NHL Lockout Begins

By Chris Allen
in The Sporting Arena

 Share

Recommended Posts

Grand Master

Ayepecks

Posted
Posted
This has happened many times before and the hardcore fans alway come back. The NHL knows this and that's the reason they don't care. The NHL isn't in such a great financial state right now, though so this is bad timing.

The hardcore fans? Do you know just how few of hardcore fans the NHL has? Very, very, very few.

Leagues always struggle after a lockout. The NHL was already struggling.

Mentor

axis

Posted
Posted (edited)

Hockey is to global, all these guys know they can go else where and play the game. Many of the NHL players are already signing or have signed with European teams. It's not like you can say, "Well if you don't play in the NHL, you can't play". Football has the CFL and NFL Europe. Same with basketball and baseball seems to only be in Japan where players could go. Hockey, they can go to Canada, or many many European countries. This hurts me as a religious fan and I know how baseball fans feel now. You feel betrayed, makes you want to boycott when they do come back.

Hockey is in a generation gap, that is it. It is the most up and coming sport among kids and teenagers. I am around it every day, this is just a fact. I know hockey needs it now, but it will have to hold out. As the people getting into get older and they commit more time to playing, they will want to watch it. Then they will go to it and the cycle will start.

Edited by axis
Grand Master

Fred Derf Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted
a lot of the teams WERE in canada, and then they moved them to the US!! i forget why that happened...hartford, winnepeg, i think there were more.

Winterpeg (Winnipeg) Jets moved to Phoenix.

Quebec Nodicks (Nordiques) moved to Colorado.

The Altanta Flames went the other way (to Calgary).

Hartford moved to Carolina but that was within the US.

Grand Master

Fred Derf Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted
Hockey is to global, all these guys know they can go else where and play the game. Many of the NHL players are already signing or have signed with European teams.

If the NHL dies...

I'd like to see a global hockey league. Some teams over here in North America and some in Euiope with limited travel between the two continents. Then the winner in North America could play the winner in Europe.

Grand Master

Fred Derf Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted
oh ****, hartford is in the US?  i need to learn more about geography :p

forgot about quebec...

Once upon a time the Whalers, the Devils, the Islanders and the Rangers were all within a short commute of each other. I'm sure the players loved the travel.

Hartford is in Connecticut.

Grand Master

Chad

Posted
Posted
uhh, nba, nfl, and mlb do... :p

(i *think* all them have caps)

MLB doesn't have a cap, unfortunately. They SHOULD hvae one....Yankees spending almost double of the second highest payroll...makes me sick :x

The NFL setup is a horrible joke - the players were sold out by Upshaw. realmad.gif

No, the NFL has the best system. They have the highest revenue, the best competition, and it's become America's pastime. No other league can boast the level of competition the NFL has. It's rare that a team is good for 3-4 years in a row...I'm talking REALLY good. You look at MLB, NHL, NBA....essentially the same teams have been good for quite a while

The NHL will definately be hurting after this. Take a look at baseball after the recent strike. It took up until last season to really get people back in the stands. That's a long time. Add on the fact that the NHL has little to no money left.

Grand Master

Bearded Kirklander

Posted
Posted
No, the NFL has the best system. They have the highest revenue, the best competition, and it's become America's pastime. No other league can boast the level of competition the NFL has. It's rare that a team is good for 3-4 years in a row...I'm talking REALLY good. You look at MLB, NHL, NBA....essentially the same teams have been good for quite a while

I disagree that the NFL system is best. No guaranteed contracts = Teh Suck! Especially in a game that is so brutal and violent. Most only play for a short time. They should be given guaranteed contracts. Also, I don't like the Franchise Player rule. It limits your ability to change teams. You should be able to go to whatever team you want, even if it is for less money. You should not be forced to stay with a team year after year because they designate you the Franchise Player.

Grand Master

Chad

Posted
Posted

I love that they don't have guaranteed contracts. NFL is unique in that one year, someone could have a huge year. Two years later, he's a dude. It happens more often in the NFL than any other sport.. If the player knows his contract can be voided at any point, he'll sure play a lot hard knowing that...as opposed to knowing the money is his no matter how well he plays. Contracts should be based upon performance. The NFL is the only one to do that correctly. Why give a guy a guaranteed 4 year deal worth 20 mill, when you don't know if he'll even be on your team in 4 years.

Franchise player

There are two types of franchise players. Clubs retain exclusive negotiating rights to an "exclusive" franchise player by committing to a minimum offer of the average of the top five salaries at the player's position as of the end of the restricted free agent signing period or a 20 percent increase over his 2003 salary, whichever is greater. No other clubs can negotiate with exclusive franchise players.

The second type of franchise player is offered a minimum of the average of the top five salaries at his position in the 2003 season, or a 20 percent salary increase, whichever is greater. This latter type of franchise player may negotiate with other clubs. The original club may match the offer and retain the player, or receive two first-round draft choices as compensation if the original club elects not to match.

Also, a club may designate a transition player in lieu of a franchise player in any year when the franchise designation is available. A transition player designation gives the club a first refusal right to match an offer sheet given to the player by another club. To designate a transition player, the club must offer a minimum of the average of the top 10 salaries of 2003 at the player's position, or a 20 percent salary increase, whichever is greater.

Sounds like a good deal for both parties. It's hard enough working with the cap room teams have. This just allows them to remain competetive AND pay the player what he's worth

Grand Master

Bearded Kirklander

Posted
Posted

Well, I guess I just respectfully disagree.

Anything that limits freedom of movement, like the Franchise tag, bothers me. Further, if the team can void a contract and cut a player, any player should be able to also void a contract and move to another team. Fair is fair.

With the NFL, careers tend to be much shorter, so players should be able to get what they can while they can.

I really, really hate the NFL system. It is very unfair to players, imo.

But I guess I'm drifting off topic, so I'll try to focus on hockey and not football. :)

Grand Master

Fred Derf Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted
I love that they don't have guaranteed contracts. NFL is unique in that one year, someone could have a huge year. Two years later, he's a dude.

That's possible in hockey now under the current CBA. It's called walking away from salary arbitration. It's only ever been done twice and both times by the Boston Bruins.

The owners have all the tools they need to control salaries which suggests to me that their economic situation is not as bad as they claim.

I would also argue that some teams (NJ, Ottawa) are perrenial favourites with relatively low payrolls while some teams with huge payrolls (obviously the NYR) are unable to make the playoffs.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Posts

    • Newegg offers insane combo deal on Amazon Prime Day 2026 that beats Steam Machine

      By seeprime · Posted

      How can it beat a Steam machine without a serious GPU? The two CU iGPU only provides about 5fps in gaming. That's not going to make any gamer happy.
    • Anthropic introduces Claude Tag, a new AI teammate for Slack

      By Fiza Ali · Posted

      Anthropic introduces Claude Tag, a new AI teammate for Slack by Fiza Ali Anthropic has announced Claude Tag, a new feature that lets teams work with Claude directly inside Slack. The idea is simple: once Claude is added to a Slack workspace and given access to selected channels, users can tag @Claude in conversations and assign tasks. Claude can then work through those requests using connected tools and data sources before posting its results back into a Slack thread. What makes Claude Tag different from a typical chatbot is that it's designed to operate as a shared assistant for an entire team rather than a single user. Everyone in a channel interacts with the same Claude instance. This allows the team members to see ongoing work and continue tasks started by others. Furthermore, Anthropic says the AI can build context over time by following conversations in channels where it has permission to operate. This means users don't have to repeatedly provide the same background information for every request. The system is also designed for asynchronous work. Instead of waiting for responses in a chat window, users can assign a task to Claude and return later once the work is complete. Anthropic says Claude can break larger requests into multiple steps and use connected tools to complete them. Moreover, the system can also schedule follow-up tasks and continue working on projects over extended periods. Another feature allows Claude to keep the users updated and follow up on unresolved tasks when its optional "ambient" mode is enabled. The company says the tool is already being used internally for software development, data analysis, support workflows, and debugging. According to Anthropic, around 65% of its product team's code is now generated through its internal version of Claude Tag. For organisations concerned about security, administrators can control which channels, tools, and data sources Claude can access. Separate Claude instances can also be configured for different departments, helping keep information isolated between teams. Administrators can also monitor activity logs, review completed tasks, and set spending limits at both the organisation and channel level. Claude Tag is now available in beta for Claude Enterprise and Claude Team customers and runs on Claude Opus 4.8 that was announced this May. The feature will also replace Anthropic's existing Claude in Slack application, with current users able to migrate within a 30-day migration window. Lastly, eligible customers will receive introductory credits to help teams evaluate the new experience.
    • Beats Studio Pro wireless over-ear ANC headphones drop to their lowest price yet

      By Fiza Ali · Posted

      Beats Studio Pro wireless over-ear ANC headphones drop to their lowest price yet by Fiza Ali Amazon is currently offering the Beats Studio Pro headphones at their all-time low price. The Studio Pro use 40mm active drivers which are designed to improve clarity and reduce distortion compared to previous models, with up to an 80% improvement over the Beats Studio3 Wireless. A built-in digital processor adjusts frequency response to keep the sound balanced rather than overly boosted in any one area. They also include Active Noise Cancelling that adapts to your surroundings to reduce background noise along with a Transparency mode that lets outside sound in when you need awareness of what’s going on around you. Furthermore, the headphones support personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking as well as Dolby Atmos playback on supported content. Moreover, built-in voice-targeting microphones improve call quality. You can also switch between three sound profiles including Beats Signature for balanced music playback, Entertainment for films and gaming, and Conversation for clearer voice in calls and podcasts. Physically, they are designed to be worn for long periods without feeling heavy or awkward. The ear cushions use UltraPlush engineered leather while metal sliders allow you to adjust the fit. On the connectivity side, the Studio Pro use Class 1 Bluetooth for a stable, long-range wireless connection. There is also a 3.5mm input if you want to plug in directly, including use with in-flight entertainment systems. Controls are located on the headphones and include a "b" button for music and call control, a volume rocker, and a multifunction button used for switching listening modes, EQ settings, power, and pairing. In addition, the headphones offer integration with both Apple and Android devices. On Apple devices, they support one-touch pairing with iCloud-linked devices, hands-free Siri access, Find My tracking based on last connected location, and automatic software updates. On Android devices, they support Google Fast Pair, Audio Switch between compatible devices, and Google Find My Device tracking, with additional features available through the Beats app. When it comes to the battery performance, it is rated at up to 40 hours of listening time with ANC turned off, and up to 24 hours with ANC or Transparency mode enabled. A 10-minute Fast Fuel charge should provide up to 4 hours of playback. Finally, the headphones use a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and charge via USB-C. Beats Studio Pro Wireless Over-Ear ANC Headphones: $149.95 (Amazon US) Good to know This Amazon deal is U.S. specific, and not available in other regions unless specified. We only use first-party seller links (at the time of article publishing); ensure that you purchase from a first-party seller link only. Check out Today's Deals on Amazon | or our recent tech deals. Become a Prime member (for Students or SNAP) via Neowin Get Prime Access - Prime for half price (for qualifying Medicaid, EBT, SNAP) Subscribe to Prime Video, Audible Plus, Music Unlimited or Kindle Unlimited via Neowin As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
    • Microsoft outs Windows 11 KB5095093 with long list of new features

      By leonsk29 · Posted

      "lets you pause updates by choosing an end date, for up to 35 days" Wasn't it "indefinitely"?
    • Microsoft outs Windows 11 KB5095093 with long list of new features

      By leonsk29 · Posted

      Those extra reboots are related to the UEFI Secure Boot certificate update thing.

  • Recent Achievements

    • Rookie
      DaviKar went up a rank
      Rookie
    • Dedicated
      HidekoYamamoto94 earned a badge
      Dedicated
    • One Month Later
      timbobit earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • One Month Later
      nates earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Week One Done
      Almohandis earned a badge
      Week One Done

  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      460
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      161
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      110
    4. 4
      Michael Scrip
      81
    5. 5
      Steven P.
      69
    Show More

  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!