the video you don't hear any urgency in Billy Daly's  voice - it's like the NHLPA and the NHL owners are saying, yeah well... We met this weekend and talked about a few issues and it's good that we're talking - were not making very much progress... I think that hockey fans want to see some negotiations that are focused on ending this lockout and going forward so we can have an NHL season.

Related articles

• NHL Lockout 2012: Owners, Union Continue To Meet, But Only Discussing Secondary Issues (newyork.sbnation.com)
• Tweets of the day - CBA, Preseason killed (ndgoon.blogspot.com)

Fehr, 'still sufficient time to get NHL deal done'

I must say that I agree with the Head of the NHLPA – I also don’t see a reason to have a lock-out either. There is lots of time to get an agreement on a new CBA and in my opinion a lock-out does nothing for progressing the game of hockey after making much progress with exposure the last five seasons or so. Why not negotiate through at least the pre-season.

The NHL and the NHL Players' Association can agree there's still more than enough time to reach a new labor deal even though the union has yet to submit a counteroffer with less than six weeks left before the current collective bargaining agreement expires.

“I don't think time's running out yet,” Fehr said by phone Monday from Barcelona, where he met with about 40 NHL players. “I still think if the parties are dedicated to it, there's sufficient time to reach an agreement.”

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly concurred.

Daly declined to discuss the NHL's plans if an agreement is not reached by mid-September. [Associated Press]

Who is to blame? 

I am going to respond to a comment a fan made on a blog post that I wrote yesterday by someone named Bar Down, this is the comment that he posted, “Don't the players have something like a 57%-43% split??? What other sport is that uneven? I could be wrong...but if I'm right you must quit blaming the owners.” I do blame the owners – who else is culpable? The players were offered the current outrageous salaries by the owners. Do we blame Zach Parise, Ryan Suter and Shea Weber for their multiyear million dollars salaries? If the owners are willing to agree to these salaries I don’t blame the players for signing the contracts and taking the money.

Atlanta Spirit, True North in negotiations about Thrashers sale, relocation

Image via WikipediaThis newspaper article gives me hope that we could still see the NHL return to Winnipeg, Manitoba.  That being said I have to remain realistic and I am not going to hold my breath just yet, but I do like where this conversation is going.

By Chris Vivlamore The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ----- The Atlanta Spirit has begun negotiations with True North Sports and Entertainment on the sale of the Thrashers, which would result in relocation to Winnipeg, according to a person familiar with the NHL’s sale process.

A deal has not been completed and it is also not known how long the two sides have been negotiating. However, the fact that talks are on-going could mean the Thrashers would relocate to Manitoba perhaps as soon as next season. "I have never confirmed nor denied specific parties we have been talking to in regards to a possible sale of the Thrashers," Atlanta Spirit co-owner Bruce Levenson told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Monday.

Typically, confidentiality agreements are signed between parties in negotiations which would prohibit Atlanta Spirit ownership from identifying suitors NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, reached via e-mail, said there was "nothing I'm prepared to say at this point." A True North Sports and Entertainment spokesperson had no comment.

NHL owners do not have to get league approval get league approval to identify potential buyers and work out an agreement to sell their franchise. However they would have to get permission to negotiate with a party interested in relocation. Once an agreement in principle has been reached, the NHL’s Board of Govenors would be asked to judge the acceptability of the new ownership.