still looking for a pic of a puck and a fork in it.
but here's a puck for now..
Posted on 02/18/2005 7:25:16 PM PST by nypokerface
The NHL season is expected to be "un-canceled" Saturday in New York.
A player close to the talks who asked to remain anonymous told The Hockey News the two sides have agreed to a deal in principle that features a $45-million salary cap. Asked if there was any way a deal won't get done, the player said, "not that I can see. I couldn't possibly imagine the idea that somebody is going to try to make a name for themselves in the last minute here."
Following two days of media speculation that backroom talks between players and owners were taking place in an attempt to "un-cancel" the 2004-05 season, the NHL Players' Association issued a press release Friday night confirming it would be meeting with the league in New York on Saturday. If the two sides are as close as expected, an agreement in principle could be made public tomorrow.
As first reported by The Hockey News, Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux are still believed to be major players in the process. Both are reported to be in New York taking part in the talks.
"I believe all (that) stuff is pretty accurate," said the player.
A second source confirmed Lemieux traveled to New York on Friday.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman cancelled the season Wednesday with the two sides seemingly within striking distance of a settlement. Though the components of their offers had some differences, the sides agreed on the basic premise of a salary cap with luxury taxes. The union was offering a $49-million cap and the league $42.5 million.
One NHL GM told The Hockey News Bettman’s decision to cancel the season had a lot to do with history repeating itself. In other words, if NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow thought he was going to maintain his reputation of being a successful deadline hunter, he was wrong. Since the season was called off, there has been considerable movement among the players as well as agents and GMs to do whatever is necessary to get talks started again in an attempt to save the season.
Detroit captain Steve Yzerman told The Hockey News Thursday afternoon he believed the season could be saved.
“I don’t know if it’s necessarily tonight, tomorrow morning, Friday night or Saturday…I know the season has been cancelled, but it’s not too late to 'un-cancel' it.”
If a hockey stick fell in a rink , and no one was there to see it; would it make a sound ?
Many of the arenas have opened up their "hockey game dates" for other events... a few dates have already been filled.... they have to do it quick or there's no way to have a season.
ESPNews has been talking about it. It looks like there's going to be a season after all.
still looking for a pic of a puck and a fork in it.
but here's a puck for now..
Time for the FANS to strike.
I usually do strike thru most of the season. It only gets interesting in the last 20 games.
So the season would start in March? And I suppose, then, that the Stanley Cup finals would wind up around the middle of July? Yeah, that sounds like a plan.... Frankly, I think a few (if not most) of the arenas took the NHL at its word that the season was cancelled and began booking time slots which may have previously been reserved for hockey games. Un-cancelling the hockey season may not be logistically possible at this point.
Exactly! I love hockey and miss it, but when will this joke end? Pretty soon they'll skip the season and go right to the playoffs.
I was listening to my local radio sports talk show and they were supposed to have one of the Dallas Stars at an event they are having this weekend--
He called them about 4:00 I guess and told them he had to leave town in a hurry---so they figured this would happen.
A caller to Rush's show today asked him what he thought about the hockey fiasco, and he blamed it on the "handful of players" that didn't hold their ground re: the salary cap and other terms---he said that the owners set out to break the union, and it looks like that is what may happen if ALL of the players don't sign on to this---
The main reason I would like to see hockey season back on, is for the arena workers and others that make their lively hood from these sporting events, and don't get paid if there are no games---
Ah Stevie, ever the optimist.
Mix me a metaphor bartender.
Oh you mean like at a Carolina Hurricane game?
Skipping the regular season seems smarter and time saving.
How about all teams square off in one "death-match " game ? Kind of like the Hanson Brothers "fight it out" style of game.
Rush may be a good football analyst, but I don't think he knows very much about the hockey situation. The NHL was on the brink of disaster regardless of how this dispute unfolded, which is something that I'm not sure could be said about any other major sports league in the last few decades.
Now you're talking! Toe Blake! Toe Blake! Toe Blake!
Very true---I just love it when the owners say that they will lose less money if the cancel the season---
Maybe for this year---but, unlike baseball or football, I think hockey would be hurt for years if they cancelled the season, so the owners would have to own and pay the players to half-filled rinks for at least a couple of years I bet--
Ping!
Of course! Hockey rates right above curling in some markets. This strike will give it the TV ratings that will make the XFL look like a ratings juggernaught!
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