The NHL has finally announced the cancellation of the season and as a hockey fan, it's about time. We can now stop watching the media trying to create this false sense of hope.
Bettman had given the Players' Association until 11am et Wednesday to accept the league's final offer, which featured a $42.5-million US salary cap.TSN.ca
My prediction and I hope I'm wrong is that both parties will stop the talks and negotiations until next season comes around and realize they wasted many months.
It's the first time a major professional league in North America has cancelled an entire season due to a work stoppage. A Stanley Cup champion has been crowned every year since 1893 with the exception of 1919, when the Finals were cancelled after five games due to a flu epidemic.
With the limited understanding of the strike, it will not surprise me to see next season cancelled as long as NHL owners are losing less money by not playing.
Although still far apart, at least both parties are now kind of on the same page and discussing salary cap options.
The thing that gets me is that they are fighting over a small paycut to multi-million dollar contracts but until that is solved, a large percentage of these players are playing in Europe leagues for thousands.
Bettman locked out NHL players at the start of the 1994-95 season, when the league's average salary was $572,000. It has more than tripled to $1.8 million.
Comments
Mandy - February 17, 2005 10:05 am
What will happen to the draft pick this year? Who will get to go for the up an comings like old Crosby there?
Shawn - February 17, 2005 4:33 pm
The draft probably wont happen at regular time but will happen before the next time the puck is dropped, Crosby will be playing in the Q for another year.
What I dont get is why the hell are people pissed off at Bettman. All he is doing is taking his business and trying to stop losing money like any business would. Players are just too greedy to understand that and realize that a 1.8 million average salary is too much. the lowest salary basement I think is about 500,000 a year, why would anyone need more then that? Why does Someone like Jagr need 11 million a season? Its ridiculous the amount of money that goes through the NHL
Players should stop being cry babies over this and accepted the 42.5 Mil cap Bettman offered. Cause now there will be linkage on the next offer, and its the way it should be!!
Pissed - February 22, 2005 3:53 pm
I think its stupid that they cancelled the season and hopefully they wont do it next year because i love watching it and following the Red Wings. They should agree with the salary cap because they are getting paid more than enough already and its not like after they get all that money that it's going to make a big difference. Its weird not having anything to watch when im at home on the nights that there would be a game on. BRING BACK HOCKEY!!!
Dave - February 23, 2005 3:41 pm
Finally is right. I'm a hockey fan and am glad it has been cancelled. That's right. I'm tired of millionaires telling us that they need to make lots of money to help support their families. Give us a break. How stupid do they think we are? Have them go a year or two with their big bucks and have a bunch of them retire. Have some new fresh talent come in and play for the love of the game not the almighty $$$$$.
Katie - March 8, 2005 2:32 pm
Im going to miss watching the games and everything but if all they're playing for is the money then they shouldnt be playing at all. Its stupid that they are going to go on strike and not play what a sport that they love because of a stupid salery cap. If they love it they should do it no matter how much they get paid. They get to go out on the ice every game and have a stadium full of fans screaming for them and cheering them on. The thing that really gets me is Chelios who goes on strike because he is against the salary cap then goes and plays for people who have one! What a MORON!!! They need to get some new players who arent in it just for the money but I think as years go on the more players will only be after the cash!
Mona - March 28, 2005 8:06 pm
i hate the fact that hockey is cancelled. I mean, i love hockey and i know so many people who love are hating whats happening right now. Obviously, they're not going to start a season now, but someone ought to knock some sense into the players and the board. Untill the season was cancelled, i thought most of the players played for the love for the game but i now see that money is all that matters. Why are the players being so stupid and not accepting the 42.5 million per team. What are they gonna do with all that money? People are starving everyday and the players are fighting over a couple million. They got paid untill now, din't they? Now, they players din't get one whole seasons pay, so many people lost jobs and businesses because of this stupid stike and we don't even know if they're gonna have next season or not. And the board should be able to understan the fact that people love hockey and now, many players are willing to play for half thier yearly pay. I just don't understand why the players are not accepting the board's offer. If you ask any player, they will say i'm ready to play for less money but when we ask them to do that they're not ready. Someone's got to do something before this gets any worse. Everyone just wants hockey back 'cuz WE ALL LOVE WATCHIN' HOCKEY.
Kwidgebo - May 17, 2005 1:27 pm
i think the lockout is stupid because i want to watch some hockey but i also think its kind of good because the players get paid so much money! No other sport pays their players as much as the NHL does.
dome - May 18, 2005 1:59 pm
what a stupid thig to do i mean you got our hopes up then flushed them down the toilt.
pissed - May 18, 2005 2:01 pm
this sucks no ecscuse to go get drunk no more
Wasp - May 23, 2005 5:09 pm
The players are fags... and i'm happy that the lock out has finally come.
I love watching hockey and i miss going to games but now i know that they play for the cash and not love of the GAME. SO fuck them all
Gim bulechuck - January 10, 2006 2:21 pm
Send me information why do nhl players make million dollar contract. formy project thank you