NHL 2011-2012 Season

[The Ringer]

 

[SixMillionDollarMan Guy]

Dobber has a pretty good insight on things and is one of the top writers for The Hockey News.

This is what he said on his Facebook page....

"Look for a 75 game NHL season to be announced by Thursday. Fingers crossed. Sad thing is, the end agreement and season start date is almost exactly what I said they would be back in July. I could have saved them a lot of headaches if they'd just come to me."

WHOA!

 

[Sweet Rabbit]

I'll believe it when it happens

 

[risingstar]

I'll believe it when it happens

+1

If they were that close to making a deal, why cancel the winter classic?

 

[Deeznutz6]

+1

If they were that close to making a deal, why cancel the winter classic?

Me to, everything I heard today didnt lead to anything positive

Detroit actually pressed the league to cancel, they lost to much time to run the full festivities (something like several outdorrs games at Ann Arbour and Comerica) so they stood to lose all that money anyway. Next year they will hold the biggest WC event to date

 

[Eli26]

The guy is even doubting it too... hence, crossing fingers.

But they have been heavy in talks. What does that mean? Exactly what it means... lots of talking is good. It means both sides want to end this as soon as they possibly can. Can't get a deal done without both sides talking to each other. Just some food for thought.

 

[The Ringer]

Todays marks the 3rd straight day.

 

[risingstar]

I'm fine with players making whatever amounts of money. However, these kooky contracts need to come with an "if you start sucking, we can fire your butt" clause. IMO, each team should be allowed to dump two contracts a year without any penalty or compensation to the player who clearly isn't earning his pay. The player can then become a free agent and join the Maple Leafs.

 

[Eli26]

I'm fine with players making whatever amounts of money. However, these kooky contracts need to come with an "if you start sucking, we can fire your butt" clause. IMO, each team should be allowed to dump two contracts a year without any penalty or compensation to the player who clearly isn't earning his pay. The player can then become a free agent and join the Maple Leafs.

I agree... no way a player should be making the 7.5 mill per year that Gomez was bringing in, being a minus in the +/- bracket and scoring only 2 goals. That mean he's neither productive on the scoresheet or playing strong defensively, and it's clear he's not a physical force... and what physical only players make that kind of coin? You need to be able to say, sorry bud, you haven't performed according to the dollar value. Your services have been terminated.

That's why, and this would never work for the players, but everyone should be signed to a base salary of 1,000,000 and make the extras in bonuses. If you reach 20 goals, 2 million. 30 goals. 3 million. 500 grand for every 10 assists reached. A plus-season could be a 500,000 bonus. Depending on how high it is, even more. Of course there are stipulations, like injuries and how strong of a season that player had compared to the guy who played in all 82 games.

This guy ---> 58-39-45-84, +41 should make more than this guy ---> 82-44-47-91, +26 Then again, maybe not. Got to look at each player's minutes played, who they lined up with, and a guy who plays 82 games for you is a guy who you can count on to be in the line up, game in and game out. So what does that mean for the Crosbys of the NHL? It's not as easy as initially thought out, but it's something that could be worked on. I just like the idea that it gets players hustle and perform at their best each game to gain those incentives, then the guys who get the big fat contracts and sit back and enjoy the riches coming in like your Yashins did, and much like your Heatleys of today are doing now.

For the third and fourth line pluggers who don't get the allotted playing time to reach said lofty goals, you can have hits, blocked shots, and other aspects be looked at. Performance rating bonuses? Of course that is subjective.

 

[Eli26]

4 days in a row of talks. This is very promising.

 

[Deeznutz6]

4 days in a row of talks. This is very promising.

Only because they are forced to or the seaosn has no chance

Im not optimistic

 

[Eli26]

Only because they are forced to or the seaosn has no chance

Im not optimistic

Can't get a deal done with talks and they are talking a lot, so this should make any fan happy. No? Does for me. It's still a positive. Got to remain positive.

 

[Grenouille]

Following the stuff on twitter makes it hard to be too optimistic.

Pat Leonard ‏@NYDNRangers
@SportsnetSpec is right: @NHLPA wants '11-12 share (57%), +5% on top of it, plus $$ for full 82gm 12-13 sked, then goes up 5% every yr after

The NHLPA is funny and obviously has no interest in playing if those demands are true.

 

[bumblebee]

This league and the players are a joke!

 

[Grenouille]

Renaud P Lavoie ‏@RenLavoieRDS
Tough meeting today. Talks were good this week but some say its because Jeremy Jacobs was not there...until today.

Oh it would figure that old ******* would ruin things. That good will he had after the Stanley Cup is quickly dissipating.

It's almost enough to say I'll just be a Nordiques fan when the Coyotes move.

 

[risingstar]

As a fan, I'm prepared to lose the year if the new CBA doesn't come with limitations on durations of contracts (e.g., 5 years max) and ability to dump retarded Luongo/Lecavallier/DiPietro-type contracts penaltly-free. Sadly, most players' productivity drops after they sign the big and long term contracts. I've had enough of that. Protect the game from the dumbo decisions some owners are able to make. There must be a greater ability to protect the success of the team over the player's feelings. Yes, it's harsh. However, the team's future has to be more important than the player who can no longer contribute.

As for these longer term contracts, I have no doubt that the agents are saying, "if you won't some other retard will". These agents need to be reined in too.

In a perfect world, if I had it my way, I would also base the salary cap of each team based on the taxes in that region so everyone really gets a fair shot. A $5million dollar contract in Montreal (the highest taxed team in the NHL) is not the same as a $5million contract in Tampa (the lowest taxed team in the NHL, I think).

 

[Adrosi]

As a fan of hockey I don't care. It's the NHL that is losing out. I've been following the juniors, the AHL and the ECHL.

Aside from like a dozen guys that are marquee players in the NHL everyone else is replaceable and plays to the same song and dance.

 

[The Ringer]

I should be watChing hockey right now

 

[Deeznutz6]

You wont be watching any hockey this season dude, I thought the players were greedy ****s, but holy **** the owners are worse

 

[Eli26]

I want the AHL back!