GAME ON !! NHL and players agree to new CBA

[gohabsgo]

O.K. I know this isnt much of a surprise, the details have been leaking out for the past few weeks, but now its official.

Among the most significant features are:

- a hard team-by-team salary cap with a payroll of range of $21 million to $39 million (in the first year), which includes all player costs (benefits, insurance etc).

- the league's total expenditure on player costs (salaries, bonuses, benefits and insurance) is not permitted to exceed 54 per cent of defined hockey-related revenue and the salary cap and payroll range will move up or down as revenues increase or decrease each year of the deal.

- a 24 per-cent salary rollback for any NHL player who has time remaining on an existing contract, keeping in mind that the players will receive none of the monies they were slated to earn in the lost season of 2004-05.

- liberalized free agency (including unrestricted status at 27 by year four of the deal), a more restrictive entry level system, totally revamped salary arbitration, improved pension benefits and a revenue-sharing plan.

- Age eligibility for unrestricted free agency at age 31 in 2005, 29 in 2006, 28 in 2007. In 2008, it's 27 or seven years of NHL tenure.


http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=130274

heres how the draft lottery for Sidney Crosby will work;

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature.asp?fid=7314

I hope Mr. Gillette lowers ticket prices for Habs games, especially for the reds, but I havent heard anything on that yet

heres something on ticket prices on a team by team basis

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/article.jsp?content=20050713_134944_1192

 

[FunLuver]

AS far as the NHL goes and its players.... they can stay in Europe !
I wrote a few months ago

The NHL and NHLPA are basically shooting themselves in the foot by not even trying to be on negociating terms.

The hocky fan is taken for granted here, as he will always be supporting the league, bend over happily after this lock out is done and shell out blindly his money.

The league and player`s union should have a hard reality check, as it is an insult to the sports fan that they cant agree to split hundreds of millions of dollars between themselves... it s totally legitimate as a business to aim for the highest profit margin, but how many more hundreds of miilions of profits will it take ? Would you prefer having a season, sharing less profits and have a business running and serve its main purpose as to serve the main customer - the hockey fan and not the other way around ?

The owners should get their act together and stop spending like there is no tomorrow - 50M$ to Robert Holik and what not , lol c`mon- - which they hope to stop with salary cap - and also give us the real numbers of their losses (or profits). When people pay 300$ + other expenses to go to the Habs game and sell out every night, i think we ve paid enough and it s up to management to get their shit together balancing this whole thing out.

As for the NHLPA and its "philosophical" opposition to any types of salary cap, as it is trying to negociate the best terms for the players - which is understandable on their business point of view - the union is only trying to preserve the earning power of its elite top percentile of the players, at the very expense of the regular non-superstar and the fan too, a regular player will never bust the salary cap - but the superstar asking to earn 10M+ per season will certainly do so.

The NHLPA is basically sacrifying the regular player - no salary during lock-out - to protect the earning power of the few elite players by opposing systematically to any forms of salary cap, causing this lock-out. I`d pay a neuro-surgeon millions to save other people`s life, as for the hockey superstar who doesnt have enough with 5 million per year - even with 200 000$ per year - well he can side with his union and get absolutely nothing and go fack himself

As for the pro players so-called "love of the game" - stop the BS. As Guy Lafleur said it himself, there is a freaking problem with players not settling for 3 Millions but willing to go out and play for 300 000$ or way less ? Hockey fans are loyal but not that dumb... it s an insult to us. Say hello to NBA and the NFL ! even Laval Chiefs lol .. or more $$ to spend in da`club !

Had time to kill at work and this is the last time i waste my time on the NHL for a long time. The NFL with Buffalo and Detroit is not too far

The NHL and its players as a league totally lost my respect in terms of credibility and I would save my $$$ for other venues of entertainment

 

[The_Seeker]

numbers do not add up

has anybody noticed that the numbers being reported by the media do not add up

the nhl and nhlpa are not discussing the details until it is a done deal .... only they know the true details

here are the numbers reported by the media

1.8 billion US in revenues for the last year played

cap at 54% and there are 30 teams

media therefore says cap is 39 million US

do the math .... take 54% of 1.8 billion US and divide by 30 teams and you get a cap of only 32.4 million US

somebody has their numbers all screwed up ... the real cap could be much lower than we have been told (fine with me)

 

[future canadian]

39 million CDN is about 32.4 million US .. I think they didn't note the currencies right. I will be in Montreal the first week of October but I'm assuming not hockey that early into October. But I'm up there for the leafs (foliage, not Toronto).

 

[HonestAbe]

Habs Schedule?

Any word on when the schedule will be released?

 

[Darcy]

If the early reports are true, we'll have 20 teams make the playoffs instead of 16, with an extra round. That will be 5 playoff rounds instead of 4.

Now I don't have a problem with smaller goalie equipment. Eliminating the center red line is fine if it opens up the game, even though I'm a traditionalist who would prefer to keep the game as is. I'm not crazy about shoot-outs but can probably live with it.

But........having 4 extra teams and 1 extra playoff round is just plain stupid! The season is way too long as it is. Why make a further mockery of it?

 

[FunLuver]

The NHL needs to improve its product by eliminating the ever-present hooking in the game so that its star players can fully exhibit their skills. The physical gameplay can still exist minus the illegal hooking... Remember the last playoffs ? Canucks vs Oilers... 2 young teams duking it out, fast paced-games yet physical at the same time.

 

[Techman]

Darcy

They are also planning on adding 4 new teams to the league eventually. other changes are the addition of a 3 on 3, 3 minute ot period after the current 4 on 4 ot which will be followed by a shootout if there is still no winner. Why not just go right to the shootout after the regular time expires? The extra teams are probably needed to absorb the overpaid players who will have no job after the cap comes into effect.

The playoffs last too long as it is. I would prefer to cut down the teams that make it rather than add more. The way it's going, all teams will eventually be in the playoffs and the regular season will be pointless. Personally I don't care how much money the players or the owners make, what is important is putting a quality product on the ice with entertaining games. This could be easily achieved by enforcing the current rules against hooking, holding, obstruction and use of the stick against a player's body. If the refs start calling ALL PENALTIES, the players will adjust and the game will go back to being what it once was...the fastest, most exciting team sport in the world.

 

[Uncle Kracker]

The return of the NHL is definatly cool... It puts my annual Jan. trip to Montreal back on...

Ok, so I would've gone up anyway. This just give the trip a little more enjoyment...

Sorry for kind of going of topic, I'm nursing a hangover... Have a heart.

 

[orallover]

Uncle Kracker, you are a nurse?

 

[Techman]

new teams

I actually heard this on Team990 radio when they were talking about the new agreement. They raised the same concerns about small market US teams that are barely making it. They are planning on instituting the playoff changes immediatly. Adding teams is for the future and I do not know that this is in the new cba. As far as the number of teams in the playoffs, when it gets to the point that more teams make it than don't, there is something wrong. It has nothing to do with the sport or rewarding the best teams, it's all about revenue.

 

[gohabsgo]

It looks like some ticket prices will go down for the cheap seats, but not for the expensive seats. I'm really looking forward to seeing those Molson Ex girls as well as the Chez Paree ladies.

Boivin said that while top end ticket prices won't change, there will be discounts of more than 10 per cent on 4,500 tickets per game, 500 tickets in the family zone will be sold at less than $10 and 500 tickets will be handed out free on 17 Tuesday night games.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/shownews.jsp?content=h072253A


The buyouts have begun, the Flyers bought out Leclair and Amonte

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/shownews.jsp?content=h072302A

 

[Uncle Kracker]

It looks like some ticket prices will go down for the cheap seats, but not for the expensive seats. I'm really looking forward to seeing those Molson Ex girls as well as the Chez Paree ladies.

Boivin said that while top end ticket prices won't change, there will be discounts of more than 10 per cent on 4,500 tickets per game, 500 tickets in the family zone will be sold at less than $10 and 500 tickets will be handed out free on 17 Tuesday night games.

Cheap (or even free) seats mean more money for beer & other fun stuff! More Gooder!

 

[HonestAbe]

Weather conditions in Montreal in December?

I was looking at a schedule on a Habs tickets website and saw where Marty Brodeur and the Devils' are playing in Montreal on December 18th. I would like to attend that game but I am wondering about the normal weather conditions in Southern Quebec/Montreal in the middle of December. I don't want to get stuck in a Blizzard driving up there!! Any of you "Habs" have an idea of your weather pattern for that time of the year? Yeah, COLD, I know that, but when do the big storms normally hit?

 

[Board Stiff]

December 18th, 2005.
I predict -8 degree weather, 4 inches of snow in the morning, a slight haze coming off the st laurence river and a light rain fall at around 7 pm.
Mooney out.

 

[gohabsgo]

I was looking at a schedule on a Habs tickets website and saw where Marty Brodeur and the Devils' are playing in Montreal on December 18th.

I think that might be from last years schedule, December 18th was a saturday in 2004, its a Sunday in 2005. They have not released the 05/06 schedule yet.

 

[steak]

Weather in MTL

I've in Montreal for 9 years now, coming from a Northern region. What I noticed since I am here is how there is almost no snow close to Christmas. There are some storms in november and december but it usually melt pretty fast. December 18th is a gamble but I would take the bet.

 

[Doc Holliday]

I've in Montreal for 9 years now, coming from a Northern region. What I noticed since I am here is how there is almost no snow close to Christmas. There are some storms in november and december but it usually melt pretty fast. December 18th is a gamble but I would take the bet.

I used to say the same thing. However, last winter was much different than the previous ones. Very cold and humid....and more snow that i ever saw in the past. I remember hearing about a December party where attendance wasn't as high as expected due to a considerable snow storm on that day.

 

[HockeyFan4MSOG]

somebody has their numbers all screwed up ... the real cap could be much lower than we have been told (fine with me)

Yeah figure out your total expenditures to watch a game and let me know? I gave up my season tickets for a new entertainment system, which I thought was smart doing the Math... however my new employment has a box seat that I get to put in for some "smell of the ice" sessions.

Now what of the none numbered apparell sales. 200-500 dollars for a Leather Team Jacket. 100-200 for a Parka?

I know they are making more than they are saying. Who is going to audit them? The same auditors for WorldCom and Enron, I persume?

 

[HonestAbe]

December 18th, 2005.
I predict -8 degree weather

Thanks Board, but is that Celsius or Fahrenheit? If its fahrenheit I won't be coming back til Grand Prix 2006.

and...

Upon further review, GoHabsGo is correct about the conflicting dates. That WAS last seasons schedule. The league sure isn't giving itself much time to sell tickets(Or us to buy them) before the season starts. Does anyone care to guess when the league will be so kind as to inform us of the schedule?