NHL Slaps Huge Fine On Quinn For Speaking On Labor Issues
Maple Leafs GM & coach Pat Quinn was fined $100,000 by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman "for last week publicly promising" a lockout in '04-05, according to Larry Brooks of the N.Y. POST. Quinn's statements included, "There are ways to run a business and that's why we're going to have a lockout" (N.Y. POST, 7/14). But in Toronto, Ken Campbell reports neither the NHL nor the Maple Leafs would confirm Quinn was fined for his comments. However, sources said that Quinn "did indeed get severely punished for speaking out." Campbell: "A number of his counterparts weren't the least bit surprised." One GM said, "It doesn't surprise me because Gary has been very clear to us that he is going to fine people. He definitely doesn't want any of us speculating about this" (TORONTO STAR, 7/16).
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE: In Pittsburgh, Dejan Kovacevic: "There are plenty of indications that the NHL will be in for a full-scale transformation when its [CBA] expires in 2004." Penguins GM Craig Patrick: "What I feel is that hockey can't continue the way it is. Something has to change, and I believe it will be a lot different after the new agreement comes into play" (POST-GAZETTE, 7/14). The SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Andy Bernstein writes some NHL teams "are shying away from signing long-term contracts with players that would extend beyond the term" of the CBA. Two-thirds of free-agent contracts signed this year "have been for two years or less." Canadiens President Pierre Boivin: "I think you have to consider that there is a rendezvous coming and we don't know how we're going to come out on the other end. You have to make sure whoever you are signing past that date really fits into the long-term plans for your organization. It is a new dimension that didn't need to be considered in the past." Octagon Hockey Division President Brian Lawton: "I think it's a concerted effort. Teams say they don't have a problem signing key guys to long-term deals, but I haven't seen a lot of evidence of that" (SBJ, 7/15 issue). In Boston, Nancy Marrapese-Burrell: "If you give players big money over the long term, you'll be left handcuffed by the new salary system. ... When the new system comes into place, let's say there is a salary cap. If you've got a [Bill] Guerin or Jaromir Jagr locked into a long-term deal, what kind of a team are you going to have when you have only a small sum to spend on the other 19 players?" (BOSTON GLOBE, 7/14).
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