Dear Bob: It won't work
Tuesday, February 15, 2005

Here's NHL commissioner Gary Bettman's response in which he rejects NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow's counter-proposal that called for a $49 million salary cap.

Dear Bob:
 
It was disappointing to receive the fax of your "final" offer.

 

We would have been prepared to propose and negotiate over a "de-linked" maximum team salary sooner, but the NHLPA had been consistent in stating that the players would never accept a salary cap. We only learned in the mediation process on Sunday that you would entertain such an offer, which is why we asked for a meeting yesterday and made the "de-linked" proposal.
 
If every team spent to the $49 million level you have proposed, total player compensation would exceed what we spent last season and, assuming for discussion purposes, there was no damage to the game, our player compensation costs would exceed 75% of revenues. We cannot afford your proposal.
 
Our offer of earlier today was a $75 million increase over the offer we made yesterday. I hope you will accept it, and that we can move forward and negotiate the myriad of other issues that need to be addressed.
 
Sincerely,

 

Gary B. Bettman
 
Commissioner


  

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