NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on Friday said that the falling Canadian dollar "shouldn't have any catastrophic effect" on the salary cap next season, according to Iain MacIntyre of the VANCOUVER SUN. The current $69M (all figures U.S.) cap "could be" $72.3M next season, $71.7M or "slightly lower." Meanwhile, expansion "has been a front-burner topic since Bettman revealed" that Fidelity National Financial Chair William Foley had been "granted permission to conduct an NHL season-ticket drive" for a Las Vegas team. But Bettman on Friday "said about as much as Marshawn Lynch" on the topic. He did, however, address the "possibility of an NHL team in Seattle." Bettman said that Seattle is a "long, long way from getting one." Bettman: "I think the building situation remains uncertain. And based on my discussions with the mayor ... is likely to remain uncertain for some period of time." He added, "Viscerally, it seems like Seattle would be an intriguing city with all sorts of possibilities, including a rivalry with the Canucks. So yes, at least at face value, there are some real positives.” Meanwhile, Saturday marked Bettman's 22nd year in office, and he said of his tenure, "I love what I do. Even a tough day is a great day. I have as much energy as I did 22 years ago. I think the best is yet even in front of us. And so I have no interest in doing anything else other than what I am doing" (VANCOUVER SUN, 1/31).
DUMP & CHASE? In N.Y., Larry Brooks wrote it is "patently absurd to assume the NHLPA is going to vote to adopt" a 5% salary cap increase next season. Though it is "true the union and the league have to both agree not to implement the inflator, it is difficult to imagine Sixth Avenue insisting on increasing the cap if the players vote against it," even if the owners "have kind of made a habit of reaching into the players’ pockets whenever the opportunity presents itself." If escrow is "going to be the campaign’s single issue, and if players are going to vote their own individual interests as was the case last year regarding both Canadian television revenue and the make-whole mechanism, then it is difficult to imagine the PA will endorse the escalator, regardless" of NHLPA Exec Dir Donald Fehr’s counsel (N.Y. POST, 2/1).
RIGHT ON TRACK: In DC, Alex Prewitt noted digitized player tracking was unveiled last week at the All-Star Game in Columbus, and it could "transform television broadcasts, supplement video review and factor into contract negotiations." It also could "add more concrete data to a relatively free-flowing sport and computerize hand-taken statistics like shift length, now often susceptible to error." Capitals D Karl Alzner "expressed concern that teams could use data against players in contract negotiations and arbitration hearings, something the NHL and NHLPA will need to agree upon before tracking gets a full-time green light." But Octagon Hockey Dir Allan Walsh said that tracking "could be used to help players in financial discussions" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/31).
