The NHL and NHLPA will have "informal CBA discussions" on Monday, according to TSN's Darren Dreger, and there appears to be no indication that a deal will be completed by October.
Many expect the players to break at some point in the near future, but Jeff Z. Klein of the New York Times offers a different view on the matter:
The general assumption is that the owners have the resources to wait it out, and that the players have no real leverage. Presumably, they will have to accede to some version of the owners' demand that they accept substantially less than the 57 percent of league revenue they received the last seven years.
But are there pressure points acting on the owners that might induce them to settle for a deal more quickly?
The potential pressure points include the Winter Classic, the extravagant Jan. 1 outdoor game and NBC telecast that has proved vitally important to the N.H.L.'s visibility, and the need to avoid further financial disruption for the estimated 16 to 18 money-losing teams.
Klein also mentions a group of owners who could play an important role in the outcome of the negotiations:
The ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Nicholas Goss
NHL Lockout: Which Side Will Break First, Players or Owners?
September 24th, 2012 by Nicholas Goss Leave a reply »
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