The number of NHL players holding out during contract
negotiations shows that league owners are "taking a stronger
stance in negotiations," but moreover the trend is an "ex-
officio reopening of the CBA," according to Jim Hodges of
the L.A. TIMES. One agent told Hodges, "You can't prove it,
but there is collusion. They are sharing information better
than they used to." While league collusion among owners is
"prohibited" in the CBA, Hodges wrote that "there are too
many similar statements coming out of too many front offices
to believe that there isn't something afoot" (L.A. TIMES
10/24). Flyers Chair Ed Snider feels that one reason Flyers
LW John LeClair did not sign a long-term contract with the
team is because of "behind-the-scenes pressure" put on him
by the NHLPA. Snider, on the influence of the NHLPA on
LeClair's contract talks: "[LeClair's] agent [Lewis Gross]
is embarrassed for the first contract, which he shouldn't
be. ... So, my thing is, the agent is embarrassed from the
past, totally humiliated by the [NHLPA] from things I've
heard. The [NHLPA] is involved in negotiations for the
high-powered free agents." Snider said that the fact that
Avalanche C Joe Sakic, Kings D Rob Blake, and LeClair did
not sign long-term deals was not a "coincidence." Snider:
"There was a very strong indication that the [NHLPA] wanted
them to take free agency to a new level financially on
behalf of the whole league. [LeClair's contract] is not an
isolated situation" (Tim Panaccio, PHI. INQUIRER, 10/25).
SHEDDING SOME LIGHT: IMG's Mike Barnett spoke to CBS
SportsLine's Keith Gave about his split after 21 years from
prospective Coyotes co-Owner Wayne Gretzky: "The PA didn't
ever say, 'You're in conflict' they just said it would be
helpful for you to make a declaration of your intentions.
My desire was to wait until after the sale of was completed,
then sit down and have that meeting. But as the purchase
date was extended week after week ... I finally said let's
deal with this thing now, and we did." Barnett, on staying
at IMG: "We've got a team within our own hockey division at
IMG and I enjoy working with them. To be quite honest
there's some unfinished business here I wasn't comfortable
abandoning" (CBS SportsLine, 10/24).
NHL LOVES L.A.: In L.A., T.J. Simers reported that
Staples Center has won the bid to host the 2002 NHL All-Star
game (L.A. TIMES, 10/24).
