Madferret
7-05-05, 6:59 PM
On-ice issues emerging
(CP) -- As the NHL and NHL Players' Association continue to inch their way towards a tentative deal, Colin Campbell is working feverishly on the league's on-ice facelift.
And that's because when commissioner Gary Bettman takes the podium to announce the lockout has ended, the league understandably wants to put off-ice turmoil behind it and focus on improving the game on the ice.
A package of rule changes meant to open up the game will likely take centre stage. "We're just trying to make the game better," Campbell, the league's director of hockey operations, said Tuesday in Toronto. "Our thought process is that we want to reward the offensive part of the game.
On the labour front, the two sides met from 12:30 p.m. EDT to 7 p.m. EDT in New York on Monday and went at it again 10:30 a.m. Tuesday. A tentative deal on a new collective bargaining agreement is expected within the next week.
What's taking so long? Sources indicate there are still some issues -- none perceived as critical -- being negotiated while the actual process of drafting the long and complicated document is slow and laborious.
An announcement could come as early as Thursday but could also drag into next week. Campbell is hard at work in the interim. There is much to do. Contrary to some reports, the league has still not signed off officially on any rule changes. "Nothing has been decided just yet," said Campbell.
After years of meetings and research, including the GMs' meeting in Nevada in February 2004, Brendan Shanahan's hockey summit last December in Toronto, the GMs' meeting (which included players) in Detroit in April, and the league's research and development camp in Toronto last month, it's now up to GMs and players to lead Campbell and his hockey operations staff down the right path.
Campbell continues to receive feedback from GMs around the league. His contact with the players comes via Shanahan as well as NHLPA president Trevor Linden -- both members of the NHL's competition committee along with Montreal Canadiens GM Bob Gainey, Edmonton Oilers GM Kevin Lowe, Nashville Predators GM David Poile, Atlanta Thrashers GM Don Waddell, Calgary Flames star Jarome Iginla, Colorado Avalanche defenceman Rob Blake and Philadelphia Flyers owner Ed Snider -- as well as NHLPA director of business relations Mike Gartner.
While there is no official deadline to narrow down the list of changes, Bettman will want to come armed with them when he grabs the microphone.
Unlike 10 years ago, it appears there will not be a "Game On" news conference when the tentative deal is announced. This time around, there's a chance that the news conference will come after ratification.
Because a deal was rushed to salvage some part of the 1994-95 season, that CBA wasn't actually ratified until later that summer. The league wasn't happy with the language in the final document and vowed not to let that happen again this time around.
But final plans to handle the joint announcement of the tentative deal have yet to be determined between the NHLPA and NHL.
Still, all the I's will be dotted and T's crossed and final ratification will also be needed before the league opens shop. The union's 700-plus players need to see the deal and vote on it while the league needs to hold a board of governors meeting so the owners can also give the deal approval.
Either way, the focus at the ensuing news conference will have as much to do with the on-ice product as the CBA. The league will try to highlight the massive changes that may or may not be coming -- no centre-ice red line, smaller goalie equipment, penalty shootouts, etc.
Bettman may also use that news conference to announce the draft lottery process for the belated 2005 entry draft. That matter may be resolved at the next board of governors meeting. The right to draft first overall and snag hockey phenom Sidney Crosby has been a hot potato.
With GMs unable to find common ground on the hot button issue at their last meeting, it's up to Bettman to decide whether all 30 teams will get a fair crack in the lottery or whether teams that have not faired as well over a certain period of time will get a better shot at the No. 1 pick.
As for where and when, Ottawa in early August is a good bet although it's going to be a streamlined version of the event with likely only the top prospects on hand.
Meanwhile, the longer talks drag on, the shorter the window before the regular season kicks off in early October. One has to wonder if perhaps training camps will be shorter in order not to delay the start of the season.
Just announce the :curse:deal already!!
(CP) -- As the NHL and NHL Players' Association continue to inch their way towards a tentative deal, Colin Campbell is working feverishly on the league's on-ice facelift.
And that's because when commissioner Gary Bettman takes the podium to announce the lockout has ended, the league understandably wants to put off-ice turmoil behind it and focus on improving the game on the ice.
A package of rule changes meant to open up the game will likely take centre stage. "We're just trying to make the game better," Campbell, the league's director of hockey operations, said Tuesday in Toronto. "Our thought process is that we want to reward the offensive part of the game.
On the labour front, the two sides met from 12:30 p.m. EDT to 7 p.m. EDT in New York on Monday and went at it again 10:30 a.m. Tuesday. A tentative deal on a new collective bargaining agreement is expected within the next week.
What's taking so long? Sources indicate there are still some issues -- none perceived as critical -- being negotiated while the actual process of drafting the long and complicated document is slow and laborious.
An announcement could come as early as Thursday but could also drag into next week. Campbell is hard at work in the interim. There is much to do. Contrary to some reports, the league has still not signed off officially on any rule changes. "Nothing has been decided just yet," said Campbell.
After years of meetings and research, including the GMs' meeting in Nevada in February 2004, Brendan Shanahan's hockey summit last December in Toronto, the GMs' meeting (which included players) in Detroit in April, and the league's research and development camp in Toronto last month, it's now up to GMs and players to lead Campbell and his hockey operations staff down the right path.
Campbell continues to receive feedback from GMs around the league. His contact with the players comes via Shanahan as well as NHLPA president Trevor Linden -- both members of the NHL's competition committee along with Montreal Canadiens GM Bob Gainey, Edmonton Oilers GM Kevin Lowe, Nashville Predators GM David Poile, Atlanta Thrashers GM Don Waddell, Calgary Flames star Jarome Iginla, Colorado Avalanche defenceman Rob Blake and Philadelphia Flyers owner Ed Snider -- as well as NHLPA director of business relations Mike Gartner.
While there is no official deadline to narrow down the list of changes, Bettman will want to come armed with them when he grabs the microphone.
Unlike 10 years ago, it appears there will not be a "Game On" news conference when the tentative deal is announced. This time around, there's a chance that the news conference will come after ratification.
Because a deal was rushed to salvage some part of the 1994-95 season, that CBA wasn't actually ratified until later that summer. The league wasn't happy with the language in the final document and vowed not to let that happen again this time around.
But final plans to handle the joint announcement of the tentative deal have yet to be determined between the NHLPA and NHL.
Still, all the I's will be dotted and T's crossed and final ratification will also be needed before the league opens shop. The union's 700-plus players need to see the deal and vote on it while the league needs to hold a board of governors meeting so the owners can also give the deal approval.
Either way, the focus at the ensuing news conference will have as much to do with the on-ice product as the CBA. The league will try to highlight the massive changes that may or may not be coming -- no centre-ice red line, smaller goalie equipment, penalty shootouts, etc.
Bettman may also use that news conference to announce the draft lottery process for the belated 2005 entry draft. That matter may be resolved at the next board of governors meeting. The right to draft first overall and snag hockey phenom Sidney Crosby has been a hot potato.
With GMs unable to find common ground on the hot button issue at their last meeting, it's up to Bettman to decide whether all 30 teams will get a fair crack in the lottery or whether teams that have not faired as well over a certain period of time will get a better shot at the No. 1 pick.
As for where and when, Ottawa in early August is a good bet although it's going to be a streamlined version of the event with likely only the top prospects on hand.
Meanwhile, the longer talks drag on, the shorter the window before the regular season kicks off in early October. One has to wonder if perhaps training camps will be shorter in order not to delay the start of the season.
Just announce the :curse:deal already!!