Huge NHL Developments Including Labor Talks

Ok before I get to the sickening in my opinion and insulting in my opinion offer from the owners to the players in the labor negotiations some huge news on the free agent front!

The Philadelphia Flyers it seems didn't get the memo from clown commish Gary Bettman. The Flyers have offered a contract to restricted free agent defensman Shea Weber of the Nashville Predators. The numbers are huge-14 years and 100 million dollars. The small market Preds now have 7 days to match the offer or lose their all star defensman. They would  get back 4 1st round draft picks if they choose not to match the Flyers offer. Nashville has already lost their other world class backliner when Ryan Suter signed with Minnesota for 13 years and 98 million.

This now brings us to the labor talks and shows how much of a joke the NHL owners and clown commish Bettman really are.

Here are some of the proposals the owners are making- A  reported roll back on the salary cap from 53 million to 45 million. How can you not laugh at this in light of the Weber offer and Minnesota doling out almost 200 million for Suter and former Devil Zach Parise. But wait there is plenty more to laugh at.

The owners want to slice the players take on all hockey related revenue from 57% of the gross to 46%, and redefine what makes up hockey related revenue. So the owners want to roll back not only the percentage the players get but the size of the pie they get it from. I mean you can't make this stuff up.

The owners also want to cap contract offers at 5 years. They also want the  players to agree to no more signing bonuses and cut back on front loaded deals. I think some of this is reasonable but I ask the question-which player put a gun to the owners head and demanded a 13 year proposal. Answer none. Once again players are asked to save owners from themselves. I mean this is getting real old. Real fast.

But wait there is more. A waiting period up to 10 years-yes TEN years to earn free agency. I mean what's next ask the players to pay the owners for the right to play? Oh let me not forget the complete elimination of salary arbitration.

The players have a new  leader to handle negotiations. You may recognize the name. Donald Fehr. Yes the same Fehr who helped the Baseball union become arguably the most powerful in the world let alone sports. I am not a huge Fehr fan for many other reasons. He led the players for years and could be termed somewhat militant. That would be my definition. We have a better chance of getting hit by an asteroid then the players do of buckling to these obscene demands of the owners

Memo to the owners-exactly what was the full season shut down in 2004-2005 all about. Oh yeah cost certainty. I mean I am insulted by many sports owners. These clowns are like drug addicts who need to be saved- from themselves. How did many or most of these fools get wealthy in the business world in the 1st place.

Ok I am making a prediction. This has gone under the radar but it will get nasty. There is no way the players will agree to these outrageous demands. Again I ask how about the players pay the owners for the right to play? In my most ardent voice I say WHAT A JOKE!