NHLPA Exec Dir Don Fehr last week told agents that next season’s NHL salary cap would be approximately $68.2M “if the union does not trigger the 5-percent escalator,” according to sources cited by Larry Brooks of the N.Y. POST. The potential drop from the current cap of $69M would "cripple successful big market teams.” It “probably is no better than a 50/50 proposition at this point that the players will vote to approve the bump, and it may tilt the other way if playoff revenue takes a hit because of the inclusion of small-market, comparatively small-gate franchises” such as the Jets, Predators, Flames, Islanders and Senators. The CBA is "ambiguous on the escalator issue." It is "unclear whether the league unilaterally could trigger the 5-percent bump absent a negotiated agreement," and there is "the possibility the matter could go to arbitration." Brooks: "Regardless, the currency issue, which simply was not addressed in any manner during any of the three owners’ lockouts, is going to have a major impact on a significant number of teams this summer and into next season" (N.Y. POST, 4/12).
LEVEL PLAYING FIELD: ESPN.com’s Pierre LeBrun wrote what the NHL “set out to accomplish 10 years ago has finally hit home with 100 percent voracity,” as the salary cap has “fully spread its wings.” Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said, “The parity in this league in unbelievable.” He added, “In the 10 years I've been in Detroit, the league has gone from where we used to throw our sticks on the ice and win, to now where we barely make the playoffs.” LeBrun wrote, “The reality is that the cap system took several years to fully affect the league and distribute talent more evenly among the 30 teams” (ESPN.com, 4/10).
TIME TO MIX IT UP? ESPN.com’s Craig Custance examined various ideas to alter the NHL postseason format, and gauged the reaction from league GMs. The first idea was for playoff matchups to be “decided by the top seeds in each conference picking whom they want to play before each round.” This would “be a must-see television event that would rival NCAA basketball's Selection Sunday.” One GM said, “I do believe when you finish first, the reward can mean many different things. I’m OK with that.” A second idea was “a play-in game between seeds 8 and 9 to determine the final wild-card spot in each conference.” While "there is definitely support from teams to this idea," it would "eliminate excitement from regular-season games.” Perhaps the “lure of another gate and a television draw would be enough to convince teams.” The final idea, to “seed all the playoff teams 1 through 16 and play a full bracket" regardless of conference, was “about universally shot down” (ESPN.com, 4/11).
