Lockout

[Gaucho]

Just dissolve the league, whatever.

[FreeCandy44]

Completely sick of this crap. Just cancel the season and be done with it.

[Gaucho]

Also, I'd like Mario to tell Jacobs to shut the f up.

[penny lane]

nhl is a farce. wear it proudly owners/players.

[Gaucho]

Darren Dreger ‏@DarrenDreger
Bettman proposed to Fehr and PA an owner-payer mtng only. No NHL or NHLPA brass. Fehr and PA are believed to be considering.

Might not be a bad idea at all.

[Pitts]

Matthew Sekeres ‏@mattsekeres
Am told by 2 NHL sources that #Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs forced employees to pay tax on 2011 Stanley Cup rings. About $7K per ring. Cont...

Matthew Sekeres ‏@mattsekeres
Some support staff couldn't afford the tax up front, so players stepped up and covered the cost so they could get rings too.

That's an incredibly biased spin by a radio talk show host looking for ratings. An owner of a private company FORCED employees to pay income taxes on Stanley Cup rings? I'm pretty sure the federal government is the entity that forces employees to pay income taxes.

He could have easily said the Bruins didn't pay the tax on behalf of employees. But that's a little less attention grabbing and a lot closer to the truth.

is this real anyways. $7,000 per ring in taxes means he sprung already for about $25,000 per ring per employee to what 150-200 players and employees. Not sure I would bash him for going 5 million on rings.

7,000 cost per ring means about a grand per employee in taxes. still tough but without comparison to what is the norm.

Not sure what other teams have done but I know the pens or steelers (cant remember which) gave knock off rings to the employees and the regular rings to the players and top guns.

Would those same people pay a tax for a real ring? Do most teams give knock offs and the bruins people have real rings?

I could care less but just saying this story doesn't quite smell right.

First, it wouldn't be income tax, it would be sales tax I'd think.

The Pens had 2 levels of rings: one for players, hockey staff & upper management and a cheaper one for office and other staff personnel. But $7 grand in tax for that ring??? No way. I had the Pens knock off ring on my finger. No way was that 7 grand in just tax. It was basically a glorified high school or college ring.

[MRandall25]

Darren Dreger ‏@DarrenDreger
Bettman proposed to Fehr and PA an owner-payer mtng only. No NHL or NHLPA brass. Fehr and PA are believed to be considering.

Might not be a bad idea at all.

I have a feeling in my gut that Jeremy Jacobs would try to force the players into taking a terrible deal, unless not every owner is going to be at the meeting.

[Gaucho]

Pierre LeBrun ‏@Real_ESPNLeBrun
Daly via email on Bettman's offer to NHLPA to have owners/players only in the room, "We want to find a way to get to a deal. Nothing else has worked. The Commissioner felt that we might as well propose something different. We will see how they respond."

[penny lane]

This is just occuring to Bettman now, 11/29 , to talk one on one?
Miracles happen!

[Gaucho]

It certainly would have never occured to Fehr.

[Gaucho]

Paul Bissonnette ‏@BizNasty2point0
I'll meet with the owners. Dinner. On their tab. At Mastro's Ocean Club. I'm getting the bone in filet and 2 seafood towers for an appetizer

Paul Bissonnette ‏@BizNasty2point0
And can I see a wine list?

[RPKJr429]

Might have to bring the mediator back so the players/owners can decide where to eat and how to properly split the bill.

[Bioshock]

This process is over. Just cancel the season and be done with it. Neither side wants to negotiate anymore and all respect has been thrown to the wind.

Next season should be canceled too from the looks of things. I'll bet that next year at this same time, there will still be no hockey.

[Gaucho]

http://www.nhlpa.com/news/nhlpa-stateme ... e-director

[FreeCandy44]

This is so sad. I hate basketball, don't care for college football, Steelers are down this year. :( its going to be a long cold and sad winter without hockey.

[tfrizz]

Also, I'd like Mario to tell Jacobs to shut the f up.

Apparently no one from the Pens has attended any of the group sessions.

[Bathgate]

The nuclear options against each other:

Union Decertification versus Owners Using Replacement Players

Don't say it can't happen. Lots of legal actions and unintended consequences. Who would win? Would the NHL be recognizable after it all shakes out?

[MRandall25]

Also, I'd like Mario to tell Jacobs to shut the f up.

Apparently no one from the Pens has attended any of the group sessions.

What would it matter? None of them respect Mario, anyway, and their opinion doesn't matter if 8 owners can shut it down.

[Gaucho]

Good look trying to sell tickets with replacement players.

[Gaucho]

Luck, that is.

[no name]

He certainly fits the role better.

in that staal is better than a 3rd liner and sutter is worse than staal - then yes

In the sense that Sutter is more the protypical 3rd line center and Staal is better suited for second line duties.

The only difference in Staal and Sutter is a little offence. Sutter is a defenisve standout just not the hands Staal has. But concider a 2 mill. price tag to Staals 6 million offer Shero gave him... Well honestly i think that money is better spent on a winger for Sid.

But good luck to Staal in Carolina, I can see them winning their division, or if realignemnt happens they will atleast make the playoffs.

[penny lane]

^ hockey talk got me all mushy above. real hockey talk.

Louis Jean ‏@LouisJean_TVA
My sense is players aren't too enchanted by league proposal for players/owners only meeting. "It's a stunt" said one player.

[MRandall25]

[MSL2]

This process is over. Just cancel the season and be done with it. Neither side wants to negotiate anymore and all respect has been thrown to the wind.

Next season should be canceled too from the looks of things. I'll bet that next year at this same time, there will still be no hockey.

I'll take this bet.

[no name]

^ hockey talk got me all mushy above. real hockey talk.

Louis Jean ‏@LouisJean_TVA
My sense is players aren't too enchanted by league proposal for players/owners only meeting. "It's a stunt" said one player.

I guarentee Fehr will prep the players to stand unified at all cost. Don't let them say anything to get in your way. Make sure you show your resolve is stronger than theirs. This could be a terrible move by the owners. Fehr through out this whole process has has the union united, standing together. This could be a bad move.