I think the league and the players have lost lots of fans. But I'm not sure any of them care when most of the profits come from joes like me. Luxury boxes, merchandise, tv revenue, advertising pays the bills. With ESPN not taking their option of another year might wake them up. I feel the players aren't doing it for the money but for their "fair share." It has gotten stupid and the players are hurting the game and shooting themselves in the head. The US doesn't care about the sport the way that we do, I would not be surprised to see a few teams fold. It would make for a better game anyway.
In their 11th hour talks back in Jan/Feb, the players offered a salary cap (49 million, I think) and have since rescinded it. But it was on the table and there is no way that the owners will let that go now. The players showed signs of breaking then, they let the owners in the drivers seat. Let's see what happens, I hope something happens soon. Maybe Rudy Guiliani's new league?

NHL, NHLPA finish 10-hour CBA session


TSN.ca Staff with CP files

6/1/2005 9:37:15 PM

The NHL and NHL Players' Association resumed labour negotiations on Wednesday, breaking down league and team revenues in a 10-hour meeting.

Both sides will go back to the table for a full-blown bargaining session on Thursday, with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow expected to be in attendence.

Wednesday's meeting was the 17th session since the season was cancelled Feb. 16.

The NHLPA roster Wednesday featured senior director Ted Saskin, outside counsel John McCambridge, associate counsel Ian Pulver, players' executive committee president Trevor Linden and vice-president Vincent Damphousse as well as two union financial people. The league was represented by chief legal officer Bill Daly, Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs, outside counsel Bob Batterman, NHL general counsel David Zimmerman, lawyer Shep Goldfein and other financial figures.

Representing the league Thursday will be Bettman, Daly, Goldfein, Zimmerman, director of hockey operations Colin Campbell, New Jersey Devils CEO and GM Lou Lamoriello, board of governors chairman Harley Hotchkiss of the Calgary Flames and Nashville Predators owner Craig Leipold.

The NHLPA will have Goodenow, Saskin, Pulver, director of business relations Mike Gartner, McCambridge, Detroit Red Wings veteran player Brendan Shanahan, and the players' executive committee: Linden, Damphousse, Bill Guerin, Daniel Alfredsson, Arturs Irbe, Trent Klatt and Bob Boughner.

The sides gathered in Chicago for two days of talks last week after conducting a four-day session in New York the previous week.

The majority of the talks last week centred on breaking down league and team revenues. Both sides discussed the report issued by former U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission chairman Arthur Levitt.

In February 2004, Levitt completed a 10-month study of NHL finances, which determined 19 of the league's 30 teams averaged $18 million in losses during the 2002-03 season while just 11 averaged $6.4 million in profits.

If I hear that there was good dialect and they have cautious optimism that they will soon make a deal after tommorows meeting I am going to personally drive down to Chicago, New York, Toronto or where ever the NHL and NHLPA are meeting and give em' all a swift Canadian kick in the ass.

Update: Extra extra read all about it!!!

This guy is great for "unofficial" info. Looks like they are trying their darndest to have a deal by July 1, Canada Day.

JR sounds off This guy...

I wouldnt have to much faith i'm almost hoping the League dies and they give us the Stanley Cup back! but at the same time i like the canucks so i dont want it to happen

yep, the same team that choked in the final game..

Least they made it to the final game.

Least they made it to the final game.

Remember '94?

Who rocked the Canucks last year? I think the Flames did.