Is It Over?

Is it more false hope? Could it be that the league and the players are finally agreeing on things? A nine hour meeting has to tell us something, but speculation of a season cancellation is still there.

The NHL and NHLPA invited Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA President Bob Goodenow back to the negotiation table yesterday. The result was a nine hour meeting that led to the scheduling of another meeting today.

Although there is no reports of what deals are being discussed, the only consistent factor remains the salary cap. The league started out with a $31 million salary cap proposal and has moved to a ranged cap situation that would require the owners to spend at least $32 million, but no more than $42 million. In addition to the cap would be a 50-50 profit sharing plan.

NHL player Jeremy Roenick admitted that a lot of the players in the league would accept a salary cap, but it would have to be more in the range of $45-50 million. When the lock out first began, some of the younger players in the league said they would accept a salary cap. They were quickly corralled into a meeting where Goodenow, and others, brainwashed them, and cast out the demons of salary cap.

In January, both sides of the table decided to host talks without their leaders. Bettman and Goodenow were left home and other senior members of the league and union started bargaining again. It was viewed as a last ditch effort, but more progress was being made than before. Still, no deal had been reached.

After a few more days of silence, the league called for another meeting. They had prepared yet another offer for the union. Although rejected on Wednesday, there must have been something there they liked. Bettman and Goodenow were summoned. This is where we stand today.

The sense of hope was all but gone after an ESPN report came out yesterday that one owner said the season cancellation would be announced within 24 hours. Although it was not a shock to hockey fans, it wasn’t something they wanted to hear either. Most felt there was time for a shortened season and a playoff. To not award the Stanley Cup would be a disgrace and the NHL couldn’t possibly afford to lose an entire season.

So here we are on a Friday morning. I look out my window and see the snow and ice. It’s 20 degrees outside, and I have my hockey stick next to my desk. The season for hockey is here. A winter without one of the greatest sports in the world is no winter at all. I hope this feeling engulfs everyone at the bargaining table. I hope that something hits them. I hope we have watch players hoist the Stanley Cup this summer.