With the new CBA

[MarioLives]

Could there be another work stoppage? Do you think the owners and players are happy. I ask because is there a chance the new CBA could cause the break up of the Pens? Lower cap......

[ffemtreed]

possible, not probable. Although with the snake the NHLPA hired (Fehr) you never know.

I would put odds at 85% no stoppage and 15% for stoppage.

I really think both sides realizes they would be shooting themselves in the foot.

[BigMcK]

Happy? Both sides should be happy that there has been enough revenue flowing through the league that they increased the salary cap how many years since returning from the past lockout? Save for a few franchises that aren't making money, the league isn't losing money like before. The cap has brought parity and allows for all teams to compete. I would also add that having Phoenix (company team) this far in the playoffs is a good thing for the league.

My guess? No strike or lockout. Both sides should know not to pick a fight with the other side or face serious fan revolt.

[Gaucho]

I assume they could only lower the cap if they also agree to roll back current salaries. Seems unlikely.

[Pavel Bure]

I don't think the league cold handle another stoppage.

[offsides]

Happy? Both sides should be happy that there has been enough revenue flowing through the league that they increased the salary cap how many years since returning from the past lockout? Save for a few franchises that aren't making money, the league isn't losing money like before. The cap has brought parity and allows for all teams to compete. I would also add that having Phoenix (company team) this far in the playoffs is a good thing for the league.

My guess? No strike or lockout. Both sides should know not to pick a fight with the other side or face serious fan revolt.

Hope you're right, but common sense sometimes disappears in sports negotiations. As for the fans, they always come back no matter what sport. I have never seen a stoppage hurt any sport in the long term, or even short term.

[Qbert]

Is it sad that I'm kind of hoping for next season to be disrupted a little by a work stoppage of some sort? 82 games is way too long. I'd like a nice 50 game season. Something around there would be fine by me.

[spiritfan]

F

[mikey287]

Is it sad that I'm kind of hoping for next season to be disrupted a little by a work stoppage of some sort? 82 games is way too long. I'd like a nice 50 game season. Something around there would be fine by me.

Very sad.

[mikey287]

Work stoppage is possible. Some minor meetings have taken place, just prelim stuff. Fehr is very anti-salary cap. Bettman > Selig and won't get pushed around like when Fehr ran the MLBPA. Also, the owners are big believers in Bettman and the fine job he's done.

[Rocco]

I imagine both sides are smart enough to realize a work stoppage would be a horrendous idea. Fehr was running the MLBPA in 2002. There was no way he was going to kill a 2nd World Series and have that on his head.

[pekkasteele]

How things change, during the last CBA discussions I was really hopping for a cap, this time, well I´m not so sure, it is stopping us a bit, but at the same time, if we did not have the cap, maybe a NYR och DET could offer someone like Staal $10 millions and that would, or should RS not match.

So I don't really know what to hope for now, we need more space, but I don't want to give the really rich teams free hands.

[Guinness]

How things change, during the last CBA discussions I was really hopping for a cap, this time, well I´m not so sure, it is stopping us a bit, but at the same time, if we did not have the cap, maybe a NYR och DET could offer someone like Staal $10 millions and that would, or should RS not match.

So I don't really know what to hope for now, we need more space, but I don't want to give the really rich teams free hands.

Yeah, this team isn't going to look like this forever. Be careful what you wish for...

Regarding Bettman - my biggest complaint against him has always been the expansion he oversaw. It was my opinion that it contributed to the garage league conditions.

I sincerely hope we're not returning to the dark days of Devils/Panthers hockey.

[no name]

I heard the owners want to raise the upper end of the cap and lower the lower end. Not sure what it is now, like 58 to 41, the owners want to go 63 to 36 something like that. Some small market teams are still losing money and go into survival mode.

I am still wondering what the new confrences will look like.

[sil]

Don't be shortsighted with the cap...for the market size the penguins exist in, a cap is a very good thing.

[DelPen]

It's weird that free agency will still start on July 1 and that the cap will be set in June for next season but the CBA expires in September. How is this going to work? Say a team has tons of cap space, makes great moves and then gets screwed? It would be for the players benefits to get a deal done prior to free agency.

Unless it's extended before the draft I don't see how there won't be a stoppage.

[sil]

It's weird that free agency will still start on July 1 and that the cap will be set in June for next season but the CBA expires in September. How is this going to work? Say a team has tons of cap space, makes great moves and then gets screwed? It would be for the players benefits to get a deal done prior to free agency.

Unless it's extended before the draft I don't see how there won't be a stoppage.

That's exactly how it will work. As some have suggested though, based on this fact, if the league does lower the cap and teams suddenly find themselves $3,000,000-$4,000,000 over...the CBA will almost certainly have a one-time buyout clause included.

[mikey287]

The aforementioned isn't that big of a deal really - as silly as it sounds. The Upper Limit for the season is set just days before the new season starts (new season = July 1) and there's a potential work stoppage on September 15. The CBA will not change so much that a team could be "screwed" by utiliziing some of its cap space. Just not a very likely scenario. Teams know this going on, some GMs plan for work stoppages and CBA changes with their contracts. There will be no issue on that front, I don't foresee.

[darkstar57]

I don't think we are going to have a stoppage, there will be a lot of posturing, we might have a reduced camp, but i fully expect the season to start on time.

Even with the cap, i believe the average player salary is more now then it was before the lockout.

Also, before the cap you had half the teams in the league in financial trouble, they fixed the model and teams are doing well now. There are a ton of avenues to make money, both sides know not to screw this up this time.

I think there are going to be issues with player contract length and supplemental discipline (sheriff shanny)

To be perfectly honest, it will never happen, i think they should reduce the season by 4 games, that takes away two home games and those revenues (why it will never go) but even a 4 game reduction could give teams more time in the season to rest and heal.

[Noise]

To me, it seems the players are happy, they're getting a better split than players in other leagues. However, I think the owners have been "hurting."

[Pensrock]

I hope there is not a stoppage. The NHL would be foolish to let that happen. The game finally seems to be growing and moving in the right direction. If they have a work stoppage, sure the die hards will come back but it will set the league back with all the other goodwill it has created.

[owtahear]

The biggest problem with the league is it is truly a gate driven league. NFL teams make money even before 1 ticket is sold based on the TV rights. So a stoppage is not going to be good. It is ironic that early on in the decade we all wished for a cap and now we are the team most likely hamstrung by the cap. But there must be a cap.

As for the new CBA and contracts before, I would think because of the timing of free agency this year versus the CBA expiration, that there would be some sort of amnesty clause, a one time exemption.

[firepower]

A lockout would be idiotic on both side with the way the league is now. I couldn't see them lowering the cap, since most teams are near it as it is, but I can see them freezing it for a few years. Could put a damper on free agent signings unless they come to terms quickly. Luckily for the Pens though they need grit not high end talent, which is a little cheaper.

[Pens4Life87]

I'm hoping with the new CBA they institute a high bump in the salary cap floor, and fingers crossed some team wants to make a deal for Martin or Michalek hoping that last year was a blip on those players career radar and fills the need of a high priced asset to meet the demands of the CBA.

[no name]

I'm hoping with the new CBA they institute a high bump in the salary cap floor, and fingers crossed some team wants to make a deal for Martin or Michalek hoping that last year was a blip on those players career radar and fills the need of a high priced asset to meet the demands of the CBA.

We could easily get Martin off the books if we are allowed the one time buy out. Granted he becomes a UFA and can bolt town, Michaek i think he is good and worth the 4 million. If you bring up Despres and sign a defensive defenceman in his place your cap number would still be good.

Actually i thnk the Bylsma system sucks, his puck mover and defensive guy pairing is great for the regular season but stinks for the playoffs. The Scuds and Gill pairing was great in the playoffs when they were here. Letang in the cup year played more defensive, so the stretch pass didn't expose us. Now one D man is following the play up the ice and the other team turns the puck around getting a 2 on 1. Our guys need to lean 5 on 5 stay back.