The Unknown Poster

Wheeler the first 80 point player since relocation. This season continues to impress.

This is great. I'm excited for next year. Who needs the playoffs when you can rattle off five straight wins once you're eliminated. Maybe next year we'll win six in a row once we're eliminated.

Ofcourse they need something from the players, they asked for something from the players. If the NHL wanted money from the IOC, they would have asked the IOC. Do you think the owners said "look, we will go to the Olympics but we want money from the IOC, so Gary, ask the PA to extend the CBA". Doesn't make sense. Bettman's job is to sell it to the owners. He knows what they want. He asked to discuss the CBA, PA said no. End of negotiations. So what, the league should have said "ooookay, you got us. Go on, have a good time, kids". They asked to talk, PA said no. This is on the PA. The players do not have the right to breach their contracts. They need permission. They refused to talk. How is this the fault of the owners? Because they get a 50% intangible benefit?

The PA should be talking to the IOC then. "Help us make this happen". The league hasnt even got past the players yet, let alone talking about a cut from the IOC. Players dont want to negotiate so negotiating with the IOC is moot.

Sort of. Its actually another unrelated corporate entity using the NHL's contracted talent to make money. Just because the NHL happens to benefit by way of exposure doesnt mean the league should just gladly allow another corporate entity to use its assets for enrichment. The NHL wants a piece of the action. They were willing to negotiate. Thats the bottom line. Why werent the players??

Its pure conjecture that the players would concede. So you cant use that as "well the players will concede this and that" to make your point. Only one side reached out and said "lets talk and make a deal". The owners. What did the players think would happen. They always screw themselves. Owners said "extend CBA three years and we go". Players said no. And....nothing....and owners announce they arent going and players are shocked. huh? The Olympics arent the NHL so its not their customers. Their customers might watch but its not the same thing. I WANT the players to go. I love it. But I 100% see the owners side in this. Now if the players had said, look a three year extension doesnt work for us, but how about we do this...and the NHL said no, take it or lave it, then I'd say the owners are unreasonable and greedy. But we never got that far because the players do what they always do - play it wrong. What if the PA had said, we will promise not to opt out (that makes it a ten year deal rather then 8 so essentially a 2 year extension) and we will concede on days off and start of season. Maybe the NHl agrees. Maybe it starts the ball rolling. But the players never did that. They have no one to blame right now but themselves.

Olympic athletes earns stipends, clothing and bonuses for winning medals. I dont know if the NHL players decline theirs or not (I doubt it). I believe gold medals earn $20,000. Small fries for NHL superstars. But a benefit nonetheless. Plus, they WANT to go so badly. Its a benefit to them personally. What benefit to the owners get? "growing the game". Okay, well, its a 50/50 split so players benefit from growing the game too. So there's that.

This isnt a slap in the face to fans at all. If it is, be mad at the players for refusing to negotiate. The owners have NEVER said the Olympics were a sure thing. In fact they have consistently been sour on it. The Olympics is awesome. But if a fan is actually offended and chased away from watching the NHL because the NHL players dont play in the Olympics, well, thats crazy. There are many reasons to be hot at the NHL but not going to the Olympics isnt one of them. The players didnt want to negotiate. Every time the owners make a dollar, the PA wants their cut. So be it. Players want to go to Olympics, owners say "okay, lets talk". Nope. No talking. And your points are valid which prove this point - the mandatory days off, the length and scheduling etc. Those are all important to be worked out. I havent heard the players say "hey, we have no problem starting early and giving up some days off". In fact I bet they'd be against those things. They will say "they are in the CBA, we will not concede them". The NHL reached out to the players. The players slapped their hand away. Blame the players.

They are clearing benefiting from playing in the Olympics.

That's not what you said. And no one else said anything of the sort. You said the players dont benefit. Why are the players entitled to go play for someone else in the middle of the season when they have contracts but the owners are dastardly for not wanting to allow it? The owners asked for the CBA to be extended. Thats not unreasonable. Players declined and did not counter off. ZERO negotiations. No one said the players dont have the right to re-negotiate when the CBA expired. That wasnt on the table. But if the players expect to negotiate for THEIR benefits why do they think its so crazy that the owners want to negotiate this? Owners didnt say no to the Olympics. They said lets negotiate. Players refused. Players said no. Players screwed players.

The players better be careful what they wish for. I dont see the CBA getting much better. They wont get more than 50%. Removing escrow means they get more than 50% so I dont see how they resolve escrow issues either. They won a big change to the pension already. They are treated pretty darn good.

The players arent seeing a benefit to the CBA??? The MILLIONAIRE players? They get 50% of league revenue. What would be more fair to the players?

I will watch events Im not a big fan of because its the Olympics. So if I watch Track & Field in the Olympics, I dont suddenly become a track & field fan and watch local meets. The point with the NHL is different in that its a scenario where its a "big four" sport and being there helps casual fans or fence sitters get to know the players and see them as rock stars so you probably can gain fans from it. That's the benefit. But that's not a direct deposit of cash into the owners' pockets. In intangible and its worthy but you're asking them to make a tangible investment for an intangible return. And I agree that it begins the push for China. But China alone is worth more than neither. Owners want to go to China but they wont fawn over it. CBA expires before then so this will become a CBA issue. Owners know players want to go so they will hold it back as a negotiating ploy. As well they should. It has value to the players. But bottom line: the owners arent against going. They offered to go. The players said no. Not the owners. Players said no, we dont want to discuss going. Owners offered a comprehensive plan for other tournaments etc with the intent of growing the game. Players see growing the game as an owner benefit when its a shared benefit. But players say "what do I get today?" Just like the owners. The superstar players should be the one on the phone to Fehr telling him to make a deal.

He wouldnt. And thats why the NHL wont go for the "exposure" that means nothing. And these players and their supporters saying "the NHL gets the benefit of exposure", no they share it 50/50. So consider that "benefit" a wash. What else do the owners get? Nothing. Risk. That's it. Players are uninformed and entitled.

And this one isnt an origin story (as far as I can tell). He already appeared in the Avengers so...he's Spiderman. Marvel doesnt have the rights back though. Its an agreement between Sony and Marvel. I heard rumblings that if it were successful, Sony might pull Spiderman again and try to create their own universe.

@jcon - the idea the NHL benefits from increased international exposure is sort of a sense of 'well they should' but do they? This is a league that still has trouble gaining a foothold in the US, let alone Asia. Im not sure there is any real sense that South Korea could become a hockey hotbed. China is different because it's been so closed off and has such an enormous population that you dont need much of an in-road to profit. So, explaining to the NHL that they will benefit in an in-direct way that will be good down the road is a tough pill to swallow. And since revenue is split 50/50, any gain the owners get, the players share in. So again, gain for the players, not so much for the owners. A player being injured has insurance to protect the team from the salary costs. But how are they reimbursed for a lost season due to an injury to a superstar player? Or the increased wear & tear on a team with multiple Olympians playing a tournament of that quality in February? Would you, as a fan, give up a Stanley Cup to watch a few of your players play in the Olympics? Its possible...and its the risk the owners dont want to take. To me its pretty cut and dried. Players want to go but dont want to concede anything. Owners are willing to take the risk and shut down their league for 3 weeks at a critical time in the season...if they get some concession. They're not even asking for money. The players refused to negotiate or discuss and now whine about "greedy" owners who take the hit and the risk if they alow this for no tangible benefit. The players get the experience of playing plus the pontetial endorsements etc AND are insured so if they are hurt they still get paid. And they wont negotiate?? Who's the greedy ones here? Players sign contracts to play in the NHL. They dont get to go play for someone else whenever they feel like it. If they want to, they are free to not sign with an NHL team when their contract is up. They want it both ways. They want all the benefit. Players should pull up their big boy pants and go make a deal with the NHL. The PA always whines about how they are being taken advantage of. Well, shoe's on the other foot and they wont negotiate.

NHL made a deal with IOC (or rather, the IIHF). They wanted someone else to pay the insurance costs which was agreed to. Its the players that dont want to negotiate. The NHL made an offer, the PA declined and that was it. Players have no one to blame but themselves. Great point by Naylor - ask the PA if they are willing to give up pay for any games injured and compensate their home teams for loss of revenue attributed to not having an injured star player available. The PA should go to the IOC and ask them to pay a percentage of the broadcast money to compensate the NHL teams. Presumably, the IOC stands to gain higher broadcast rights fees if the NHL players play then if they dont. The NHL should get a percentage of that increase.

Yes, everyone wants it. But why should the owners allow it for nothing in return? The fact everyone wants it is reason enough the owners should use it for leverage. extending the current CBA was not an unreasonable request. Im not sure what hill the players want to die on during the next CBA negotiations but they arent likely to win that one either. They hate escrow but Im not sure how else you manage a system based on league revenue. Just pay the players full salary and then send them an invoice at the end of the season? Fat chance. And if I understand it correctly, the CBA was for ten years with an opt-out clause after the 8th year. So the NHL asking for a three year extension amounts to extending it (factoring in the opt out) to one year longer than the full agreement. In a National Post story I read, contract length was said to NOT be a concern of the players. But it is now? These players are heeling on the owners. Okay, well the owners made an offer. Where is the players' offer? If the owners pitched an idea that was NOT in the CBA, they'd need the PA to sign off on it. The players now want something NOT in the CBA and they are bent out of shape because the owners want to negotiate? Players really have no clue.

Interesting that they still use "Balor Club" and some Bullet Club imagry for Finn. If they bring Styles over, a Finn/Styles program would make sense. Although Finn traded for AJ might make sense too. I cant see them doing Brock vs Finn but Finn would be a top guy in the World title mix on SD.

Thats exactly what would happen. The IIHF would not invite them. Then owners are off the hook and players can sulk all they want to. Then they can vow to hold out CBA until they get concessions...talk about the brotherhood and unity...fold after two months, go back to work and try to maim each other.

He can go and watch and then not play NHL hockey again. He might enjoy the idea of finishing his career in Russia but I tend to doubt it. Plus, doesnt the KHL honor NHL contracts now? I also dont buy his owner's support. He's playing the nice guy. Will his owner be willing to concede all the games they should play during that time so Ovechkin can go play? I doubt it. Ovechkin just said he thinks the NHL is bluffing. Maybe the players should stop with the public BS and tell their PA leadership to negotiate a deal. Players rip on the owners but arent willing to concede anything to go. But when its time for their CBA mandated day off, the players sure want it. Why should the owners give up three weeks to the players for nothing? If Im players like Ovi and Sid etc I go to Fehr and tell him to stop dicking around.

That's interesting because I know a few people who feel the same way but really like Cass. I dont dislike Cass. But I think Enzo is gold. Keep in mind, his schtick is something that would be big among kids on the house shows. So sometimes WWE has things that dont necessarily play great on TV but are over at the house shows. But they have to give it TV time to support it. Im thinking they move to SD and split up sometime this year. I'd put Carmela back with Cass (and I wouldnt split them either, let Enzo talk for Cass).

I was thinking Styles too. But Im not sure. He's their main house show draw. Especially with Cena gone. They'd have to send someone pretty significant back to SD and Im not sure Seth fits the bill. But it would freshen him up. Styles vs Brock would be a great program too. But SD's world title picture is weak. I think AJ stays and gets the belt back. I agree about Jinder. I like him. Its hard to shake off the stink of being a jobber. But he's big, he's a decent worker and talker. Great look. Never hurts to be ethnic in wrestling. Might be in line for a push. Shelton should be back shortly too.

Enzo & Cass are great but one issue WWE has is working something into the ground. The schtick can get old after awhile. I would think they might move to SD. Cass & Carmela are a couple which sucks that WWE split them up (but WWE likes to screw with couples). I like Revival. Sort of Arn Anderson types. Good workers. Could use a mouthpiece I think though. Heyman managing them wouldnt be bad at all.

Yes both. A reward for good seasons in the AHL. They get NHL pay cheques and spend some time seeing the NHL game. Probably Roslo plays in Columbus.