NHL lockout over...

[Risen Star]

NEW YORK — The NHL and the players' association reached a tentative agreement early Sunday to end a nearly four-month-old lockout that threatened to wipe out what was left of an already abbreviated season.

A marathon negotiating session that lasted more than 16 hours, stretching from Saturday afternoon until just before dawn Sunday, produced a 10-year deal.

"We've got to dot a lot of Is and cross a lot of Ts," Commissioner Gary Bettman said. "There's still a lot of work to be done."

The collective bargaining agreement still must be ratified by a majority of the league's 30 owners and the union's membership of approximately 740 players.

Under the negotiated CBA, free-agent contracts will have a maximum length of seven years, but clubs can go to eight years to re-sign their own players. Each side can opt out of the deal after eight years.

The pension plan was "the centerpiece of the deal for the players," said Winnipeg Jets defenseman Ron Hainsey, who took part in negotiations throughout the process.

The actual language of the pension plan still has to be written, but Hainsey said there is nothing substantial that still needs to be fixed.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/06/nhl-lockout-deal-reached_n_2419552.html

 

[MichaelWinicki]

It will be interesting to see how the "Buyout clause" (if it's still part of the package) affects the Flyers, if at all.

Plus it seems the latest agreement made it so a team like Philly couldn't "stash" a salary or two in the minors. The contracts are now counted as part of the cap.

Finally it will be interesting to see how many of the Flyer's walking (or not walking if the case may be) will be ready to open the season.

 

[jobberone]

Thank God it's over. I'm not certain I could have gone on much longer without it.

 

[jgboys1]

Glad it's over. Now that our football season is over, we at least have hockey to look forward to. I like to see how the Flyers are going to handle the cap and what happens to Claude Giroux when he hits the open market. Hope we can keep him.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Glad it's over. Now that our football season is over, we at least have hockey to look forward to. I like to see how the Flyers are going to handle the cap and what happens to Claude Giroux when he hits the open market. Hope we can keep him.

A player's home team will have a little advantage on the rest of the market because they can go an 8th year in the contract, whereas (if I'm reading correctly) that all other teams can only go a maximum of 7 years in trying to wrench Giroux from the Flyers.

 

[Risen Star]

A player's home team will have a little advantage on the rest of the market because they can go an 8th year in the contract, whereas (if I'm reading correctly) that all other teams can only go a maximum of 7 years in trying to wrench Giroux from the Flyers.

I wouldn't worry about Giroux. He's as likely to leave the Flyers as Romo is the Cowboys. He's their centerpiece. Their franchise player.

The cap is up this year and then back down to last year's level....

The players' share of hockey-related income, a total that reached a record $3.3 billion last season, will drop from 57 percent to a 50-50 split. The salary cap for the upcoming season will be $70.2 million and will then go down to $64.3 million in the 2013-14 season.

All clubs must have a minimum payroll of $44 million.

The league had wanted next season's cap to fall to $60 million, but agreed to an upper limit of $64.3 – the same amount as last season.

 

[FiveRings]

I predicted this to a buddy that we were going to have hockey soon. Thank god I was right, college,world juniors and KHL streams weren't cutting it.

 

[Biggems]

A player's home team will have a little advantage on the rest of the market because they can go an 8th year in the contract, whereas (if I'm reading correctly) that all other teams can only go a maximum of 7 years in trying to wrench Giroux from the Flyers.

so this is kind of similar to the Bird rules for the NBA contracts?

 

[Biggems]

I am happy and sad at the same time...

Happy for hockey season and my Pens.....sad that Jordan Staal, my favorite Pen, was traded.

 

[kmp77]

So how many games will this season have??

 

[Mind_Liberator]

I am happy and sad at the same time...

Happy for hockey season and my Pens.....sad that Jordan Staal, my favorite Pen, was traded.

Don't worry, you landed a great haul for him in return!


kmp, I think they are targeting a 50 game schedule.

 

[Risen Star]

So how many games will this season have??

48 games.

 

[FiveRings]

I am happy and sad at the same time...

Happy for hockey season and my Pens.....sad that Jordan Staal, my favorite Pen, was traded.

I know how you feel. If the lockout never happened I was planning on seeing Parise's return to the Rock, which fell on the day before my surgery date so it really woulda been perfect.

 

[lane]

:bang2: :bang2:

 

[Skafko]

I was hopping that nhl will not start this season. I like KHL this season and was looking forward to WC with all stars.

 

[Cajuncowboy]

Can't wait to get to a few Preds games finally.

 

[ghst187]

NEW YORK — The NHL and the players' association reached a tentative agreement early Sunday to end a nearly four-month-old lockout that threatened to wipe out what was left of an already abbreviated season.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/06/nhl-lockout-deal-reached_n_2419552.html

that's a shame, was nice not having hockey highlights pollute my sportscenter and sports tickers. If only baseball would disband also....

 

[Future]

Let's Go Rangers!!!

 

[Boys122]

My Islanders are looking good. Put it on the Maple Leafs in Toronto tonight. We were down 3-1 and came back to win 7-4.

Grabner, Boyes, Aucoin, Tavares, Moulson all looking good early on. I hope this is finally the year we breakout and make the playoffs. It's been a while since we were the talk of the playoffs. Tough road ahead with Boston, Winnipeg, New Jersey on the schedule.

 

[RastaRocket]

Stars can make the playoffs this year. Benn just got signed for 5 years at $5.25 mil per year. He's going to be a beast for years to come.