I could try to write exactly how the possibility of a lockout makes me feel but as you know, swearing is discouraged around these parts. This entry will be my last commentary on this lockout business until there’s a resolution. To try to keep things interesting, we’ll begin to transition this into a blog that combines information on what’s happening down in Bingo and anywhere else a Senator is playing hockey.
AHL hockey, the European leagues, prospects playing Junior. Until the NHL gets its act together, that will become the focus of SensChirp. Obviously free to discuss the negotiations in the comment section below but I’ll do my best to come up with other topics to help pass the time.
On that note, it was announced this morning that there will be a special exception made for AHL veterans on two way contracts.
According to Renaud Lavoie on Twitter, the NHL and NHLPA have agreed to create a unique waiver exemption that will allow veteran of the AHL, that are on two way contracts to join AHL teams without needing to clear waivers. Those same players will be required to pass through re-entry waivers within three days of the NHL season starting.
While at first glance this sounded like good news for the BSens, it actually won’t have much of an impact on the Sens AHL affiliate. Young players like Cowen, Silfverberg, Stone and Zibanejad will all still be eligible to join Binghamton. Veteran AHLers like Smith, Condra and Greening are on one way contracts and would not be eligible for the exemption.
Either way, the fans down in Bingo should be in for an entertaining season. Think some SensChirp Readers may have to round up another Bingo Bus and stop by for a visit.
- The KHL has also announced their plans for locked out NHL players indicating that each team can have a maximum of three NHL players and they can not earn more than 65% of their NHL salary.
- There may be no NHL hockey this fall but there will be some temporary relief for gamers. NHL 13 is now available and in stores. I plan on picking up the game in the next couple days and will see if there is a way to get a SensChirp league going to help pass the time during the lockout. Stay tuned for details.
this is bullshit
Just brutal. Can't believe they have let it come to this.
It's all we've got to tide us over until the real NHL resumes :(
idiotic lockout, they found another way to continue their insanity, and take our favourite pastime, away from us fans once again!
Best suggestion I saw was on TSN, where a fan suggested the players reduce their 57%, by 1% a year for 7 years, and it
would at the end be 50-50 !!
Problem Solved !!!!!!!!!!
NHL 13-GM Connected ps3??!
Sign me up. Be weary, I'm amazing.
I'm still not too bummed about the (potential) lockout. Still plenty of quality hockey out there.
According to Russian sports paper Sports-Express, here are some other limitations for non-foreign and NHL players on each KHL squad.
Courtesy of Sportsnet: http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl-lockout/2012/09/11/khl_nhl_only_top_rated_talent_welcome/
First off an NHL player would have to meet one of these three criteria:
1. Have played at least 150 games in the NHL over the last three seasons
2. Was a member of his national team in one of the last two World Championships, World Youth Championships or the Olympic Games
3. Was a winner or finalist for the Stanley Cup or the winner of one of the NHL’s individual awards
During the NHL lockout -- set to begin Sept. 15 if no new CBA agreement is reached by the players and owners -- the total number of foreign players signed to one Russian KHL club may be six, including no more than one goalie. The total number of locked-out NHLers permitted on one KHL club is three, and only one of those may be foreign.
26 teams = 26 spots only for non-Russian NHLers.
Thank you KHL, SEL, and all other leagues not allowing the players a good financial out.
I'm sure to an extent many of these leagues know they are just "sloppy seconds" for the spoiled NHLers.
I am suprised however that most of the other leagues aren't trying to pick off the NHL stars on full year contracts that they cant get out of if the NHL season returns midway through. Getting some of the bigger guns over to the KHL for example would certainly help that league gain more credibility.
http://thecontinuitylounge.blogspot.ca/2012/09/why-nhl-cannot-be-considered-mature.html
Bear with me – it seems clear that the players are far more unified than the owners. This is clear, when you look at the disparity between what the large market teams are willing to play, compared to the small-market teams (Nashville notwithstanding…).
It also seems to me, the NHL should be looking out for the “average” teams, and that the NHLPA should be focused on looking out for the “average” player.
Rather than basing salaries on HRR - which in my mind, does not accurately reflect what EACH team is able to afford – why not base the cap on what the AVERAGE team can afford.
I put together a spreadsheet where I listed all of the teams and their projected payroll for the upcoming season. In an attempt to find the median, I removed the top 5 and bottom 5 teams, in terms of payroll.
I also established a cap and floor, based on the average team salary, by using a +20% for the cap, and a -20% for the floor.
Average: $57,190,821
Cap: $68,628,985.56 (average plus 20%)
Floor: $45,752,657.04 (average minus 20%)
I just picked 20% out of thin air – no real thought behind it – perhaps this could be the negotiation focus?
The owners can’t, or at least shouldn’t, complain that the cap and floor are too high – the numbers are based on the “average” team.
The players should realize that their salaries are based on the majority of teams, and not the minority at either end of the spectrum. If the average team can afford to spend more, the salary cap and floor should increase.
Most of all, we don’t have to keep reading about HRR!
That was the suggestion put forward by the NHLFA. Check it out (most of you probably have seen this at this point).
http://www.nhlfa.com/
You forgot:
4 - Must not be afraid of flying in old rickety-ass planes.
Those criteria should encompass a fairly extensive list of players but those 1-2 year players on 1 way contracts will suffer.
I'm going to try and recruit Condra, Greening and Daugavins for my men's league this winter..
Also, all the forums on EA are saying the gameplay sucks this year, fyi!
Ya, doesn't this mean teams can claim them at half the price then?
I think the idea is that they pass through during those three days and other teams can't claim them. I think, anyway? Anyone else know how that would work?
http://oilersnation.com/2012/9/11/new-waiver-rule
Very interesting idea but I don't see why you would take the top 5 and bottom 5 teams out, or why you would have the 20% over under thing haha.
Maybe include top 5 and bottom 5, leave the 20% thing out, and make for a cost of living adjustment based on the North American economy each year so the cap does goes up, but not significantly.
Then you may be on to something
I personally cannot comment on the Fantasy draft being removed, or the game play. What I can say is that I've played the last 3 seasons of this game, including last years. While the graphics are cooler, and some of the little things have gotten better, I do find myself not as excited about the game play, I guess I just didn't focus on it so much and I prefer the old hit a button to pass or shot, over using the stick to control it, but I'm a little old school.
If you ask me, the big advancements in these games is all the GM modes and build your own team options, trades, etc. I think the creators have noticed that a lot of people interested in these games are getting more into the GM aspect, then playing the actual game itself. I know I was, and from what I'v heard others feel the same.
I wouldn't be surprised to see more advancement in that aspect as the game franchise moves on... well, pre-lockout anyway. Hard to say what will happen next season.
Ah thanks Chirp, that makes more sense.
dang
Exactly, that's why it's so surprising they've taken out fantasy drafts in madden and supposedly nhl this year. Most people who played the GM mode and loved it started off with a fantasy draft. It allows you to get several of your favourite players and have an even league team to team.
I actually still use the classic controls, i can't get used to the new ones. Because of this though I can't do online stuff because they only allow the new default controls online.
EA has become such a joke in terms of what they offer their users. I've been playing their games since the early 90s and every year now I'm reminded that they just don't give a shit about us older fans. Feels eerily similar to this whole NHL lockout situation ... the fans are an afterthought it's all about the money.
And that the game is currently set using basically the same cap/rules as the expiring CBA?
Not sure where all the criticism is coming from, I'll have to find out tonight, but I've played the demo to death and I'm pretty sure I know what I'm getting into.
My only disappointment is the same every year: I wish there was a 30 game season. I know it's not a realistic season, but my favorite parts are trade deadlines and drafts and playing 82 games takes me several months (and no...sim'ing games sucks as the stats become skewed).
But I'm obviously the minority, as I'd like nothing than an option at the start for the computer to ask you how many teams you want to create a dynasty with, then randomly generate that many teams, schedules, and random players with random pictures. Throw in some roleplaying game elements and I'd be in heaven lol...I like NHL, but LOVE hockey, so for me to be in complete control of everything...hm mm...I can dream can't I?
Every negotiation must have their give an their takes.
but stop at a stand off, in probably the most critical time in the NHL's history is incredibly Foolish.
The only people who stand to make money and fame in all of this is Bettman and Fehr.
Step 1
Fehr and Bettman, you will have till Sept 15 to get an agreement... you are paid millions to negotiate not to sit still and do nothing, any jackass can do that
Step 2
no agreement by Sept 15th,
Take all owners and all NHL vets with 5 plus years with one lawyer per side to explain the legalities and book a hotel for an entire weekend, with an arbitrator to point out the major differences, and begin the negotiations.
The real problem here is that both owners and the players are being misrepresented by Fehr and Bettman.
The raality is that both are pretending not to care about losing a season. Well about 10% of NHL players lost their jobs b/c of their price tag and they went to younger players in the last lockout.
Secondly, if we lose another year and the players again win with increase in salaries, then you can expect to lose 5 teams in the coming years meaning less players in the NHL, Players take a look in the mirror if you are not Sydney, you could be the one out of a job.
And your TV contract... I can assure you NBC has given you the only chance you will ever get at US exposure, screw this one up, and we may never see another big time US contract in our lifetime.... WAKE THE FUK UP!!!!
No one wins in this lockout!
Fehr Bettman, do what you are paid to do and negotiate a deal.... dumbasses!
Now that is just ridiculous. They expect the Owners to basically keep the same % they have -- yet expenses to run their teams keep growing.
The players live in a dream world. How about they stop with the articles they put out about the NHL to try to gain fan support... or trying to get the lockout stopped in Alberta & Quebec ...and get back to the table.
Both sides say they don't want a lockout... but they are doing SFA to get a deal.
The players have some formula that says league revenues will grow a certain % each season. Really?
At 12:00 am Sunday morning, 1 second after the lockout they will start losing fans. The longer it goes the more fans they lose.
The last lockout was to implement the salary cap for the good of the game.. and the survival of the NHL.
This work stoppage is more about greed... and nothing else.
Thank you KHL. It appears they only want the star players due to the criteria they have stipulated.
I hope the SEL stands pat.
As it stands -- there will be less than 200 players that can get a job in Europe.... and we know that will be reserved for the NHL star players. What about the other 550.. they are left with their strike pay?
So Fehr wants them to stand tough. So about 200 players make good money in Europe while the rest get pittance to stay in North America. As the lockout goes on... can you see a split in the players... the haves (rich stars) against the rest...
Just a quick fyi, Fehr hasn't been taking a salary since July.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=404690
These players need to get their heads out of their asses.
Ask the local boys the likes of Todd White, or Shawn Van Allen, or even Shaen Donavan, who lost milllions in that one year, and never really found their way back.
Guys, the Crosby's Ovechkin, Stamkos' of the world will earn enough $$$ to sustain many generations, those of you not in the top half will be the real losers!
reminds me of the quote from Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glenross:
Top player win a cadiallac,
mid players Kitchen cutlery
bottom players... YOUR ALL FIRED!!!
Wake the fuk up dumb dumbs,
Honestly, all the NHL is waiting for is a counter offer.
Bob McKenzie's article is a great read of the situation from both sides. Refreshing, non- bias take that really points out how pointless this whole thing is.
really?
i get being pissed that this is happening, but surprise and/or disbelief???
you have two selfish and greedy groups of people who are only interested in their own ends negotiating, I would have thought that this is exactly where most people expected us to be
And I'm very surprised the NHLPA hasn't submitted one counter offer to the NHL's initial offer from late June or their follow from that a few weeks ago.
Dissapointed is probably a more accurate word but considering this whole fiasco makes absolutely no sense, and assuming these rich people orchestrating this fiasco are not dumb, (well, the rich people who represent the players aren't dumb) yeah it is a tad surprising.
For some stupid reason I still think it is going to work itself out and we won't lose any regular season games. I guess for no other reason than this makes absolutely no sense for either side.
Not trying to ruffle any feathers, but the ignorance of 99% of the fans about the economics of all this is just as annoying as this inevitable and retarded lockout.
IMO boom's numbers are way off but at least he gets how it doesn't make sense to tie player salaries to league revenue. We're not talking profit guys we're talking all the money generated. It's really simple. Sharing revenue system is broken unless they REALLY reduce the %.
Simply put teams that rake in the $$$ like Leafs or Rangers push up the cap like *crazy* for lesser revenue teams. As stupid as it is, the NHL somehow didn't foresee this, which is why the cap has quickly spiraled OUT OF CONTROL. What should have been a 39M cap with very solid growth of 2M a year (that would put us at a 55M cap this next season FYI) quickly became over 70M.
More than half the teams lost money last year and keeping the current CBA would get even worse just as quick and it is simply not sustainable!
It's not even about idiotic 125M contracts by the owners, it is the revenue -> cap + floor impact and how it has quickly decimated smaller revenue teams, including our Sens.
Throwing uninformed shit like "drop the revenue % by 1% each year until it is 50-50"... that is totally asinine frankly.
Players profited large last CBA and it seems like another "clawback" but it's not.The system must be restored to the sanity they projected they could accomplish last time around. Right now it is no-go unless we want to fold half the franchises.
I have no pitty for owners crying over the fact they can't share the pie in a better fashion. The players just live in the economic situation that the owners have created. So instead the owners should have been proactive about not signing these ridiculous contracts that further hurt their situation. No one forced them to sign 5+ year deals, that's the owners that approved those contracts being offered.
Yes it's collusion to say as a group no we won't pay a max contract, but it's smart business for each of them individually to have said it doesn't make sense for my organization to spend over 7mil x 5yrs on a contract. If they all felt this way, there wouldn't be much of a problem, but they expect others to fix the problems they make, so let them suffer.
Also this "more than half the teams lost money" it depends on who's HRR you use, and you know the owners are all about hiding as much of their revenue as they can.
I think too many fans are being hard on the players here, when this whole mess was created by the owners this time around.
And what's worse, is that I get messages from literally hundreds of people saying I'm simply jealous that I'm not a millionaire. I love my job, and if there was a spot in the NHL for a guy that can't break 140 pounds, I'd work like hell to get there. But there's not, so I settle.
Again, it's really hard to pity the players in this debacle. The owners aren't saints either, but the NHLPA seems to be doing a damn good job using propaganda to influence the fans.
Thats not treu about the controls online. You can use classic, but you have to set them and save them in the main menu, not the in game menu. I know this because my roommate uses classic controls, and everytime i log online after he was playing, I have to quit the game to change the controls from classic to default.
how does bettman keep sponsors interested?
They are fighting for what they believe is right with respect to the cba yet they are more than happy to take away other peoples work.
but can someone just humor me?
what is craig andersons rating?
what is brian elliott rating?
who are the top 10 goalies and their ratings?
what are the toronto goalies ratings?
thanks.
This is exactly what I am saying. The league thought the last CBA would provide counter-inflati onary measures to keep most teams healthy. As per usual, and blame this on whoever you want, the CBA was flawed and things got waaaaaay out of hand.
Even the retard GMs who signed players to 13 year contracts abided by the cap and max % cap allowable per player and played within the rules, but nobody foresaw player cost spiraling out of control like this... For the sake of the Sens and many other teams viability the next CBA can and will absolutely address this problem. You can call it a clawback but call it a clawback on ~80% increase in average player salary.
THe concept of total sharing between teams is a ridiculous notion for what are essentially franchises... Workers at Kinkos in some butt-fuck location would never demand revenue sharing with the flagship store to bump their hourly pay up to $50. Boom store closed. In the same light there is no possibility of all the investors in let's say the Leafs, consider the possibility of handing over 80M a year to the Coyotes.
The cost system has to work across all franchises unless the NHLPA are willing to shed a whole pile of jobs. I'm not sure why the owners have not made my sort of stance public, unless they are trying to protect their per-franchise value.
Parity during the last CBA has been largely awesome for fans. Players have been extremely well compensated with increased paychecks but as I said things are spiraling out of control and absolutely need to be addressed.
As a Sens fan I'd rather see a two year lockout to get what we need with near full-house attendance to maintain competitiveness than see the owners "fold" and keep a system that will screw us large - not to mention 10 other teams.
Buy the game. When the league gets back to playing there will be an online update to rosters/rules. And if they're gone all year there won't be an NHL14.
http://www.hockeysfuture.com/teams/ottawa_senators/
This sucks.
I guess the question here is who would Ottawa make available for Hjalmarsson and who would the Hawks be after?
well the original rumour was Smith going back the other way but i doubt thats happening now after Murray publicly saying that Smith is part of the future after signing him longterm
I agree, the signing to me signifies he's not going anywhere, unless Chicago likes the terms and feels it's good value. You can't deny it's good money for a guy like Smith, I think any team would consider it. But signing and trading like that leaves a bad taste in peoples mouths.
he was a winger last year too actually.. not sure why they don't have him as a centre.
i find it funny how he was the senators player doing the NHL13 release yet he doesn't even have his picture in the game yet
exactly.. and the Sens don't have the best history of centre depth.. having Spezza/Turris/S mith locked up for the next couple years is a really assuring feeling
I don't agree that all the teams should have to then dumb themselves down to a phoenix or Florida level. If all teams had to abide by the lowest salary the worst team can afford, there would be much more than 50% of revenue going to the owners.
I'm not saying revenue share 100%, but each team should easily be willing to share 15-25%% of their revenue to help the league as a whole. Your comparison to Kinkos is misplaced as you can't go to another kinkos and ask them to pay you a higher salary for the same job. And yes as a franchise, if one Kinkos location is struggling the overall Kinkos company will help them out. Comparing the business model of a franchise store to a national sports league is shortsighted and not taking all relevant and specific information into account.
As someone else said if neither side is giving their best proposal to get this settled before a lockout.. then they are not doing their jobs and they should be fired.