NHL???

kuhlmann

I heard that this sport is on the brink of disaster?? a 2 year lock out and if this happens the nhl may never recover from this. Is this just a rumor or is this true?

aro13

The CBA between the NHL and the players expires sometime after the 2003-2004 season ends. Gary Bettman and Bob Goodenow are apparently trying to negotiate a new deal but who knows what will happen. If they do not have a deal in place by the start of next season than in all likelihood the players will be locked out by the owners.
Some teams, particularly the Boston Bruins, have taken precautions that there will be a lockout or a significant change in the financial landscape. I believe the Bruins have one player under contract after this season and that is Joe Thornton.
Also, I do not think the lockout will affect the World Cup which will be taking place in September and always provides entertaining hockey.

Howitallbegan

Brink of disaster ? Not really , Your not going to see it fold or bankrupt. Its needs a major shakeup beginning with salary structures and not limited to yanking most of the teams out of the south and putting them back into Hartford , Winnipeg etc ie cold weather climates. My ultimate dream would be for them to elminate 6 teams but thats not going to happen


Aro

The Boston Bruins (ie Jeremy Jacobs, Harry Sinden ) havent spent a dime in the past 15 years (aside from the money they wasted on Martin Lapointe) so i think they should be just fine in the event of a lockout

80sToyguy

The CBA expires sometime around a week after the World Cup guys so that will definitely happen.
What you've got in the NHL is a salary structure that is far too much like baseball in some ways but unfortunately just like baseball it just keeps spiraling upwards. The only thing is NHL teams only play 41 home games a year (opposed to 81 home games in baseball). As well, the average NHL arena holds about 18,000 people, where the average baseball stadium holds I would guess around 45,000. I understand that hockey tickets are more expensive, but I think they've got to be the next sport to join the old 'salary cap club'. If they don't, there most certainly will be a lock-out, as there is no way 5 of the 6 Canadian teams will agree to anything less.
I agree with the assertion that the league needs to cut out 6 teams, but it's just not going to happen. The NHL seemed to thrive when there were only 21 teams back in the 80's, yet others will say the best hockey was when there were only 6 teams. 24 would be great though, but you'd be loosing 200 jobs for players so there is no way the NHLPA will go for that. There has to be some sort of a happy medium, I just don't think Goodenow and Bettman are the guys that can get this done.
I'm hopeful for the best, but in my mind I'd say there's about a 75% chance there will be a lock-out.
Jay