Arbitration - total bust because the arbitrators are notoriously stupid.  They aren't equipped to make hockey judgments so they listen to arguments and comparables and pick a side.  Asinine.  It needs to be modified.  And I'd need it for the next point. Posted by Bookboy007

Yup I kinda agree with Book on UFA status... .bogus aspect of the CBA.  But arbitration is a yawner..... Sandog is correct, walk away say the owners.   Ok Randomly thinking on the large picture! Reality sucks, as the real truth is in entertainment dollars is who controls the purse.  The players have a union not because of lack of pay but lack of share and respect in the entertainment dollar pie is not percieved equal.  I believe in capitalism (pie logic) but it is not solely for corporations but individuals as well.  In the owners monopolistic world, the recent CBA Cap is a positive, kudos goes to their thinking.   History is not an ally as the greed is not defined in the new CBA talks.  Why aren't fans asking for more evidence of the financial difficulties of these NHL owners?  Contrarily, the players are perceived greedy individually but who really is greedy?  Collectively the players are a victim of the few overpaid contracts of certain individual players but overall the greed is not evident given the lack of information coming from the NHL owners.  Again contrarily, the owners are looked upon collectively but not individually, but me thinks JJ has been preaching more of the revenue share in the past few years for corporate finance not for the spirit of the game.  If he is correct, then provide proof then we fans can objectively see the rationale, otherwise confusion exists today.  In conspiracy mode, none is forth coming from the owners, why, well, who controls the media?  Then I have to think Robert Krafts of the world  (JJs counter part in the NFL)  is a true believer in entertainment and players together.  The fans of this entertainment  business want facts not posturing circa 2012 as 2003 is not reality any more.  "It is a strange world we live in, Master Jack"!!!!  Funny how players are vilified and owners are honored in these CBA dealings.  Corpoate logic!  Individuals are ok if and only if they have the purse strings in a world gone mad.    
Posted by islamorada

Yup I kinda agree with Book on UFA status... .bogus aspect of the CBA.  But arbitration is a yawner..... Sandog is correct, walk away say the owners.   Ok Randomly thinking on the large picture! Reality sucks, as the real truth is in entertainment dollars is who controls the purse.  The players have a union not because of lack of pay but lack of share and respect in the entertainment dollar pie is not percieved equal.  I believe in capitalism (pie logic) but it is not solely for corporations but individuals as well.  In the owners monopolistic world, the recent CBA Cap is a positive, kudos goes to their thinking.   History is not an ally as the greed is not defined in the new CBA talks.  Why aren't fans asking for more evidence of the financial difficulties of these NHL owners?  Contrarily, the players are perceived greedy individually but who really is greedy?  Collectively the players are a victim of the few overpaid contracts of certain individual players but overall the greed is not evident given the lack of information coming from the NHL owners.  Again contrarily, the owners are looked upon collectively but not individually, but me thinks JJ has been preaching more of the revenue share in the past few years for corporate finance not for the spirit of the game.  If he is correct, then provide proof then we fans can objectively see the rationale, otherwise confusion exists today.  In conspiracy mode, none is forth coming from the owners, why, well, who controls the media?  Then I have to think Robert Krafts of the world  (JJs counter part in the NFL)  is a true believer in entertainment and players together.  The fans of this entertainment  business want facts not posturing circa 2012 as 2003 is not reality any more.  "It is a strange world we live in, Master Jack"!!!!  Funny how players are vilified and owners are honored in these CBA dealings.  Corpoate logic!  Individuals are ok if and only if they have the purse strings in a world gone mad.    
Posted by islamorada

In Response to Re: a fair working arrangement between the league and players : People will support unions and the players so they are treated fairly. ECHL and most AHL players must be sick to their shoes thinking about what's fair.  The players are not working in sweat shops for minimum wage.  They are not being forced to work 10 hours of OT without equal compensation. This is about one thing and one thing only:  Money.  And I think the players earn plenty.  It's not one or two bad contracts.  It's most of them.  With the cap where it is, many of the deals make sense.  In an overall view, most are absurd. Brandon Prust signs for four years, $10M.   The guy is set to make TEN MILLION DOLLARS.  He is a forward with 24 career NHL goals.  I know that players get paid for what they're expected to do, not what they've done, but this guy has never had 15 goals in a season and he's going to make more in the next four years than most of us will in our lives. I don't care how much money the TV contracts bring in, or what the final number the owners see in black is.  That is 100% ridiculous.
Posted by Not-A-Shot

JWensink, your point is understood.  The problem is both those players do not have the skills to play in the NHL, Kovalev is lazy.  As to the application of the word monopoly, if a player with skills wants to play in the best league in the world, that player must deal with owners who work together (collusion) as one organization through the existing CBA.  Now NAS has a point where as one owner in that organization can make a poor financial choice (Prust).  So if the owners need more of the revenue pie then provide evidence, open the books. The "Prust" contracts of the NHL then will seem understandable given the perceived financial hardship of the NHL owners.   If the argument is made public, money woes will be understood.  The consequence is NA fandom will not have sympathy for the NHLPA.   Mylogic:  the new CBA should be solely constructed by the owners or the NHL.  The players then should have full complete free agency status.  The players don't, so the NHLPA exists.  The CBA must not be one sided like in 2004, even though the owners were correct in demands for a CAP.  The argument though is no longer valid unless they provide evidence of financial hardship.  
Posted by islamorada

I don't need a better perspective, SteveGM.  I'm a very grounded person. My perspective:  I'm not going to sympathize with millionaire hockey players as they cry about money. The rest of what you wrote isn't really related to anything.
Posted by Not-A-Shot

JWensink, I cannot agree anymore with the statement if a player does not want to sign a one year contract then he can sign elsewhere.  I also agree a player should not be locked into a CBA contract or an individual contract by any entity. That is not in the same spirit of capitalism that makes that owner and individual to do what he or she wishes in an equalitarian society.   Reality su@ks!  The players have a right to organize a union if one entity is taking advantage of individual rights to work as free laborer, millionaire or not.  The issue is "we" don't disagree reality, no person should retrict another to making the most money possible.  The Dartmouth College Case in US history established the right of contract but not servitude in my book.  A mixed metaphor but all I wish is a "level playing field". In other words the owners have a right to offer a player anything they wish, the skilled player consequently has the right to say no. So you are correct! If it is not just one year then it is questionable as to who is the slave and who is the master.  Unions exist because owners do not recognize the fact these skilled entertainment players have the right to make as they wish in line with the intent of the rights of the Constitution of the United States they so enjoy.  Simply put, CBAs are not legal in my mind. Libertarian in view!  OK, back to reality, the "Prusts" of the world are not greater or lesser than the JJs of the world.  I enjoy capitalism, yet I also believe corporations/organizations are not citizens or people.  Let us take TT as a example, he  is not my hero as he willingly signed the contract with said monetary benefits.  He was governed by a CBA and an agent contract when he signed.  If there was  not a larger term contract or a larger CBA contract, he has the right to market his skills just like JJ.  He can retire when he wishes!   Sorry for the  overblowen explanation, I just wish hockey would continue without blame.  Cheers you are one of the better posters on BDC. 
Posted by islamorada

In Response to Re: a fair working arrangement between the league and players : I think the owners are a bunch of over expanding money grubbing morons, who are heII bent to turn their league into MLB - them and the NHL brass disgust me.
Posted by JWensink

In Response to Re: a fair working arrangement between the league and players : How so? I see MLB and the NHL as very, very different and on different paths.
Posted by Not-A-Shot

JWensink, thats for reading the short version of a long version of my thinking.  The verbage was more garbage, the thought simply, I think the owners and players are dealing with a CBA that is not fair to either.  I just want to watch hockey as baseball, basketball, even football do not compare to hockey.  
Posted by islamorada