Hockey's 11th Hour

The 2004-2005 NHL season is in jeopardy. NHL club officials will meet on January 14, and it is expected commissioner Gary Bettman will ask permission to cancel the remainder of the season.

This can be seen in two lights. The first light being a silent threat to get the players union to accept a hard cap. The second light being they're about to accept that it is too late to get a season going.

I tend to think that maybe there is a possibility that yet they see the time window to play hockey closing, not only preparing for it, but throwing it out to the union might bring something positive. I'm still going to stick to my opinion that until Bob Goodenow negotiates, there will not only be no hockey season this year, but there stands a chance that either replacement players will be used next season, or they won't have a next season.

The sad state of this all is the pointless rederick coming from the veteran players. I've heard countless players demand they won't stand for a cap, yet they propose a 24% cut back that included a cap for how much a rookie makes.

It all comes down to greed, and the money behind it. The more you make, the more you take. Millionaires bickering with millionaires over $2 billion. Who gets how much, and what will we stand for.

If there are replacement players, and the NHLPA goes away in the future, I hope the new union is one based around reasonable salaries, and working to make hockey a viable product.

FOXSports.com: NHL - NHL board of governors set to meet Jan. 14