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Darren Pang reported on tonights Sports Center(re) that the Anaheim Mighty Ducks and Phoenix Coyotes have put in overnight orders this afternoon for equipment sent to their training facilities.

tragicallymike Wrote:Darren Pang reported on tonights Sports Center(re) that the Anaheim Mighty Ducks and Phoenix Coyotes have put in overnight orders this afternoon for equipment sent to their training facilities.

I know talks are on again, so here's hoping :thumb: pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease come backkkkkkkkkkk!!

Deal on the table
NHL, PA pondering 6-year CBA
By Bruce Garrioch

There could be an 11th-hour breakthrough in negotiations to save the NHL season. A league source told Sun Media last night that talks to get a new collective bargaining agreement in place took a major turn yesterday in Chicago when the NHL Players Association introduced the possibility of a six-year agreement which would include a salary cap under certain circumstances.

Neither NHL commissioner Gary Bettman nor NHLPA boss Bob Goodenow attended the five-hour session yesterday. Goodenow won't be on hand for today's session, but Bettman could be there.

The players had "guarded optimism" about the way the discussions were going. But the source warned this could all still fall apart.

"This could all still blow up and nothing could come of this," said the source.

Under the deal being discussed, the NHLPA has asked the league to accept an agreement without a salary cap for the first three seasons. If it doesn't work, then the source said the league would be allowed to implement a cap in the final three years.

But, if the NHLPA's proposal allows each team to have cost certainty and make money, the source said there would be no cap. The source said the league was willing to discuss the idea, but wasn't sure if it was going to be enough to allow hockey to be played this season.

"Harley Hotchkiss told Trevor Linden after it was over that he thought they made some progress on several grounds," Flyers player rep Robert Esche, who was briefed last night by Linden, told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "No one is going away pessimistic or overly optimistic, but the good thing is, we're talking again."

Today's session will likely include NHL VP Bill Daly and lawyer Bob Batterman, along with NHLPA president Trevor Linden, senior director Ted Saskin and lawyer John McCambridge.

The group will be without Flames part-owner Hotchkiss today. He is expected to attend the funeral of J.R. (Bud) McCaig in Calgary, the part owner of the Flames who died last Tuesday.

Saskin also had much more on his mind than the lockout. His mother died yesterday morning.

That's likely the chief reason for shifting talks to Toronto, where Saskin lives.

Esche said Linden didn't talk specifics about the meeting, but told him, "We made some headway. That's good."

And true to his word, Linden wouldn't discuss "specifics."

"I'm not going to characterize the meeting," said Linden. "There was dialogue and communication, and that's what I set out to accomplish."

Sources say the players and agents put pressure on the union to get back to the negotiating table before the season goes down the tubes.

"I've always felt that this is an issue that could be settled quite readily if both parties are inclined to do so," NHL agent Larry Kelly said last night from Vancouver. "The fact that they've decided to meet again (today) is obviously a good sign. Let's hope."

It's believed the NHLPA's executive committee held a conference call last night to restate the position it will not accept a cap. Another source indicated the NHL isn't willing to budge off its stance of having a hard cap, but others sources say the two sides spent time "exploring" different ways to slice the $2-billion US pie to make both sides happy.

"We appreciate the initiative Trevor Linden took in arranging this meeting," Daly said in a statement.

"The parties had good, candid dialogue, and we intend to talk again. Out of respect for the process, we have no further comment at this time."

I for one really don't care if they come back...I've written them off and I don't even miss it...and there are a lot of people out there just like me who are as apathetic if not more so. I take Gord's stance on this topic!!

Goulet!!!

I really hope something gets done to save the season. This bullshit has gone on way too long, and there's nothing I want more than to go to my first Flames game in 8 months and see that Western Conference Championship banner hanging up in the 'Dome.

I just checked the Flyers website (yes, the Flyers) - They posted their schedule starting February 1st:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.philadelphiaflyers.com/schedule/scheduleResults.asp">http://www.philadelphiaflyers.com/sched ... esults.asp</a><!-- m -->

There is nothing on TSN or Slam, I don't belive it until I see it.

I checked into the Flyers schedule... it is concurrent to the full 2004-05 schedule. It seems someone on the Flyers website just snipped off all the games schedules from october to January. So, the schedule posted is not a new schedule. But things are still looking up... Here's hoping!

Rory
Halifax

robert goulet Wrote:I for one really don't care if they come back...I've written them off and I don't even miss it...and there are a lot of people out there just like me who are as apathetic if not more so. I take Gord's stance on this topic!!

Goulet!!!

Yeah, if they're not playing then there's nothing to miss. I agree with Gord's view but on the other hand I disagree with Gord being on the players' side.

Still doesnt look good.

hockey needs to take a year off so they can decide to get rid of some of these teams.. too many teams losing too much money. And if there is a salary cap i would love it.. it makes the NFL work!

Doesn't sound like they were scheduling any further talks after today. While it's good that they were talking and having constructive meetings rather than sit back and fling insults at each other, it still sounds like they have significant differences to overcome re: salary cap vs. no salary cap. So I for one will not hold my breath. No season this year.

Tell you what, they better smarten up and get something done in time for a new season next year, otherwise you might as well kiss the NHL goodbye.

tragicallymike Wrote:Darren Pang reported on tonights Sports Center(re) that the Anaheim Mighty Ducks and Phoenix Coyotes have put in overnight orders this afternoon for equipment sent to their training facilities.

The Ducks said it's absolutely not true and the Coyotes said they were ordering equipment for their minor league team, which they've been doing all season. Looks like Panger was trying to make something out of nothing.

I have decided that I hate athletes. They get paid to play a game, and then they bitch and whine that they arn't getting enough, or that 3million is too little, or if there is a cap they wont earn enough. So here is an idea, why don't they go and do what most of their education qualifies them for....baggage handling at airports (no offence to anyone that might do this) but seriously, they don't want a cap, fuck them they can sit their like idiots and make nothing, I don't care any more. The AHL and junior is on tv, there will be the Swedish League on TV soon, so you know what the Hell with the NHL, there is plenty of hockey to watch on tv.....let them sit and not make money for as long as they like....since you know yesterday I probably made more that Wade Belak.....so ya and umm why do players like Belak get opinions, if it wasn't for the fact that there was 30 teams in the league, Belak would be sitting in god knows where, playing for some bad c team, and praying that he might find skills, other than being a human punching bag.


:x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x So VERY VERY angry.....