Sides set to resume negotiations
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
The NHL and NHLPA will meet in Toronto Wednesday
and Thursday amid speculation that the two sides are inching
closer to an agreement to end the lockout. Here's a look at some
of the key issues and where various reports say the two sides
stand.
Wednesday's meeting, which will be a small group
setting, will once again deal financial issues as the two
sides try to reach an agreement on what exactly constitutes
revenues.
Thursday's meeting, which will include NHL
commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA executive director Bob
Goodenow, is expected to be a full bargaining session.
This is a look at some of the major issues and
where the two sides reportedly stand.
|
Element |
Status |
| Overall System |
It's been generally
reported that both sides have agreed on a cap system
where the upper and lower levels of the cap will move up
or down with league revenues.
According to the New York Post the system could entail players receiving a set
percentage of league revenues or could involve a floating salary cap range that would be tied to
fluctuations in league revenues.
The Post reported the PA is examining which option
would work best for players once the definition of
revenue is involved. |
| Salary Cap Range |
It's been
generally reported that the NHLPA offered a maximum cap
of $50 million and a floor of $30 million. The league
wanted a much lower maximum and the gap between the high
and low cut in half. Speculation has been that the
league is pushing for a cap somewhere in the $34-38
million range or even as low as $32 million.
The Post reported that
regardless of the system, the team payroll range will
likely
entail a floor of $24-28 million and a cap of $36-38
million. |
| 24 Percent Rollback |
The Post reported the
rollback will
be included in the agreement and will affect all
existing player contracts and those contracts due qualifying
offers this summer. |
| Qualifying Offers |
According
to the New York Post, the NHLPA's proposal
from December 9 will apparently be the basis for what
will be implemented under the new CBA.
Under the PA's proposal qualifying offers would work as
follows:
- Players making less than $660,000 would get
qualifying offers of 110 percent.
- Players making
$660,000 to $1 million would get qualifying offers of 105 percent.
- Players
making more than $1 million would get qualifying offers
of 100 percent.
|
| Salary Arbitration |
The Canadian Press reported
that the arbitration issue has not been has not yet been
fully negotiated. According to the New York Post it
will be based on the system proposed by the NHLPA in its
December 9 offer, which would give teams the right to
take players to salary arbitration under certain
conditions. A report on the MSG Network web site also
said it appeared both teams and players would have
arbitration rights. |
|
Revenue Sharing |
Although
no agreement has been reached, the Canadian Press
reports the players have won some ground here, getting
the league to agree to more revenue sharing as league
revenues grow in the future. |
| Unresolved Issues |
- Definition of revenues
- What player costs will fall within the cap
|
|
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