With the salary cap being projected between $48 - 50 million, I can't help but question the point of the strike. In two short years, the cap will rise about ten million. Yeah, revenue is going up because teams are increasing ticket prices by 20% (hello Oilers last year. It's going up about 7% this upcoming season) so you get a inflated sense of real revenue. More people are not going to games, more people are not spending money on hockey.....you have the same or maybe fewer spending more person than before. You have empty arenas in many of the American teams. You have the Canadian teams carrying this league yet they are shit on by the NHL at every opportunity. It's all about this so-called American market.Free agency starts on Sunday and we'll see once again players being paid way too much. Teams like Edmonton are once again back to struggling to compete. We have a team who will never spend the cap, and this has been argued many times. Whether they won't or can't, I don't know. I do know they made money last year during the Cup run, but once again, people forget they didn't get to keep all of it. It's this wonderful thing called revenue-sharing. Our Cup run, let's estimate it at $10 million, did not go all to the Oilers. A portion went to support the shit teams in Nashville, Atlanta and Columbus.
So bring on the greedy players and the stupid owners who will shell out money to every Tom, Dick and Harry (hello Rangers, hello Philly, hello basically all American teams.....).
T minus 4 days until free agency.....4 days until the Oilers come up short again and again. I can't see them making a splash. Part of me does not want them overpaying, and other part wants them to get in there. I guess it depends who they're throwing money at? We'll see.
8 comments:
My love of the game extends to trying to learn all I can about the other aspects of the NHL and the NHLPA as well. Revenues seem like the most confusing and even cloudiest one to me. It sounds like Horcoff and his team are doing a good job looking for the right people to head the NHLPA and hopefully they also find someone who will be vigilant in regards to revenues as well.
I also cringe when players get hefty lengthy contracts. While I'm hesitant to use the adjectives you use regarding players and owners, I would add it's the agents who are part of these escalations as well.
In regards to the Oilers, both Cal Nichols and Lowe have said in interviews that the Oilers will go close to the cap, leaving 'wiggle room' for injuries, etc. that may come up during the season (which is wise). We can thank the strong Canadian dollar certainly, which is projected to be on par or close the the US dollar by year's end. To me this means Lowe has more room to manuever, but I believe he will not make insane deals. I have a lot faith in him to still make good deals. I for one will not be expecting blockbusters starting Sunday, there are too many variables; too few top FAs, there will always be teams willing to be silly as well as other considerations such as the right fit for both player and team (e.g. Drury never wanting to play in Canada again). For me, there's the whole summer yet.
RoliLover
They said last year they would spend more, yet they did not. I know they will spend more this year, but the Oilers will never be close to the cap. I was more confident before the draft, but yeah, the whole summer and the sheer number of free agents will make this interesting.
I agree about the agents, they play their part in the greed.
I fear that Smyth could become a Flame. He wouldn't do that to us, would he? :|
Forget Canada Day, it's FA Day!
Words would not describe how pissed I would be. I'd probably hunt down Smyth and take out his knee.
It is too bad Canada Day serves as the big start of the FA market. Such a special day for us Canadians. I do wonder if July 1st was Independence Day, would they still begin the FA market then?? Anyway, 'nuff on that...
**Of course I don't know what all went on, but I still have these thoughts**
Smytty was one of my fav Oilers and I was shocked when he was traded even though I had these nagging thoughts ever since that one interview about the "hometown discount" (I took it as not just over money, but perceived respect) and "don't want to step on Donny's (his agent) toes anymore" last fall. Smyth has earned the right to test the Big Waters for sure, which includes having a choice to decide on a cup contender. After much gleaning of info, I don't beleive it was over money at all, except in his agent's case. By 'not stepping on his toes anymore', Smyth becomes another player who just wants to play hockey (albeit now must be a contender) and gives his agent the final say it seems. (By the way, I supported Lowe's call). Basically, I can't help thinking Smyth's agent gets a nice chuck of the offer Smyth will get while still honoring his client's wishes for 1)a 'respectable' salary and 2)to play on a contending team. Lowe went past the comfort zone in his final (reasonable and repectable) offer and the agent pushed him past it. I like to try to keep up on hockey in the East (e.g. Leave's Radio) and have come to the conclusion Meehan is a very sly agent very willing and capable of complicated manueverings. In fact I'm going to share a stretch theory that Peca helped influence Smytty - same agent. Just a gut thing. There might be the argument that Smyth no longer saw the Oilers as contenders, but I have some trouble believing he gave up on them over one dismal season.
If Smyth himself choses to go to Calgary I would love to see the Oilers get super motivated to prove him wrong.
RoliLover
Sorry, I seem to have a lot to say!
Just wanted to add that if Smyth goes to Calgary, I'll always remember the interview (TSN?) where when asked what was the first thing he thinks of when you say Flames and he smiled and said "Shames". And the player he wouldn't want to face the most, he said "Roli" though maybe that was because Roloson was right there in the studio. This is on YouTube by the way.
Anyway I wish him the best wherever he lands. I still love his big ol' hockey heart; for me it's his agent that is suspect...
RoliLover
It really would be hard to hate Smyth. Ok, I'm calling it: He WON'T be going to the Shames. *crossing fingers*
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