Players accept a cap for the first time in history

[Edmonton Fan]

Even though the NHL rejected this offer, it is good to see that the players will now accept a cap, now they just need to find some even ground for a number which they both agree on, and they need to fix the numbers for the luxury tax as well, I believe that the NHLPA can compromise on the cap number, but the Luxury tax is a whole different thing. 40 Million is too low in my opinion, that's what the NHL is offering and 52 is a bit too high. I think they could come to settle on a cap of 45 million, for the top end and 35 for the bottom end. Who knows we may see the NHL back next year. I'm giving kudos to the NHLPA for the first time ever today, it's good to see they've become more realistic in their proposal approaches.

Now that the NHL Players' Association has gotten over the ideological hump of living with a "salary cap," and the NHL is prepared to live without "linkage," players are mulling over the rival concepts presented yesterday by the league and the union.

Details of both proposals have been posted on The Source, the NHLPA's secure website for players.

Sources say the NHLPA proposal is as follows:

- A cap of $52 million but with provisions for teams to spend as much as 10 per cent more than that on three occasions in a six-year period, with a luxury tax incorporated. The luxury tax rates would be 25 per cent on $40-44 million; 50 per cent on $44-48 million; 75 per cent on $48-52 million and 150 per cent on $52-$57.2 million.

Sources say the NHL proposal is as follows:

- A hard cap of $40 million, with a 50 per cent luxury tax on $34-40 million.

As for the possibility of negotiations, sources on the NHLPA side are suggesting the union will only negotiate off the $52 million figure if the NHL presents a detailed, meaningful revenue sharing plan.

On the NHL side of the equation, sources are suggesting the league isn't prepared to go much higher than the $40 million cap figure.

So it's a matter of trying to bridge a $12 million (per team) gap with the clock running towards the league's scheduled 1 p.m. (EST) announcement to cancel the season.

[Opus]

Re: Players accept a cap for the first time in history

place your vBets now.......!!!!

[Edmonton Fan]

Re: Players accept a cap for the first time in history

This is my proposal:

Hard cap high end at 45 Million
Hard cap low end at 35 Million
Luxury Tax at 50% for the 40-45 Million range
Luxury Tax at 100% for the 45-48 Million range
Luxury Tax at 250% for the 48-50 Million range

[56Parkies]

Re: Players accept a cap for the first time in history

It's a shame they didn't get to this point.. oh.. I don't know.

6 months ago?!

I don't WANT to see the season saved. Either you get an extended exhibition followed by the playoffs, or hockey well into July. Neither appeals to me, frankly.

[Edmonton Fan]

Re: Players accept a cap for the first time in history

I don't want to see a season this year either! But atleast they are making progress so we can see a new and improved NHL back next season.

I'd be really interested to hear what Cal Nichols thinks of this proposal.. it's weird how Goodenow always makes these last second miracle proposals, the NHLPA is breaking!

[56Parkies]

Re: Players accept a cap for the first time in history

No, I agree 100%. I would want to see a strong, properly run league in September. Something where the Oil can survive and even thrive. I don't care about teams south of the Mason-Dixon line, where your average citizen couldn't name 1 current NHL player. But Edmonton has HISTORY, plus let's face it, it makes the CFL offseason a bit more bearable anyway..

[Edmonton Fan]

Re: Players accept a cap for the first time in history

NEW YORK (CP) - The two sides in the NHL labour dispute have abandoned longstanding philosophical positions and edged closer together, but the question is whether there is time to bridge the remaining gap.

While more talks were expected Tuesday, time is running out with commissioner Gary Bettman expected to cancel the season at a 1 p.m. EST news conference in New York barring an agreement.

Still, it appeared Tuesday like there was the momentum to secure a deal following Monday night's revelation that the NHL Players' Association had changed direction at the final turn and offered to play under a $52-million US salary cap.

The league, meanwhile, turned heads by proposing a $40-million salary cap with no ''linkage'' to revenue.

''I'm sure not everybody is happy out there. I'm sure there's some players not happy with a hard cap and some owners not happy at not having linkage,'' Flyers player representative Robert Esche told The Canadian Press from Philadelphia.

''But hey, it's a give-and-take world. Now it seems we're just down to numbers. It's exciting.''

Now the question is whether the two sides can bridge the gap. A source said the league sees $52 million as too high but might be willing to go in the low 40s to get a deal done.

''It shouldn't be that hard, they're agreeing on principles,'' Esche said.

Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk wasn't quite as positive.

''It's a lot to try to do in a very, very short time,'' he told The Fan, a Toronto all-sports radio station. ''I'm just not optimistic.''

The change in strategy represents a quantum leap for both sides. The players have insisted a salary cap was a non-starter while the league has built its case around so-called cost certainty - linking player costs to revenue.

A source close to the talks indicated Tuesday morning that he expected both sides would get together later in the day. But as of 1 p.m. EST NHL executive vice-president Bill Daly was still in New York while NHLPA senior director Ted Saskin was still in Toronto.

The surprising developments came during a secret meeting Monday in Niagara Falls, N.Y., between Saskin and Daly.

Daly began the process by offering his cap figure without a fixed link between player costs and league revenues. The union countered with the $52-million salary cap per team and its 24 per cent rollback on existing salaries, which was rejected by the NHL.

''It is indeed unfortunate that with the major steps taken by both sides today we were unable to build enough momentum to reach an agreement,'' Saskin said in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

It appears a select group of players spearheaded the NHLPA change in strategy.

The Philadelphia Inquirer and others reported Tuesday that Flyers centre Jeremy Roenick, along with Calgary's Jarome Iginla, St. Louis's Chris Pronger and others, urged the union leaders to put a cap with no linkage on the table in a bid to save the season.

''I was involved with a group of NHL players who were trying to get to as many people as possible to come on board with a resolution that works for both sides,'' Roenick told the Inquirer. ''The proposal has to have a number that is not tied to revenues.''

A call to Iginla was not immediately returned Tuesday.

Other reports said the group of players actually had a proposal for the league, but Esche said that was pushing it too far.

''That needs to be clarified,'' Esche told CP. ''I talked to Pronger a few hours ago, I spoke with JR a few hours ago, that is the further thing from the truth. They didn't give a proposal to the league, they didn't go behind the union's back. They would never undermine our union.''

Still, Buffalo Sabres player rep Jay McKee was surprised Tuesday when he heard the union would accept a cap.

''If that's where we were going, I wonder why now,'' he said.

According to a source, the union's offer breaks down like this:

A cap of $52 million but with provisions for teams to spend as much as 10 per cent more than that on three occasions in a six-year period, with a luxury tax incorporated. The luxury tax rates would be 25 per cent on $40-$44 million; 50 per cent on $44-$48 million; 75 per cent on $48-$52 million and 150 per cent on $52-$57.2 million.

The league's deal features a $40-million cap, with a 50 per cent luxury tax on payrolls from $34 million to $40 million.

Using last season's payrolls and adding the 24 per cent rollback on existing contracts, the average team payroll was $33.95 million. There were 16 teams over the $40-million figure last season, but that's without the contact rollback.

Monday's development could also have a major impact on the league's ability to declare legal impasse down the road if there's no deal and the season is cancelled. The union could perhaps argue to the U.S. National Labor Relations Board that there is no impasse in talks because the philosophical issue of a salary cap is no longer the deal-breaker.

The NHL is hoping to avoid becoming the first major professional league in North America to cancel an entire season from beginning to finish.

''I'm extremely concerned,'' Flyers captain Keith Primeau said from Philadelphia. ''The biggest thing that disturbs me is everyone's true misunderstanding of the fan base. You hear how certain people believe that the hardcore fan will definitely return, that the damage isn't irreparable.

''I think that's a huge miscalculation or judgment in error of who and what your fan base is. That, I think, is going to alarm a lot of people when the doors are re-opened.''

Through Tuesday, 834 of the 1,230 regular-season games have gone by the wayside.

If an agreement can still be reached, the league has a shortened schedule ready to go that would see teams play 28 regular-season games, playing only within their conference. The playoffs would stay the same.

''We probably could've gotten this thing done in the summertime,'' Chicago forward Matthew Barnaby said. ''Am I mad, no? I want to get back to work. But at the same time, I'm just a little disappointed that it went this far to play poker and to have someone call your bluff.''

[Edmonton Fan]

Re: Players accept a cap for the first time in history

It just comes down to numbers now, and that can be negotiated, hopefully not in time to save this season, but to save next's. It's nice to see that they broken off of their philosophical differences indeed.

Kudos to Jarome Iginla, JR, and Chris Pronger.

[56Parkies]

Re: Players accept a cap for the first time in history

Kudos to Jarome Iginla...

Damn, but I'd love to see that boy in Oiler silks.. and from what I've heard him say in the past, he wouldn't be too upset by it either.

[Esks4ever]

Re: Players accept a cap for the first time in history

Man I am sooo sick of this "save the season bs"

I dont even want to read any of this.. some one fill me in....Will this plan benifit the Oil ?


and does anyone really want this season to be saved..face it. this season is done.

[Edmonton Fan]

Re: Players accept a cap for the first time in history

Man I am sooo sick of this "save the season bs"

I dont even want to read any of this.. some one fill me in....Will this plan benifit the Oil ?


and does anyone really want this season to be saved..face it. this season is done.

Since you don't want to read this 'change of heart by the NHLPA', let's just say that they will now ACCEPT A CAP, ALL THAT NEEDS TO BE WORKED OUT IS THE NUMBERS, AND YES, IT WILL BENIFIT THE OILERS!

There, you should be able to get the jist of what I said.

[Edmonton Fan]

Re: Players accept a cap for the first time in history

Damn, but I'd love to see that boy in Oiler silks.. and from what I've heard him say in the past, he wouldn't be too upset by it either.

You and me, both. Jarome Iginla is a impact player, his contribution to any team is huge, he's a Edmonton boy, so under a new CBA, and a miracle trade from the flames, he could end up in Oiler silks.

In a dream world.

[56Parkies]

Re: Players accept a cap for the first time in history

You and me, both. Jarome Iginla is a impact player, his contribution to any team is huge, he's a Edmonton boy, so under a new CBA, and a miracle trade from the flames, he could end up in Oiler silks.

In a dream world.

I don't see him EVER coming to the Oil in a direct trade from the Flames. However, when it comes time for him to be an unrestricted free agent...? Anything's possible, baby!

[Edmonton Fan]

Re: Players accept a cap for the first time in history

I don't see him EVER coming to the Oil in a direct trade from the Flames. However, when it comes time for him to be an unrestricted free agent...? Anything's possible, baby!

True, a direct trade from the Flames to the Oil, just wouldn't make sense. When is Jarome Iginla slated to become an unrestricted free agent anyway, I don't even know what he has left on his current contract with the Calgary Flames.

[56Parkies]

Re: Players accept a cap for the first time in history

True, a direct trade from the Flames to the Oil, just wouldn't make sense. When is Jarome Iginla slated to become an unrestricted free agent anyway, I don't even know what he has left on his current contract with the Calgary Flames.

I don't think Calgary ever wants to trade with us again..

Let's face it, the Tommy Scott for Danny Bass trade did pretty well for the Esks, after all..

Not sure about current contracts with the missing season -- if someone signed a 3 year deal, does this year count?? Plus, unrestricted free agency may change with a new deal, but currently, he'd be unrestricted when his contract expires after turning 31, I believe.