DAY 82 Of The NHL Lock Out Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USPRESSWIRE

Greetings Caniacs! What a dramatic week that has unfolded in the NHL. If you are a social media guru or if you have satellite radio you know exactly what I am talking about. You can pretty much logon to twitter and get a play by play of the CBA. Now I understand there are frustrated Caniacs out there that have stopped following the madness, however it is comical to read the tweets such as “Donald Fehr left the room and appears to not come back…wait he was just using the restroom.” Really? I guess this is what we can expect now that a majority of the public has or follows a twitter account or Facebook account.

The NHL and NHLPA have had several meetings this week with some positive momentum along with the much feared Board of Governors meeting that many thought would interfere with the current negotiation process. The negotiation committees for the owners and players are scheduled to meet later today and continue to end this dreadful lockout.

I admit I have been a teeter totter regarding the CBA. I understand both parties wants and needs, however what I have continued to struggle with is how they will make things right with the fans. If they even attempt to do so. This is all about the money and money can show the true emotions of all, even our beloved Hurricanes.

If you have followed the CBA lately you have heard the words “traction”, “crucial moment” and “critical meeting”. It shows that we are approaching a decision if we will have a season and if so when it will start. If there is a CBA that both parties agree on in the next few days Caniacs can expect a 50-60 game schedule however all of this will be determined when both parties look at the deal and agree on it.

It is my cautious opinion that we will have hockey by the end of the year. I could very well see the season starting as soon as the 22^nd of December. With that being said, that is my hearts opinion, my brain tells me it is more likely that the New Year will be the start of the season. We should know more soon due to the fact that the NHL has officially cancelled games through December 14^th. You would think that a deal is in the works otherwise the NHL would be cancelling another chunk of games in the next few days.

Caniacs, keep your fingers crossed. If you haven’t wrote your letter to Santa please do so… and while you are at it tell him you want NHL hockey for Christmas.

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Day 70 of the NHL Lockout has fans confused to say the least Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

Greetings Caniacs! As most of us enjoyed the tasteful treasures of a Thanksgiving Meal on Thursday, the NHL fed us all a plethora of festive treats on Friday by cancelling more games in December (as well as the All Star game in Columbus). Are you feeling very festive now?

On Wednesday the NHLPA eagerly presented the NHL a new proposal however like most proposals presented before, it was quickly rejected. Though Commissioner Betmann did acknowledge that the union was on the same page and appreciated their movement on certain topics, they were still very far apart from a deal getting done. There is still much to be negotiated on Hockey Related Revenue (HRR), player contract lengths, free agency, and entry level contracts. What doesn’t help the matter are all the rumors of a possibility of the Union decertifying.

If the union decertifies, the whole negotiation process will be thrown into Helter Skelter. Now I am no expert in labor negotiations however there are laws governing the decertification of unions. Those laws were created to protect workers against unions that were corrupt or inept. What it would boil down to is if the NHLPA was to decertify, this process would shift to the courthouse and be at the hands of the judicial system.

A lot of hockey fans around North America are upset with both parties, as they should be. But is decertifying the union the most realistic approach to getting the boys back on the ice? I find it hard to believe that this process will speed up any type of agreement to get the puck dropped at all this year. I really think the union needs to be a little more patient in the process considering the NHL board of governors will meet in early December. We should get a little more of a feeling on how committed the owners are with the current lockout.

It is obvious both parties are proud and are standing united. With that being said, you are starting to hear grumblings and impatience on both sides of the fence. I think we will learn soon enough if the season will start in mid-December or at all. Best case scenario is that the boards of governors meet and review where they stand and tell the commissioner to get the deal done and we play a 60 game inner conference schedule starting December 15^th. The worst case scenario is the league decertifies hoping that the owners cave in and agree to their terms, which they will not, and this thing gets tied up in the court system and we lose the entire season.

As we patiently wait on this “sports soap opera” to come to an end, feel free to shoot me your comments here on cardiaccane.com or on twitter  at @Caniac_John.

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Caniacs would be very thankful if the Lockout ended soon.

Happy Holidays Caniacs! If you have been following the NHL negotiations (or lack of) I am sure you are like me and already stuffed from all the bologna that both parties are serving. The NHL and NHLPA met Monday night briefly to get clarity on player contract issues however the NHL chose not to discuss the matter. Instead they recommended the NHLPA draw up a proposal on core economic issues thereafter they would discuss player contract length as well as restricted free agency issues.

Union Representative Donald Fehr and Commissioner Gary Bettman need to stop. They need to stop the finger pointing, the public jabs they continue to make towards each other and work at getting this deal done before it is too late. Easier said than done right? Especially when Mr. Fehr lacks the passion for the sport and the players he is representing. As far as Commissioner Bettman goes, the owners need less of him and more of Bill Daly.

So we can expect that on Wednesday the NHLPA will put together a full proposal and present it to the NHL. That being said, I would expect if there is any traction to be gained they will reconvene on Friday. If there is nothing that grabs the owners interest than expect most of December’s games to be cancelled on Monday.

Take your time boys, it’s only been 67 days! What these two parties are neglecting is the fact that they continue to make this lockout an embarrassment to all that are involved. The players are starting to open up more and express their feelings, there are rumors that owners are getting antsy with Commissioner Bettman, and then there are the little guys who are pushed to the curb. The fans, the little guys that put gas in their cars, pay to park at the arena, save money so they can buy a few tickets to watch the sport they love.

Caniacs, as Thanksgiving is just a few days away there may not be much to be thankful for right now in the hockey world. I am thankful for you that take the time to read my articles and share your opinions with me. I want to wish all Caniacs near and far a Happy Thanksgiving and as far as Bettman and Fehr go, I already have your Christmas shopping done. Coal isn’t cheap but it is well deserved for both of you.

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