[NHL] Bettman to cancel 2004-05 season

[BMac]

I think the reason why he avoided the draft question is because he knows that there will be no discussions until October and even then we will start back at stage one. The league said that this deal was as good as it was going to get and now it seems linkage is back on the table. As much as I love hockey I don't know whether or not there will ever be an NHL again. We will still have hockey but probably a whole new organization.

As a fan it hurts to watch this. I blame both the NHL and the PA. Granted the PA gave up more to reach a deal but the fact that true negotiations never started until Monday I blame both Goodenow and Bettman for kill the game I love.

[kainashi]

Reformatted schedule and rule changes coming for next year.

585482494[/snapback]

good. it needs to be a lot more wide open for it to be enjoyable. all the clutching and grabbing has to go. downsize the goalie pads a bit too. i hope they can get a deal done soon, i'm really looking forward to watching hockey again. (Y) it sucks that we may lose quite a few great players, especially yzerman. he deserved to go out better than this. :(

[Fred Derf Veteran]

"Why should you and Bob be contained in your current position, will you be able to retain your position?"

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Both Gary and Bob need to be turfed...

[Chris Allen Veteran]

"Why should you and Bob be contained in your current position, will you be able to retain your position?"

WOW! Good question, haha.

[BMac]

Both Gary and Bob need to be turfed...

585482517[/snapback]

Amen man. This is far too personal. They both need to be canned.

[Fred Derf Veteran]

He'll impose a new economic system regardless of what he just said.

[brucebeh]

this is ridiculous, season cancelled..

watching the news conference... its stupid!

[Chris Allen Veteran]

"I'm not sure why the players would want to play in smaller arena's for less money, but that is there perogative."

Well, they're playing aren't they? Not like they would be doing in the NHL right now.

[BMac]

I would be interested in seeing how well a 3on3 or 4on4 open ice, penalty shot filled rival league would do. With the best players in the world I think a new formatted league would go over in the US and do better than the NHL did last year.

[Fred Derf Veteran]

Gary just basically said that the owners would have agreed to a $44/$45 million dollar deal (plus benefits).

That was a million dollar question.

[BMac]

Gary just basically said that the owners would have agreed to a $44/$45 million dollar deal (plus benefits).

That was a million dollar question.

585482578[/snapback]

But yet they said that the $42.5 million dollar offer was final and non-negiotiable. So how would they have accepted a 44/45 million dollar deal. He's sending mixed signals and the truth is I don't think he would have accepted any deal that the players offered other than the 42.5 million dollar cap.

[Fred Derf Veteran]

But yet they said that the $42.5 million dollar offer was final and non-negiotiable.  So how would they have accepted a 44/45 million dollar deal.  He's sending mixed signals and the truth is I don't think he would have accepted any deal that the players offered other than the 42.5 million dollar cap.

585482595[/snapback]

Yet he just said the opposite. He's also said that he would accept a deal this afternoon.

He just mentioned $45 million.

"I'm not saying that I would have gone there" - Gary.

He just said that he wouldn't go into the high 40's.

[BMac]

The NHL reached out to the PA? HA!!!! The PA gave a 24% rollback and said they'd accept a cap. All the NHL gave up was linkage. I think the PA tried far harder to reach out in making a deal.

[Fred Derf Veteran]

Bob should call him up this afternoon and say "I'll take your last offer at $45 million plus benefits".

[Ji@nBing]

Gary just basically said that the owners would have agreed to a $44/$45 million dollar deal (plus benefits).

That was a million dollar question.

585482578[/snapback]

He just said it again. He said earlier that if they gave him a call in the next 24 hours he would look at what they have to offer. So there is still that remote chance.

[Fred Derf Veteran]

It is about saving the owners from themselves.

[BMac]

He just said it again. He said earlier that if they gave him a call in the next 24 hours he would look at what they have to offer. So there is still that remote chance.

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I think what he means is he would consider agreeing to it but this season is still dead and that system would be implement next year.

It is about saving the owners from themselves.

That is the truth. They can't control their own spending.

[Fred Derf Veteran]

I think what he means is he would consider agreeing to it but this season is still dead and that system would be implement next year.

585482628[/snapback]

He said earlier in the conference that he would be willing to go through the embarassment of calling another press conference to say that the season is back on.

[Chris Allen Veteran]

"Well see what comes, thank you"

[BMac]

He said earlier in the conference that he would be willing to go through the embarassment of calling another press conference to say that the season is back on.

585482634[/snapback]

Although he did say that I think that realistically we have to accept that this year is over. I now he said that but you have to recognize that he is trying to keep a good image interms of PR and realistically that would not happen.

[Fred Derf Veteran]

With linking now being off the table that means the negotiations for next need to start over at square one.

The won't start a season next year on time with regular players.

[Ji@nBing]

Although he did say that I think that realistically we have to accept that this year is over.  I now he said that but you have to recognize that he is trying to keep a good image interms of PR and realistically that would not happen.

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True, but you never know. I'm not going to totally give up hope untill it's been a day or two.

[bayrider]

blah this is ridiculous. I never got my hopes up that there would be a season, or a shortened season. Even if both sides agreed by today, i wouldnt want a season to proceed. A 28 game schedule is just pointless.

What scares me most is that the deadline has passed and presumably, no talks will open up for a long time hindering the 2006 season as well. At least with this years official cancellation, both sides should work out not only the financial situation of the league but focus also on the game as well. Im sick of watching good plays and opportunities go to waste because players clutch, grab, slash, hook, poke, stab and everything else in the book to avoid a goal. I mean, the game has progressively gotten worse where i feel like im watching two women (no offense) b1tch fighting (pulling hair, ripping clothes etc).

[BMac]

With linking now being off the table that means the negotiations for next need to start over at square one.

The won't start a season next year on time with regular players.

585482652[/snapback]

I agree. I think that we will end up seeing replacement players next year. I don't know about the rest of you but I will not support a scab league.

[Chris Allen Veteran]

With linking now being off the table that means the negotiations for next need to start over at square one.

The won't start a season next year on time with regular players.

585482652[/snapback]

Exactly. Of all this time, and they've gotten absolutely nowhere. (N)