The National Hockey League on Friday afternoon officially cancelled the 2013 Winter Classic between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings, which was slated for Jan. 1 at Michigan Stadium.
”The logistical demands for staging events of this magnitude made today’s decision unavoidable,” deputy commissioner Bill Daly told The Canadian Press. “We simply are out of time. We are extremely disappointed for our fans and for all those affected.”
The announcement came after 326 regular-season games have already been cancelled due to the ongoing lockout.
The NHLPA released the following statement from executive director Don Fehr after the Winter Classic was cancelled:
“The NHL’s decision to cancel the 2013 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic is unnecessary and unfortunate, as was the owners’ implementation of the lockout itself. The fact that the season has not started is a result of a unilateral decision by the owners; the players have always been ready to play while continuing to negotiate in good faith. We look forward to the league’s return to the bargaining table, so that the parties can find a way to end the lockout at the earliest possible date, and get the game back on the ice for the fans.”
Read more by clicking here.
The Gazette’s Pat Hickey weighs in on the cancellation of the Winter Classic, writing that both sides are losers in this labour battle. You can read his column by clicking here.
(Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
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Week 6 Prospect and those other guys report. Some guy named Plekanec is scoring in the Czech League, not sure if he can play in the NHL though;
http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/2012/11/3/3593892/overseas-habs-prospects-weekly-report-6
The shoot out from last nights Dogs game;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfD94LGiBG8
Mayer had a good game but not very impressive in the SO. Made some excellent stops in the game.
hmmm sounds like a certain NHL goalie we know well
“Keep your stick on the Ice”
CBA talks to resume today in secret location;
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nhl/2012/11/02/nhl-nhlpa-to-talk-saturday/1678535/
The solution to the lockout might be a lockin. Next time that Bettman, Daly, the Fehr’s and company are scheduled to meet to negotiate a CBA agreement, I say we lock the doors on them post security guards at the door so nobody can interfer, (no pun intended), and don’t let them out until an agreement is reached.
Good idea, I like it. Getting them in the same room seems to be problematic though.
There is an old management theory that the best way to resolve this type of conflict is to lock the people in a room with lots of water or other things to drink but with no bathroom facilities. They will remain locked in that room until both sides agree that they have a solution. It will not be very long before real negotiations take place.
Amen!
Just get it done.
Really have nothing nice to say, just reporting;
http://en.rian.ru/sports/20121103/177167909.html
Happy Saturday everyone.
http://calsnhllockout2012songparodies.weebly.com/1/post/2012/11/november-03rd-2012.html
I do take requests, like this one from a Habfan in Toronto. (Just put money in the jar)
What will it take to get a mediator involved in this conflict?
————————
“Can we lose the parade float?…..Thank you!”
-This Old House, GMC commercial-
So, Shane Doan says the players are the biggest hockey fans. Doan also says that he believes hockey will work in Phoenix. The players say, they don’t get to decide where teams are placed so why should they help with their loses. The players say they are partners, and because they are the show, they are entitled to 57% of HHR yet assume no finanacial risk. They are partners in that they must work together for the good of the league.
What a contradiction. I guess it is okay for actual fans to pay for it all and then the taxpayers, many of whom propbably don’t give a care about hockey.On top of that, when it looked like Phoenix may move to Winnipeg, Doan said he wouldn’t go. Something is wrong with this picture.
The owners and Bettman are not dense, they know that tickets sales can only go so far. So, in order to get more lucrative advertising and tv contracts, they put teams where the sponsors and broadcasters want them in order to get those deals. The owners also know theere will be growing pains in those markets.
Doan and the other players need to read some business books and then run a model of a business where they are the owners. The front line employees are the show in all businesses. Having said that, if you over pay them, you won’t have a business, especially if they are eating up 57% of revenues, Ask any of the players that own restaurants how long their businesses would last without cooks, chefs, serving staff, or if these employees sucked at their jobs, but took 57% of revenues. All employees are important.
Yes, the players risk their health, but they know that going in and they are well compensated for the risk. Some fans say that the owners aren’t in this for the profits but for ego. That is an assumption, not a fact. The owners and in the States, the tax payers take the financial risks. If I hear one more player or fan say, but they sacrifice so much, I will puke! You don’t think Doctors, lawyers, law enforcement and firefighters to name a few don’t sacrifice a lot?
That argument is lame. It is time for both sides to come back to reality, and agree that they both are equally important. If the players really think they are entitiled to 57%, let them collectively buy the Coyotes and then see what they say!
Maybe their Salaries should be tied to the team balance sheet. If the team they play for loses money, their contracts for that season should be reduced by the percentage of the losses.
Habfan17
It has been discussed here numerous times …
Players are not employees – they are the PRODUCT. Just like you don’t watch any movie, you watch a movie with your favourite superstars and they get paid handsomely for being the product people want to look at. People don’t fill arenas to watch AHL hockey, as you can see. Even KHL has some really small attendances most of the games. People want to see the best players in the world, playing for teams they grew up watching.
NHL players are the product people want to see. Zamboni drivers, arena custodians, hot dog sellers etc. are employees. And yes, they do not command 50% of the revenues because they can be so easily replaced.
Except that simple business math stll does not support your argument. You have no clue if those KHL teams are making money.
Using movies as your example, they need all the actors to make the movie, but only one or two command top dollar, I don’t think the everage actor makes $2.4 million a year. If they had to pay the actors that appeared in a movie and average of $2.4 million, we would either be paying $120.00 a ticket to go watch, or there would be movies with a lot less characters in them to keep cost down. Basically, there would be no movie industry unless the actor were digital beings. Players are the show we go to see, but they are still employees who get all expenses paid and a per diem when travelling. The teams insure them and pay their salaries.
Habfan17
The other reason you cannot compare movies to hockey is that actors work on one film and if they price themselves above the budget, they don’t get hired. In Hockey you give guaranteed contracts and you are stuck with a player, even when they don’t perform.
Habfan17
Actually the team as a whole is the product.
Montreal Canadiens as a whole is the product.
People pay to see a team, play another team.
If a player retires, is traded, etc. the team (product) fills the void with another player.
Players come and go, the product stays (team) Montreal Canadiens have existed for several decades and have survived players leaving (Lafluer, Beliveau etc.) but the team (product) carries on.
If the products were the players, then the best teams would fold because they could not survive without (Lemieux, Orr, etc.) but the teams (products) keep on going.
The team is owned by the owner and the logo that identifies that team is owned by the owner.
He guards the good will of that logo (representation of his rights) it cannot be used without his permission. If a player tarnishes that goodwill he is usually moved out.
The owners own….the players play, they are interchangable parts….remember Wayne Gretzky trade anyone
wjc
Hockey is the product. The players, the logo, the beer, the hotdog, the jumbotron, the zamboni are all part of the product. The players collect a cheque from an employer. That by definition makes them an employee. The players have a union, the product does not.
Hab 17, well said.
wjc
“It is with great pleasure that I announce the cancellation of the NHL Winter Classic.”
– Gary Bettman
————————————-
Listen to the Smart Dog. He knows his poop!
You forgot this part SD. ” with Donald Fehr at his side”.
———————————–
What are the supposed to do, Smart dog?? spend the money anyways.
Your hatred of anything bettman clouds your perception.
wjc
Bad night for Minnesota… Granlund leaves the ice with what looks like a pretty serious knee injury, and then Taylor Hall nails Brodin who needed to be helped off the ice. Possible concussion.
So earlier tonight I hear the NHL is coming with a new proposal to make player’s salaries whole ( for real this time ). We are going to see a deal soon and the NHL will look like the heroes in all of this by saving the swason, and yes , the Winter Classic too) because we all how important that HRR isy
Just saw the headline myself.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=408711
This looks promising. But, then again, so did the NHL’s last proposal. I hate that I get encouraged at the first sign of potentially good news.
I feel dirty.
But maybe, just maybe, there’ll be some NHL hockey this year.
I wonder if having the #2 men there might be a positive, Blondie? Could be our last hope.
———————————–
I hope so, can’t see them being more unreasonable than the #1 guys.
Savethepuck, help make them whole, might be more accurate. The players will lose a couple of paydays in November, so it all will balance out.
wjc
Not sure why but all four Bulldogs shooters fired from 20 feet out.
Four?
————————————-
Listen to the Smart Dog. He knows his poop!
AHL uses a 5-shooter format for the shootout but it was over before the 5th was needed.
Headline: Bettman cancels Winter Classic
Comment: ahhh..the first GOOD NEWS to come out of this lockout>
Less Leafs ALWAYS a good thing
Bulldogs going into OT. 2-2 Gallagher and Boyce scored the goals
Edit: Dogs lose in SO
shootout now
Go Habs Go!
Check out Top Shelf Prospects, my Team by Team prospect reports
http://lastwordonsports.com/
Dogs lose the shootout 3-1…. Boyce the only goal.
Go Habs Go!
Check out Top Shelf Prospects, my Team by Team prospect reports
http://lastwordonsports.com/
Storm 3 Generals1 in the 3rd on Sportsnet
We can pretty much kiss the season goodbye at this point.
_____________________________
“Access Forbidden” gettin’ ya down?
Hold down Shift while clicking refresh.
Bulldogs still trail 1-0 after 2nd
EDIT: 2-2 Bulldogs/Rochester 5 mins left 3rd Boyce scored
when was the marathon cancelled my friend left today to go there and run in it..
Around 5pm today.
earlier today.
Go Habs Go!
Check out Top Shelf Prospects, my Team by Team prospect reports
http://lastwordonsports.com/
The “Winter Classic” is everything that is wrong with the NHL.
Just think about it for a minute amigos. A “Classic” shake down,put on by a Two Bit Carney Huckster for the easy “marks”. A pretentious ruse of the “roots” of hockey for the benefit of those who have lost touch or never had the opportunity to play the beauty and purity of Pond Hockey. Don’t lament the demise of the”Classic” Rejoice..
I don’t care about classic itself, but losing this game means the season is gone IMO.
Go Habs Go!
Check out Top Shelf Prospects, my Team by Team prospect reports
http://lastwordonsports.com/
Frontenac1: You seem very bitter. A “classic shakedown, by a two bit carney huckster. A game that 100,000 people can go see, live.
Only “easy marks” would want to see. A huge television audience to watch your product on display and perhaps become fans.
Beauty and purity of “pond hockey”…. really? The game is a great gimmick to draw attention to itself according to you. Promotion is what it is all about. Promotion is what the NHL is all about, it is called marketing.
This shake down as you call it also benefits the players.
wjc
Although it’s cool to check out the Winter Classic I think the intrigue usually lasts all of 20 minutes for most people. The crowd, the payers warming up and seeing the weather conditions is all that’s really interesting about it.
Once the puck drops it’s generally a low intensity affair, I know last year was a bit better, that people lose interest in very quickly if they’re not a fan of either team involved.
Bottom line, who give a rat’s ass about the stupid game being cancelled!
Given the whole standoff is over money, a big chunk was just lost. Also it does serve as a big hockey promo in the U.S. Too bad for Detroit, they were planning a lot of other games around it, CHL, AHL, and college hockey.
Yipee, Dustin Walsh is back playing tonight. He missed 75% of last season with injuries.
Hes talented if he can stay healthy.
They started him on the fourth line tonight, easing him back into the lineup it seems.
Go Habs Go!
Check out Top Shelf Prospects, my Team by Team prospect reports
http://lastwordonsports.com/
Apparently the New York Marathon has been cancelled. How did Bettman get involved with that?
In light of what is happening in some burroughs still and the fact the marathon route goes near some danger areas, I think the right decision was made. Problem is, they should have made this decision 2 days ago, now thousands of people probably began descending upon NYC to run or watch.
Definitely the right decision. Maybe some will pitch in and help with the clean up since they don’t have anything else to do now.
How do they determine where the Habs pick in the draft next year? 24Cups is saying we’d pick 12-16th…Why is that? Not that I think it should be identical to last draft, but how do they justify better teams getting better picks, just because of the lost season?
If the same as last lockout, Every team gets 3 balls put into a lottery ball. For every year of the past three in which the team made the playoffs a ball is removed up to a max. of 2. For each time over last 3 seasons your team had 1st overall pick a ball is removed up to max of 2.
Therefore Montreal will a low chance of winning a high end draft pick. Mathematical reasoning would put us middle of the pack. (Granted I am brutal at math)
Bulldogs down 1-0 half way through 1st against Rochester
Edit: 1-0 Rochester end of 1st
I haven’t read any of the comments but I wonder if this move is a way of Bettman taking away the NHLPA’s Winter Classic card. Makes sense to me (from his perspective).
Maybe now some serious talks may begin. Otherwise, the season may be lost. Which means the Habs get to eat a year on the Gomez/Kaberle contracts while probably picking in the 12th-16th spot in the next entry draft.
The man is certainly not stupid.
Stupid? No. Evil? Fill in the blank.
Welcome to Switzerland, David Desharnais!
David will join HC Fribourg Gotteron next week and im sugesting that he will stay a bit longer than Patches did down in the “south”!
sry to say that for you canadian folks but as a swiss guy this lockout gets better and better from day to day. you can say a lot about the players, their greed and lack of loyalty towards the union but at the end those guys are here just for one reason, playing some f***ing hockey because that what they do and love more than anything.
I think I have the minority opinion on the oudoor classic. It really does get a buzz here in the States and does attract the casual fan. In an otherwise mostly ignored sport, hockey is written and talked about in the main street media during this time. I always thought it was good for the growth of the game. IMHO this is another blow to the game we love.
Here’s hoping that hitting the submit button works.
———————————–
How are you doing? Any power yet?
We are doing fine. No power. No water. No internet. Telling us November12. Frustrating because only a percentage of my post make it. CHeers Frank!
———————————–
Went thru a couple of these in Halifax and survived my friend.
Habfan, I hope you get power back soon. I was without power/water/phone for a week last year at this time in the pre-Halloween blizzard, so I know how bad it is.
We’re thinking of those suffering, and hoping things get back to normal for you guys. Good luck.
Thanks Frank and Mond. The bright side? My utility bill will be very low tjis month.
———————————–
Dreger now tweets that the NHL made the Make Whole offer 3 days ago. PA had not responed. Says they want more detail. Haha
Lol someone on TSN commented, “Fehr has done the impossible. Make Bettman look like the good guy”
We have to wait to see what this SHARE means in real percentages and over what period. Great comment make him look like the good guy. Haha
Of course they want more details.
Is an offer without details really an offer though? Or is it just a conversation where the NHL said, we could do something on this point?
Neither side trusts the other. Can you blame them? I wouldn’t trust Bettman’s verbal offer with no details either.
Go Habs Go!
Check out Top Shelf Prospects, my Team by Team prospect reports
http://lastwordonsports.com/
Looking forward to the Hamilton and the Sarnia game today. Good to see a lot of us are keeping an eye on the Habs prospects.
All Sportsnet stations carrying the same OHL game – Oshawa/Guelph
Was excited for about a second thinking the Sarnia game might be on but no such luck. And it looks like no one is showing the Bulldogs game tonight. Can’t catch a break. So sick of watching hockey on my laptop with shitty live stream camera work…
Oh no the Winter “Classic”. Always a good idea until it starts.
As we all know, Leaf fans are the greatest, and it hurts me deep inside of my me that they will be deprived of this experience.
Watching Primetime Sports on Sportsnet and Bob McCown posed the question to the panel, Is anyone surprised we are in this position since the day the NHLPA announced Donald Fehr would be leader of the PA?
Darren Dreger tweets that the NHL told PA they will absorb share of Make Whole provision.
Interesting to know what share?
No % mentioned
Not much more detail, but here is Dreger talking about this on TSN.CA
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=408711
@shiram
Made especially for your culinary pleasure;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90gFpGHpmSc&feature=youtu.be
look on the bright side:
2013-14, the year of Galchenyuk, Tinordi, Gallagher, Bozon, and (hopefully) Erne!!!!!!!!!!
Galchenyuk yes. the other 3 i think will be in the AHL. Tinordi and Gallangher will be call ups for injuries
good point, Bozon COULD make the jump die to his outstanding junior season, but he would have to tear it up in training camp
I really hope we draft Adam Erne, he is an absolute tank who can score.
I predict NHL & NHLPA will reach an agreement on December 20, 2012, the day before the world is scheduled to come to an end.
Brett Hull say’s
snl-bretthull.wmv
Ian buddy, not sure where this is suppose to go?
Sorry it did not come up red to click onto!
Ian, is this the link you were looking for?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSCNtgrim0A
Now that is funny!
To Self….
{Phewwww! Glad I wasn’t able to make the mini summit. Group hugs, yeah right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!}
They cancelled a classic snooze fest. I am heartbroken.
Timo, No big deal for me as well my friend .
Whole season is done, and the owners are going to come out far ahead of the players. The longer it goes on the less the players are going to get, guaranteed!!!
Agreed – Fehr sold the players on an illusion…that if they just wait long enough the owners will cave. The owners brought in Bettman in the first place to help them work together, and he’s proved that he can do that. Fehr overestimated his own power and understimated the resolve of the owners.
For real… Fehr is ruining everything. Everyone rags on Bettman, but Fehr is the real villain here.
Not all oysters produce pearls, thankfully, Price is a pearl producing oyster.
A reasonable CBA Proposal?
1. Reduce the cap in stages – 55% this year, 52.5% next year, 50% in year 3.
2 Allow the teams to buy out one contract for each year of reduction without a hit to the cap – would allow existing contracts to be honoured while reducing payroll on paper and let the teams get rid of crappy contracts.
3. Any new long term contract (4 years or longer) cannot take the player past age of 38 – gets rid of stupid contracts that take players to age 43. Anyone 35 or older would be limited to maximum 3 year contract.
4. Increase revenue sharing as a sign of good faith to players that you want to make a stronger league, not just take money from them.
5. Give back to the players in other areas (free agency, etc)
6. Make it long term (10 years) so players know you won’t be coming back for more in 5 years.
(and maybe get rid of signing bonuses in offer sheets to get rid of the stupid Shea Weber offers)
Wow I thought line combos and trade proposals was one thing… I’ve never skilled a comment so fast
?
Everytime i read a statement from the NHLPA I feel that itès rhetoric and just… just bull****. I think i gotta stay away from hockey sites until they decide to play again. this crap is pissing me off
And the NHL isn’t releasing rhetoric?
Its a whole lot of PR from both sides.
Go Habs Go!
Check out Top Shelf Prospects, my Team by Team prospect reports
http://lastwordonsports.com/
i just feel like the nhl is being a little more upfront than the pa. The PA is saying they are willing to sit down and talk about anything. The nhl says they will talk but only about their proposal.
So if the PA is willing to talk about anything then why are they not talking about the nhls proposal. Its like they are pretending to be open to anything when in reality they are being just like the nhl and only want to work off their own proposal. If you are gonna be a dick then own up to it
The PA asked for a meeting about anything and spefically stated anything INCLUDES THE NHL’s PROPOSAL.
The NHL isn’t willing to meet. They want to limit the talks to their proposal specifically and nothing more. They want restrictions on what can be discussed. They are saying, “take our offer, and nothing else is acceptable” “my way or the highway”
and you think its the PA that has ramped up the rhetoric?
Go Habs Go!
Check out Top Shelf Prospects, my Team by Team prospect reports
http://lastwordonsports.com/
Dust, settle.
Just a wee bit of rhetoric from both sides. It’s to be expected.
i see what you did there. Funny first sentence.
Dust was upset, I couldn’t resist.
Tomas Plekanec is still lighting it up for Kladno
3 goals 2 assists today in a 9-6 win.
Go Habs Go!
Check out Top Shelf Prospects, my Team by Team prospect reports
http://lastwordonsports.com/
Trade him while his value is high!
Great JB another website to add to favourites browser list! Nice work you and Cal have done
Am I above or below Naked Wonders of the World?
[Not that it would really matter.]
RIP NHL
1917-2012
_______________________________________
Jack Edwards is a clam.
Gary Bettman is a bobblehead.
They started showing up a week ago. There was three or four the first day, more than a dozen the next. By the end of the week over a hundred had signed me on.
They wanted to launch a class action snoop and they were looking for someone they could trust to get the job done. That’s why they chose me, Lou Shrapnel, PEI. Private Eye Investigator.
I was leery at first. The first one through the door had been a blonde bombshell. If her good looks didn’t make a man leer, he had a heart of stone, and an organ that had never known what it meant to be hard.
I told them my services didn’t come cheap and they’d have to cover all my expenses. Wine, women and song included. The sunflower seeds I’d pay out of my own pocket.
They didn’t care. They just wanted answers, the quicker the better.
By the time I finished interviewing the seventh client, I knew this was going to be my toughest assignment yet, tougher than figuring out the Caramilk secret (it involves laser beams, a colander and winches, in case you’re wondering).
By the time I finished interviewing the 117th and last client, I was beginning to think I had bitten off more than I could chew. But that’s what I had thought with the Caramilk case, so I did what I had done before to calm my nerves. Turned on Bill O’Reilly. The show, not the man. After watching him for five minutes, I knew I was a genius. He has that effect on people.
Feeling smarter than I had in a week, I went over my notes.
Fact: 1994-95 – 468 NHL games cancelled
Fact: 2004-2005 – 1,230 games cancelled
Fact: 2012-13 – hundreds of NHL games had already been cancelled and it was an open secret that more were about to be knocked off. Some were predicting a whole season’s worth.
Yep, there was a serial game killer on the loose.
The question was: who?
II
The number one suspect, according to every client I spoke to, was Bettman, aka the Hittman, a hired gun paid to do the dirty work of 30 gang leaders.
I didn’t buy it. Sure, he might have pulled the trigger more than 2,000 times but he wasn’t acting on his own. You didn’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure out there’s no way 30 mob bosses would order a hit on their principal sources of income, which were bringing in $3.3 billion a year. They’d have to be idiots.
Okay, I couldn’t rule that out but there had to be someone else lurking in the shadows pulling the strings. Bettman was just the main puppet. A martinet, yes, but when you came right down to it, no better than a marionette.
A guy that stiff, it was obvious he was being manipulated.
Who had that kind of pull?
I called up the Highly Intelligent One – HIO to his buddies and me – to see if he could give me a lead. He couldn’t. He had been too busy the last month cleaning out his garage waiting for the lockout to end. I turned down his offer to buy an early 20th century elephant foot umbrella stand for five bucks. It was a steal at four.
I paid Milt Dunno, the original hockey insider, a visit at his radio station. He had just finished recording his one-minute face wash segment for his daily show when I put the question to him: Who’s responsible for killing so many NHL games?
Old guys are pasty-faced at best but I could have sworn Dunno blanched when I asked him. He stumbled over his words, the guy who makes a living out of talking, trying to give me an answer that wasn’t an answer. He knew something but he wasn’t about to tell me.
I left him sputtering after giving him a face wash. A taste of his own medicine and it didn’t go down well.
I went home to an apartment as empty as my prospects were in solving this case. I opened the door, turned on the light, and saw I had company.
“You!”
For the exciting – okay – for the conclusion to Lou Shrapnel’s most baffling case, visit http://johnbellyful.weebly.com
[Thanks, Cal, for pointing me to this web service]
An absolute firecracker, JB!
(No prob, JB.)
A Hockey game at the Bell Centre in case you missed it;
http://watch.tsn.ca/nhl/#clip798179
Unfortunately we have a couple of idiots driving the bus in these negotiations. I thought that threatening to cancel the Winter classic was just another power move by the NHL to pressure the PA to cave. The downpayment today was only $250,000 ( not a lot between 30 NHL franchises ). The next downpayment on Dec 7th of 1 million was the big one. I didn’t think they would actually do it, but then again, my new middle name throughout this process has become “gullible”. I’ll continue to be gullible and think that if talks resume next week and progress is made, the NHL may say ” here’s your $250,000, it’s a week late, is that OK? We informed you this may happen anyway.” I can’t comprehend how they are really doing this to an industry that’s grown so much since the last lockout. We the fans are stuck watching a game of cat and mouse while we are helpless in the middle waiting for 1 side to blink first because both sides think we will be back and forgive all the BS they have again put us through. It’s way beyond frustration now for me.
People say they are saving money because of this, it’s the opposite for me. Instead of sitting on my coach next to my beer fridge 3 or 4 nights a week, I am forced to go out and spend more money finding alternative entertainment. Will this madness ever end?
“They don’t hang Conference Championship Banners from the rafters here”
Carey Price
Well at least we have prospects to CHeer for;
http://www.habsaddict.com/2012/11/seven-chl-prospects-worth-watching-for.html
Pierre’s article on the Winter Classic or the Red Wings staying classy;
http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl/post/_/id/20084/lockout-would-denigrate-winter-classic
That is a good article. Thanks for posting
“Keep your stick on the Ice”
So Big George packs it in right after the law firm representing the new CHLPA did…wow!
Edit: one of the team’s players requesting union certification just pulled their request.
BGL is a joke I am afraid. He should do himself a favor and stay out of the limelight for awhile
“Keep your stick on the Ice”
BGL really doesn’t seem to be doing much these days to help himself. I kind of feel sorry for him, but can’t quite get there.
And the FehrButt Nazis said “No hockey for you, you and you too!
Hockey Frustration Song no. 19
Cue the music!
Ice
None of the rinks are cold
Arena lights
Did shine as silver and gold
Into the night
The rink’s as dark as coal
Walk on by
Walk on through
Walk ’til you run
And don’t look back
For there’s Bettman
N.H.L.
The blades fly and the players win
And through it all
With talent fine as a pin
Face to face
At a fast and determined pace
Walk on by
Walk on through
So sad to steal the fans’ devotion
Not this time
Say goodbye to their plight
I’m only asking but I…
I think fans know
Come on take us away
Come on take us away
No hockey at home
Not again
And if the big league should crumble
Or disappear into the past
Not a tear, no not I
Get out this time
No more watchin’…
Ever after, our game in time
That’s the game we loved
Taken…all!
Don’t push me too far
Don’t push me too far
Tonight
Tonight
Tonight…
*********************************************
“I’m here to tell you: Gary Bettman hasn’t felt this alive since he killed Harry Potter’s parents.”
Righteous!
…incroyable !!!
…I never, for a moment, ever thought they would allow this Winter Classic go down the toilet
…what absolute incompetence
…the games both sides have been playing have been phantasmagorically irresponsible
…even if they miraculously settle an agreement to begin play in January, what an incredible lost opportunity to grow the game in the United States
…both sides make Me sick to the bottom of My rectum
…bâtards fous !!!
I don’t care about the classic, but the 24 hour tv show was entertaining.
Bye Bye season.
Go Habs Go!
Check out Top Shelf Prospects, my Team by Team prospect reports
http://lastwordonsports.com/
Bye Bye reason.
See PK attending the game in London night to watch his brothers if you’re there.
I wish I could make it, but Fridays in London are just too far.
I do those games on Saturday when there is no traffic (and when I’m not working til 5:00 or 5:30 first).
Go Habs Go!
Check out Top Shelf Prospects, my Team by Team prospect reports
http://lastwordonsports.com/
Too bad. I was really looking forward to that Leaf game on Jan 1, complete with 60 day pregame show.
I was hopeful that the HBO special following the two teams would finally reveal for me, How to tie a tie like Brian Burke. Now I have to continue practising on my own.
OK well, reloading this page is like watching a very slow faucet drip, in slow motion.
Better things to do.
I WANT HOCKEY!
Have a good one everybody! Behave yourselves!
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“I’m here to tell you: Gary Bettman hasn’t felt this alive since he killed Harry Potter’s parents.”
Good luck at Poker tonight Bri, play well and enjoy the Guinness!
Thanks Gerry. But I’m tonight’s designated driver, so lots of coffee.
Cheers!
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“I’m here to tell you: Gary Bettman hasn’t felt this alive since he killed Harry Potter’s parents.”
Bettman, Fehr, the owners, and the players do not give a damn about the fans or the game. They are only interested in the money that the fans are expected to spend. I am very sorry to have to inform them that they must look elsewhere as I will never give them another dime.
Goofiest game of chicken I’ve seen since the strike I went through with my former employer. Nobody wins and the biggest loser is the customer…in this case us.
***Subbang Baby!!!***
A site that has a link for tonights bulldogs game,hopefully it will work.
http://www.thefirstrow.eu/sport/ice-hockey.html
I don’t mean to crap on the Poll question, but the NHL has been smart enough to schedule the game on a day and time when the only competition it faced would have been a Hertz RentaCar bowl game between the 3rd place team of the Big Ten Conference against the 4th place team from the SEC Conference. Thus making it the only real sports to watch on that day during the holiday season when we are at home.
So yes I watched it, but didn’t make a point to watch it.
Just a note, $3.3 billion is the league’s revenue, as far as I can tell, NOT profits. It is a crucial nuance. Meanwhile, the definition of actual revenue (hockey related) is still yet to be honestly addressed by either side.
Just wanted to clarify, as I’ve seen more and more people state that it’s a $3.3 billion pie, when that figure is pretty meaningless without the context and clarity of definition.
It isn’t completely meaningless. The player’s share of that pie is in fact 57% (presently) of revenues, not profits. So the $3.3 B figure is meaningful on that side.
For the owners, they have to take their 43%, pay the myriad of costs associated with each franchise, and then they get their share of whatever is left. We basically know that only a handful of teams are wildly profitable, before revenue sharing: Toronto, New York Rangers, Montreal, Vancouver, Detroit and Edmonton were the only franchises to earn more than $10 M in profits last season according to Forbes. These numbers must be taken with a grain of salt, of course, but they are probably in the right ballpark.
This basically says that there are only 6 owners who are making more than the top players in the league. Edmonton is not long for that list, as they have a host of young superstars that are going to need to get paid, so they are not going to get by with low salaries for much longer. If this year is ever played, Taylor Hall, Nail Yakupov, Ryan Nugent-Hopkings, Jordan Eberle and Justin Schultz have a combined salary of ~$4.5 M, but their combined cap hit is ~$16 M because of bonuses. Some of them will get some of that bonus money (the Schedule A stuff, for things like goals (20 or more), assists (35 or more), points (60 or more), All-Star game selections or being in the top three on the team in +/-, but that caps out at basically doubling their salary.
The big bonuses come for winning major individual trophies, and most of the young players can only dream of that. So teams like Edmonton can look like they are spending to the cap while in fact running significantly below cap. If they lose those players, they risk alienating their thus far patient fans, so I’m not sure they can continue with that business model.
While I am very sympathetic to the players in general, the owners do have some legitimate beefs about their relative risk.
You have to assume that Daryl Katz didn’t just visit Seattle for the sake of a visit. I’m sure having done the math, he too realizes that he’s getting off lightly, but not for much longer.
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“I’m here to tell you: Gary Bettman hasn’t felt this alive since he killed Harry Potter’s parents.”
There are a number of costs that are removed from HRR before we get to the 3.3B number.
Advertising costs
Arena Staff
Ticket selling costs
Food Costs
Merchandising costs.
Basically it states that the owners get a reduction for any costs that are necessary for the generation of HRR.
Go Habs Go!
Check out Top Shelf Prospects, my Team by Team prospect reports
http://lastwordonsports.com/
So in reality, that 43% is somewhat misleading, the way the league has presented it.
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“I’m here to tell you: Gary Bettman hasn’t felt this alive since he killed Harry Potter’s parents.”
and why the PA has tried to redefine it.
Actually its the NHL that has wanted to redefine HRR from the start. The PA is fine with the definition.
Go Habs Go!
Check out Top Shelf Prospects, my Team by Team prospect reports
http://lastwordonsports.com/
Thanks Chris, that helps provide the context for that number that’s so often missed. Your points about Edmonton are especially interesting.
Just because the Classic is cancelled does not mean the seson is done. 2004/2005 season was cancelleed in Feb 2005 so there is lots of time to get a shorter season in.
That being said what a bunch of fools.
My feeling all along was that they will cancel the season, nothing has changed for me to think differently. They only way I see the owners not canceling the season is if the NHL starts getting an enormous amount of pressure from sponsors who threating to pull their dollars off the table for good.
So the single most important game the Leafs would have played since 1967 is now cancelled. In that light I don’t feel so bad about this announcement.
There’s always a silver lining.
That is a good positive spin to put on a shit sandwich. LOL
I am afraid this confirms what we have all been thinking bye bye season
“Keep your stick on the Ice”
oh that’s just mean, funny, but still mean, LOL.
Nothing for the Toronto sports scene to celebrate for another…. 45 years.
Oh wait, the Argos won yesterday!
That’s gotta mean something.
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“I’m here to tell you: Gary Bettman hasn’t felt this alive since he killed Harry Potter’s parents.”
Toronto sports scene concerning coaches of their professional teams is sad – The coach with the longest term is the basketball coach who is going into his second year as head caoch……
Once again:
Nooooo! Not the Winter Classic! It’s the greatest thing ever!
(boo-hoo, etc.)
It’s funny, actually.
I was part of an NHL survey panel last season, and they kept asking me how excited I was about the Winter Classic and the Heritage Classic and the All-Star Game.
I just kept saying that I wasn’t interested in their marketing stunts, and that I just wanted to watch hockey.
Maybe cancelling the entire season is their way of getting back at me.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
It’s all your fault, Matty!
Better not meet up with you in a dark alley….
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“I’m here to tell you: Gary Bettman hasn’t felt this alive since he killed Harry Potter’s parents.”
Not surprised one bit. Forget Butthead and Fehr. Their love of hockey is as strong as my love of cricket.
Some of the owners are definitely out to destroy the NHL.
Time to reinvent the wheel and do it right.
Why you had to go and dis cricket man! If the NHL had a player with the charisma and athletic elegance of a Sir Garfield Sobers this lockout would be worth dealing with. No real star in the league anymore… not Crosby not Ovechkin…. and they go and create this mess.
Let’s assume by some sort of miracle, both sides grow a few active brain cells and realize the fans’ anger. I still think nothing would change. Obstinate morons, both.
Blueshirts blog writer speaks the truth…
“The NHL made a crucial error by turning down the players’ three proposals on Oct. 18 flat-out and concluding the meeting after only an hour, not even pretending to deliberate at length on the union’s counteroffers. It was the same type of error in delivery as the league’s presentation of a heavy-handed initial proposal in July that put players on their heels immediately.”
Fehr has been reasonable. Bettman has been ass-handed throughout this. What a jerkoff.
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Listen to the Smart Dog. He knows his poop!
Fehr has been as much of an idiot as Bettman. They’ve both met their doppelganger.
I don’t like Fehr one bit but this all stems from Bettman. This is how Bettman negotiates. Last time I checked Fehr wasn’t around in 2004 or the previous lockout but Bettman was involved in all three
“Keep your stick on the Ice”
Fehr is just an innocent bystander? Does he not share some of the blame?
I never said that. This all started when bettman came in and his take it or leave it approach to everything. The players went and sought out Fehr to negotiate this as they knew it would be like this.
I am not a Fehr fan and never have been but I think whoever was in would be in the same situation.
“Keep your stick on the Ice”
Fehr hasn’t negotiated since he became head of the PA.
The NHL started it off with their BS propositions of what 43% profit sharing….that isn’t negotiating either. You don’t slap someone in the face to start off a negotiation. You get everyone’s back up so why wouldn’t they start closer to 50%. It is all bs strategy. If you think it is all just Fehr that is the problem you are sorely mistaken.
The NHL hasn’t negotiated either. They should have at least reviewed the three proposals for more than 10 minutes. You could take the parts that work and apply it to what the league had initially offered.
The NHL has screwed this up just as bad from the start. If it wasn’t for the great exchange rate the league wouldn’t be doing as great as it was in the last few years and they wouldn’t have as much to argue about. Bettman and Fehr both need to go but Bettman is the one of the worst things to happen to NHL hockey
“Keep your stick on the Ice”
@Kooch:
Regarding: “The NHL started it off with their BS propositions of what 43% profit sharing….that isn’t negotiating either. You don’t slap someone in the face to start off a negotiation”
They used the 43% number because it was what the player’s share was. They wanted everyone to rant and roar about how BS the proposal was, so they could turn around and say that it is a BS number… a BS number they have operated under for 7 years.
He was there in 1994 (Expos), that’s enough for me.
I don’t like him either but I don’t think it would matter much with Bettman at the other Helm
“Keep your stick on the Ice”
So when the NHLPA flat out turn down the owners offer and propose completely different offers just as the owners did to PA, how do you differentiate the two? Isn’t an AssH*le an AssH*le, thus making both sides the same?
When the players quit trying to negotiate with billionaire business owners, over literally billions of dollars, with positions based solely on ***revenue projections***, I will consider Fehr a bit less of an unreasonable asshat than Bettman.
Both sides include “revenue projections” in their offers.
The fact is the league is growing and won’t be 3.3 Billion five years from now.
Go Habs Go!
Check out Top Shelf Prospects, my Team by Team prospect reports
http://lastwordonsports.com/
Fehr’s stunt to delay that meeting by 90 minutes, not respond to the NHL’s proposal and instead offer 3 proposals; 2 that were bullet points that had not ‘had the numbers run’ through them and the third a ‘verbal’ one they had just come up with was unreasonable.
So far this has been nothing but calculated gamesmanship by both sides. Neither side has been reasonable, both sides are jerkoffs.
In other news Gary Bettman is a dickhead.
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Listen to the Smart Dog. He knows his poop!
If GB is the Dickhead, Fehr is the Ball sack.
I’m cold. unshaven and smell bad! Now I’m pissed. This season is toast. Next year next?
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No power. No water. Still married.
Good news of some sort has to be on the way, Jim. Hold on!
Uh-OH
Jim, did you know that if you piss on yourself, for certain, you’re going to be smelly.
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“I’m here to tell you: Gary Bettman hasn’t felt this alive since he killed Harry Potter’s parents.”
Okay, so lock Fehr and Bettman in a room with Habfan10912, this will get a deal done. And Jim becomes known as the man that saved Hockey!
Jim you will be a hero to all of us!!! (Not that your weren’t already Chief!)
If true, I am ashamed to be a hockey fan. Stupidity and arrogance at the highest level.
Good Bye guys and gals. It’s been a wonderful 40 years, I am done. No more NHL for me. I really hope that many agree, and the league folds. This is crazy, and no longer about the money. Both sides have thrown away more money than they stand to lose. It’s all about being obstinate and winning.
It’s a sad day. Being a diehard fan it feels like the death of a friend to give it up, but this is just abusive to fans needlessly in a league that we collectively dump $3.3 billion of profits into. I will no longer spend a $1000 to bring my family to games, will no longer buy my family jerseys, jackets, sticks, pucks, tape, posters, t-shirts, no longer pay for cable hockey packages (already got rid of cable), no longer invest of myself financially or emotionally. Goodbye NHL. No more watching games, listening to radio, etc. No more Habs at all, ever. I really hope this causes you to go under.
Adieu to my Habs, I will miss you. So many wonderful Saturday nights, so many great playoff runs, so many wonderful heroes to cheer for.
It’s been fun chatting with you on this site. Lots of interesting reading, lots of great fun and angst of course. I will miss visiting this site as well. Take good care of yourselves, be well, and I hope you find something worthwhile to occupy your time with.
Good Bye and Cheers!
“I call bull. You’ll be back, junkie.
Love,
NHL & NHLPA”
I officially have that phobia known as Butt-Fear!
I think this means the season is not likely to start at all.
Hockey in 2013-2014, anyone?
Way to go, BettFehr, way to go!
(Heavy sigh….)
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“I’m here to tell you: Gary Bettman hasn’t felt this alive since he killed Harry Potter’s parents.”
Of course!!
They have a perfect record in games yet to be played, don’t ya know.