NHL players yesterday filed actions with the labor boards in two Canadian provinces, Quebec and Alberta, seeking rulings that would prevent the Canadiens, Oilers and Flames from locking players out when the CBA expires this weekend. Unlike in the U.S., where federal labor law applies to work stoppages, every Canadian province has different labor laws. The NHL CBA expires at 11:59pm ET Saturday. Canadiens D Josh Gorges said, "As players we want to play.” He added the labor board filing "gives us an opportunity to put pressure on the owners.” NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, in an e-mail to SportsBusiness Journal, said of the filings, "Not concerning. Not unexpected. But disappointing. Obviously, they are motivated by creating noise rather than finding solutions." NHLPA general counsel Don Zavelo said that in Quebec the players are contending that they cannot be locked out because there is no certified union. The players in Alberta have filed objections to a lockout vote that the owners have filed to take in that province. A hearing had been scheduled for today in Alberta, but that hearing was canceled last night (Liz Mullen, SportsBusiness Journal). In Edmonton, Joanne Ireland notes a labor board ruling in favor of the players would “essentially mean the Oilers and Flames and/or the Canadiens could use the facilities and they would be entitled to their paycheques” (EDMONTON JOURNAL, 9/11).
MONEY ON THE MIND: Daly called the filings a "joke,” and the CP’s Chris Johnston noted NHLPA Exec Dir Donald Fehr “took issue with Daly’s characterization of the process." Fehr said, “At this stage of the bargaining I wouldn’t be treating anything as a joke. The proceeding in Alberta is a proceeding that they instituted and then abandoned.” Johnston noted under Alberta law, a mediator "must be appointed before an employer imposes a lockout." The NHLPA "objected to the NHL’s right to do so on the grounds it failed to take proper steps during the process and showed no willingness to work with the mediator.” Fehr said that the NHL “then withdrew its request” (CP, 9/10). In Ottawa, Wayne Scanlan noted fans "could argue that the developments of recent days have further entrenched the positions ... because as the clock ticks down to the deadline, more energies are being expended on the PR battle than on negotiating a settlement.” It “probably hasn’t helped matters that the NHLPA has pursued side issues.” Scanlan: "As the doomsday clock ticks toward the 15th, expect more posturing and positioning in the name of pushing buttons and looking good, rather than getting down to cold, hard negotiating” (OTTAWACITIZEN.com, 9/10). SPORTING NEWS’ Jesse Spector wrote under the header, “Players’ Labor Petition Is About Exhausting Options, Winning PR Battle” (SPORTINGNEWS.com, 9/10).
MASS EFFECT: The CP’s Johnston noted the NHLPA is “planning its largest gathering" since the current CBA was ratified in '05 "with about 250 players expected to attend meetings Wednesday and Thursday.” A number of stars, including Penguins C Sidney Crosby, are “expected to take part in the show of strength.” Fehr said, “We want to brief the broadest possible group of players and it’s always better to do it in person." He added, “They’re basically saying that unless we come to them and make a new big proposal then they do want to talk to us” (CP, 9/10). Predators D Hal Gill said, “There’s no real reason for a lockout. We should be able to find a good system that works for everyone, and so that’s what it’s all about is being aware of what’s going on” (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 9/11). Bruins LW Shawn Thornton said that he “doesn’t believe some kind of giveback from the players is a given.” He said, “We want to fix the problem, but we’re not just going to take a 20 percent or 24 percent cut or whatever it is across the board and give it to the rich teams to get richer. That’s not the answer. It didn’t work last time. We were told it would. It didn’t.” Bruins D Andrew Ference said, “The game is good and the numbers have been unbelievable.” In Boston, Steve Conroy noted Ference “chuckled” when asked if he had seen the league’s first offer. Ference: “They want more money. That’s the way it is. What would you expect? It’s early in the summer. There’s really no pressure to put something legit out there. It’s not shocking” (BOSTON HERALD, 9/11).
GOING AS EXPECTED: Maple Leafs LW Joffrey Lupul said, “This has been their plan the whole time along -- they want to get this lockout started. That’s Step One in their negotiations. That’s a little frustrating for us” (TORONTO STAR, 9/11). Jets LW Andrew Ladd said, “We seem to be at an impasse right now. Everyone is kind of drawing a line in the sand and we don’t feel comfortable moving from where we are until they move a lot more” (WINNIPEGSUN.com, 9/10). Canadiens LW Mathieu Darche “questioned the league’s willingness to negotiate.” He said, “We're in New York, we're ready to talk, but they're not in New York, so we're doing our part of what we have to do to negotiate.” Daly, via e-mail, said, “We sat around all weekend waiting for the Union. Nothing. Obviously, a different agenda. Unfortunate” (ESPNNY.com, 9/10). Red Wings LW Henrik Zetterberg, a member of the NHLPA’s negotiating committee, said that his “biggest fear is the NHL will lock out the players for an entire season, like it did in 2004-05.” He said, “Nothing good comes out of that, not for players, not for fans, not for teams. It shouldn't come to that. The situation in the league isn't that bad” (MILIVE.com, 9/10).
FADED GLORY: ESPN.com’s Pierre LeBrun noted if the labor issue is prolonged, Kings RW Dustin Brown “concerns himself with the lost opportunity in his market.” Brown said, “Growing the game here in L.A., we have 15,000 season-ticket (plans) now. ... With the lockout looming, I don’t know how many of those season-ticket holders are going to be season-ticket holders if we start in November, December or later." He added, "We have all this momentum going. … With the possibility of no hockey, we won’t be able to capitalize on the momentum we’ve built up the last couple of years” (ESPN.com, 9/10).
