Wednesday, July 13, 2005

 

We have a deal!!!

Finally!! The news we've been waiting for.


The NHL and NHL Players' Association have finally reached an agreement (pending ratification) on a new six-year collective bargaining agreement that - if approved by the NHL board of governors next Thursday and the rank and file membership of the NHLPA next Tuesday - will officially end the stalemate on July 21.

The agreement, a complex document reportedly numbering more than 600 pages, came after the two sides staged marathon negotiating sessions for nine consecutive days. Since the 2004-05 NHL season was officially cancelled on Feb. 16, the league and union have met on 82 occasions, leading to an agreement that will revamp the way the entire professional hockey industry conducts its business.

The deal still has to be ratified, but I highly doubt that the players and owners don't want to just get on with life and get the new season underway on time. Of course, as details emerge about the NEW CBA, pundits, including yours truly, will have lots to say.

The next big issue is the NHL Entry Draft and the Sidney Crosby Lottery. We've seen and heard of various scenarios.
According to TSN, it'll work like this:

The lottery formula is as follows - each team begins with three balls. For every playoff appearance in the last three years or No. 1 overall pick over the last four years, a team loses one ball. But each team will still be guaranteed to have one ball in the lottery. The first round will go with teams picking 1 through 30, with the 30th team picking 31st and the draft order 'snaking' back and forth in a seven round draft.

of course, we know the draft will be fixed in favour of the New York Rangers, right? :)

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