9 replies to this topic

[whyme]

Perhaps most people around here don't watch hockey, but just yesterday, NHL Commisioner, Gary Bettman, annouced that the 2004-2005 NHL season would be cancelled. This is becasue of the fact that both sides are disputing over how much money players should get for playing hockey, and long story short, after almost 6 months of dispute, they fianlly decided that the seasons would be cancelled. Appreently, comedians like Jay Leno say that Americans aren't affected one bit by the cancelling of the season, but up here, we Canadians are pretty disspaointed.
(It's like not having any football or baseball, see the horror? )

[dropout21]

yes the NHL owners were jerks, the NHLPA also lost their ground. after all that time in the final two days they proposed a large salary cap.. which the NHL follishly turned down, as well as a modified offer and never count offered besides the 42 cap they had been going for the entire season. i think it would have been a waste for the NHLPA to actually accept a salary cap cause it seems like the entire time they didnt play would be a waste. But the NHL owners were definatly foolish not to take the 49 million dollar cap or the 'implied' 45 million one.
hope its back by next season, but alot of older players might not be back, meaning the Maple Leafs team will be weaker.

[Caveman]

whyme, that's a very good analogy. I don't like in Canada, but I totally understand that the sport is as important to the country as baseball/football is to us. It must an incredible disappoint. Hockey is a very exciting sport to watch, and it's a shame they couldn't get their act together in time.

Oh well, crap happens. Just like the baseball strike of 1994, the NHL just has to regroup and hope for a better tomorrow...

[dropout21]

the NHL is the only professional legue to cancel an entire season. as well this is the first year the stanley cup hasnt been rewarded since 1919 i believe it was.

[no9t9]

there is talk that the season may be uncancelled and there may be a deal in the works with a $45 mil salary cap. Saw it on TSN a few minutes ago

[whyme]

no9t9, on Feb 18 2005, 09:43 PM, said:

there is talk that the season may be uncancelled and there may be a deal in the works with a $45 mil salary cap.  Saw it on TSN a few minutes ago

Yup, good news, the NHL and NHLPA are going back on talks again, Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemeuix are neogiting talks with the NHL union and I think the salary cap problem is slowly but sureley being solved, They say that they have essentaily agreed on a $45-million US salary cap. This is very good news.

Link to the NHL Lockout article - http://www.cbc.ca/story/sports/national/20...sume050220.html

[xboxrulz]

"To Canadian viewers: we are very sorry that this hockey season's been cancelled. To American viewers: Your life wouldn't change anyways." - someone on 98.1 CHFI (radio) Toronto.

This is a very funny quote. I think it kinda says that no one likes hockey in USA. LOL!

xboxrulz

[dropout21]

CBC said:

Neither the Great Depression nor World War II could prevent the NHL from awarding the Stanley Cup. But with the league and the NHLPA still divided on the issue of a salary cap, Lord Stanley's trophy will not be contested for the first time since 1919 when a Spanish flu epidemic wiped out the finals.

shows what bullshit they are really fighting about and what they are sacrificing

CBC said:

The cancellation of the season also gives the NHL the indignity of becoming the first of North America's four major professional sports leagues to lose an entire regular season because of a labour dispute.

i thought while reading the Ottawa Sun today on my lunch break, i read "People like gretzky and lemeuix wouldnt get involved if they didnt believe a deal could be made." but apperently "Its too late to save the season".

http://www.cbc.ca/story/sports/national/20...sume050220.html

[Davor]

It's really strange that such things are happening in sports. I mean,I ahve never seen stuff like this before in Europe,because the system is very different. But,on the other side,I think that there are far bigger differences in Europe between the very best players,and the average ones. However,there is no similar competition in Europe with so few teams,like NHL and NBA.

[skyline]

I'm a fellow Canadian thats disapointed in the Lockout heres what they should do.

1. Bettman gets replacement players (llike the NFL did that and also i want to see some hockey)


2.Wait for the players to come back and say ok fine w/e we just want to get a season going (it happend with the NFL.....)