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Several
years ago, the folks over at the Ontario Lottery Corporation put together a
television ad for their sports betting game Pro Line, and it went like this:
“it’s been a long summer – but hockey’s back”. Well after 310 days of wondering
what’s next, we can now tweak the statement somewhat. It’s been a long year –
but hockey’s back! It’s time to make the ice again, take the pucks out of the
freezer, and get the jerseys dry cleaned – and maybe bet a little bit on Pro
Line too.
I was
all ready to rant and rave about how a year was lost and was it really worth it,
but after spending the better part of the weekend going over what’s in the new
collective bargaining agreement, watching with great interest the draft lottery,
and seeing teams already start to dump players to fit under the new system (more
to come), I figure if the NHL and its players are looking forward, then so will
I. But I will say this – thank God it’s all over and please let’s never ever go
through this again.
THE NEW
AGREEMENT
We’ve
heard all year long about how one side wouldn’t accept this and the other side
won’t do that, but once the season was officially cancelled and negotiations
finally got rolling, there was a sense all around it was just a matter of time.
To some the deal probably took longer to put together than it should have, but
if you ask the commissioner he will tell you the process didn’t take a second
longer than was needed.
So
just what constitutes this “cost certainty” we’ve been hearing so much about and
what is it going to mean for the NHL and Hockey in general? Aside from the
obvious fixing a broken system, here’s a breakdown of what we can expect going
forward – there’s a lot to cover here, so bear with me:
1) The NHL and NHLPA
have ratified a six year agreement which will run from the upcoming 2005-06
season through 2010-11. The NHLPA will have the option of
re-opening/re-negotiating the agreement after the fourth year (after the 2008-09
season), with the further option of extending the agreement to a seventh year.
Bottom line, we won’t have to deal with this again for at least another four
years – hopefully much longer.
2) The
players will not be entitled to make more than 54% of league wide revenues in
any year it is reported under $2.2 billion; 55% if the reported revenues are
between $2.2 and 2.4 billion; 56% if between $2.4 and 2.7 billion, and no more
than 57% if revenues exceed 2.7 billion, no matter what the figures end up at.
3) Team
payrolls will be a minimum of $21.5 million and a maximum of $39 million during
the first year of the agreement. My understanding is this is directly linked to
payrolls not exceeding 54% of all league revenues. Projected amounts for
2005-06 are somewhere between $1.7 and 2.2 billion, depending on how much
fallout from fans and sponsors exists. Using the above example of the
percentages increasing as revenues increase, the salary cap floor and ceiling
will be adjusted in coming years if revenues increase beyond $2.2 billion. What
does this mean? The salaries, for this year anyway, are capped at $39 million
per team – which means if teams are spending more, they have to adjust
accordingly – and right now. There are provisions in the cap to allow for
injury which basically state if a marquee player is injured, replacing the
player will not count towards the cap. For the time being, teams have a period
with which to assess their payrolls as they existed prior to the lockout and an
opportunity has been given to buy out contracts. More to come on this later.
4) Under
the terms of the new salary cap system, no individual player will be entitled to
earn more than 20% of the team’s entire payroll. This includes yearly salary
and all signing and/or performance bonuses. For 2005-06, this means no player
salary will be more than $7.8 million. The minimum salary will be increased to
$450,000 this season and next; $475,000 in 2007-08 and 2008-09; $500,000 in
2009-10 and 2010-11. If the CBA is extended by the NHLPA, the minimum will be
$525,000 in 2011-12. In the event a player is currently making less than the
league minimum, a team may buy out their contract or else that player’s salary
must be increased to the league minimum. Bear in mind some players were making
less than $200,000 under the old system! With respect to bonuses, only players
with entry-level contracts, players signing one year deals after returning from
long-term injuries (400 games or 100+ days on injured reserve in the last year
of their contract), or players over the age of 35. This should work very well
as a deterrent against players who actually decide to play to reap rewards
during the final years of their contract, but we won’t mention any names.
5) Entry
level contracts will not exceed $850,000 for 2005 and 2006 draftees; $875,000
for 2007 and 2008 draftees; $900,000 for 2009-10, and $925,000 for 2011
draftees. Again, any signing/performance bonuses will be included in the
maximum possible salary. Signing bonuses will be limited to 10% of the player’s
maximum salary in any given year. A player may also be eligible to earn
individual bonuses for League-wide excellence, which will be paid by the
league.
6) Existing
contracts from 2004-05 will not be paid, and every player’s salary will be
rolled back 24% from 2003-04.
7) In
order to help
facilitate compliance to the new cap system – teams will have a six day
opportunity to buy out existing contracts. From July 23-29, any team who buys
out a player’s contract won’t have to count the amount of the buyout towards
their total salaries for 2005-06, or any other year. If a player is bought out
after July 29, the amount will count towards the team’s upper limit. As of this
writing only John Leclair and Tony Amonte have been bought out by Philadelphia,
but many more buyouts are expected. Furthermore, a player bought out by any
team cannot be re-signed by their former team for at least one year.
8) Revenue
sharing
– any team ranked in the bottom 15 of league revenues and which operate in a
demographic market of less than 2.5 million or fewer households will be eligible
for a subsidy from the league which will allow the teams to operate under the
cap system.
9) Escrow
– a percentage of every player’s salary will be withheld in escrow – the amount
of the percentage to be determined at four points throughout the regular
season. The money held in escrow will be used to repay the league in the event
salaries exceed the allowed amount of revenue. For example, in 2005-06, if
salaries exceed 54% of league revenues, the money saved in escrow will be used
to repay the league. If salaries do not exceed the allowed amount, then my
understanding is the money deducted (or any amount left over once repayment of
the league has been completed) will be refunded back to the players. A similar
system is in place in the NBA.
10) The NHL
will participate in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy and in the 2010
Olympics in Vancouver, Canada, subject to ratification of what I understand is a
deal in principle between the NHL and IIHF. Since the players will participate
in both Olympic Games, there will be no All Star Game in either year to help the
schedule makers accommodate the break.
11) The
yearly entry
draft will be reduced to seven rounds from nine previously. Eligibility for the
draft remains unchanged – a player must be 18 years of age by no later than
September 15 of the year the draft is held (basically they must be 18 by the
time training camps open). Players will no longer be required to “opt in” to
the draft.
12) Drug testing
– For the first time, every player will be subject to no more than two “no
notice” drug tests per year, with at least one test to be conducted on a
team-wide basis. A joint NHL/NHLPA drug committee will agree on a Prohibited
Substances List. Included on this list will be substances already on the list
maintained by the World Anti-Doping Agency. Positive tests for performance
enhancing substances will be disciplined as follows:
- First
offense - 20 game suspension without pay and a mandatory referral to the
League’s Substance Abuse/Behavioral Health Program for evaluation, education and
treatment if necessary
- Second offense - 60 day suspension without pay
- Third
offense - a permanent suspension from the NHL – however a player will be allowed
to apply for reinstatement after two years. This application will be considered
by an NHL/NHLPA Committee on Performance Enhancing Substances, made of no less
than one consulting expert physician and an equal number of League and Player
representatives.
FREE AGENCY & SALARY ARBITRATION
There
have been many significant changes to the free agency and salary arbitration
systems as we used to know them. Salary arbitration hasn’t really changed too
much from the previous system, but now a team can take a player to arbitration
whereas before only a player had the right. A player now has to be in the
league four years before they can file for arbitration (before it was three),
and a team will now have the right to take a player to arbitration in lieu of
making a qualifying offer for players earning more than $1.5 million. A club
may choose to take a Group 2 free agent to salary arbitration even if the player
chose not to file. A qualifying offer will consist of 100% of a player’s
previous salary if the amount was $1 million or more, 105% if the amount was
between $660,000 and $1 million, and 110% if the amount was $660,000 or less.
The idea behind arbitration is both the player and team state their case as to
why they think a player is either worth more money or not, and a mediator rules
either for the team or the player. I can’t wait to see the first team initiated
case, not to mention how this will work under the new salary cap system.
For
the 2005-06 season, players age 31 who have played at least four accrued seasons
will become unrestricted free agents and have the right to sign with any team
they choose, as long as they turn 31 prior to August 1, 2005.
In
2006-07 if a player is age 29 with four full seasons played or if any player has
played for eight full seasons regardless of age, they will be unrestricted. The
age will drop to age 28 in 2007-08 again with four full seasons played, or if
any player has accrued seven full seasons. From the 2008-09 season and beyond,
a player either has be 27 with four full seasons, or any player has to have
played for seven full seasons. The 2004-05 cancelled season will be considered
as one year towards free agency.
This
is a real win-win situation for players, as they can sign where they want sooner
than they could before. Under the new system, assuming Sidney Crosby plays this
year, he will be an unrestricted free agent by age 25, free to sign where he
pleases.
The
restricted free agency system hasn’t changed much from the previous CBA, a
player has to play a minimum of two full seasons (from the point where the
player entered the league, either through the draft or signed as a free agent
from college or the minors), and the team holding their rights has the right to
match a qualifying offer from another team, or be compensated with draft picks
if the player signs with the other team. Here’s the biggest change from the old
system – if a restricted free agent doesn’t sign with a team by December 1, they
won’t be eligible to play for the rest of the season, period. Furthermore,
there will be no renegotiation of a player’s contract allowed. Extensions may
be offered only during the final year of an existing contract, and not before.
With
respect to player movement – the trading deadline has been moved from the 26th
to the 40th day prior to the end of the regular season. Furthermore,
the waiver draft which used to occur at the beginning of the season has been
eliminated.
THE DRAFT LOTTERY & THE 2005 ENTRY
DRAFT
Well
as everybody probably knows by now, Pittsburgh was the winner of the first
League wide weighted draft lottery and have the right to draft Sidney Crosby
with the first overall pick. Anaheim, Carolina, Minnesota and Montreal round
out the top 5. Ottawa and Vancouver also ended up in the top ten, with the 9th
and 10th picks respectively. The rest of the Canadian teams didn’t do so well,
as Toronto will pick 21st, Edmonton 25th and Calgary right
behind them at 26th. The defending Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay
Lightning will fittingly pick 30th.
While we already
know a lot about Sidney Crosby, there is a very good class of players who are
eligible to be drafted this year. We know Crosby will go #1, there is no
question in anybody’s mind about that. Afterwards is anyone’s guess, but expect
to see other top prospects like Gilbert Brule, Jack Johnson, Carey Price, Marc
Staal, Benoit Pouliot and Anse Kopitar go in the top ten. We’ll tell you more
about some of these players and why they are in such high demand after the draft
takes place July 30 in Ottawa.
RULE CHANGES
So
not only is a new CBA in place which should help put every team on a level
playing field once and for all, the NHL with help from their newly formed
Competition Committee have agreed to institute a variety of rule changes
designed to open up the game and make the product on the ice better (where have
we heard that before?). The committee is headed by Colin Campbell and consists
of four players (Brendan Shanahan, Jarome Iginla, Trevor Linden and Rob Blake),
four general managers (Kevin Lowe, David Poile, Bob Gainey and Don Waddell), an
owner, Ed Snider, and a former player, Mike Gartner. There will be
opportunities given down the road for everyone and anyone to give input to this
committee, but for now they have really done a great job in addressing some of
the major issues with the game itself. Say what you will, but the league is
serious this time about getting rid of obstruction and allowing the star players
to strut their stuff on the ice. The following changes to the rules will bring
a lot more excitement to the game, so long as they are policed accordingly by
the officials, but for now I’m not even going to go there.
1) Shootout
– Ties during the regular season have been effectively eliminated. If two teams
are tied after regulation time, there will still be a five minute four-on-four
overtime period. If teams are still tied after OT, there will be a shootout in
which 3 skaters per team will go one and one with the opposition goalie. If
still tied after 3 shooters, there will be a sudden death round until the game
is decided. Regardless of how many goals are scored during the shootout, the
final score will be one goal more for the winner. For example, if the score is
2-2 after regulation, the final score will be 3-2. The points system will
remain unchanged – two points for a win during regulation, overtime or shootout,
and the loser in overtime or shootout will still maintain one point. Apparently
several point schemes were debated about at great length, including one which
would award three points for a regulation win, but at the end of the day it was
the committee’s opinion the current point system made the most sense.
I told you all
previously about the AHL game I saw in Binghamton during the lockout and believe
me when I tell you this is as good as it gets. This will get the fans out of
their seats, and finally there will be a winner for every game. I only
witnessed it in an arena seating less than 5,000 fans, I can’t even begin to
imagine what this will be like at the Corel Centre, but I have to tell you I
can’t wait to see it in action. The only thing better in my opinion is sudden
death overtime in the playoffs. I say bring it on and it’s about time, yet with
some of the other rules instituted you have to wonder how often a shootout will
even happen, but trust me, when it does you won’t want to miss a second of it.
No more leaving early to beat the traffic!
2) Dimensions of
the Rink
– The nets will be moved back two feet on each end of the ice (essentially where
they used to be), leaving the neutral zone edges 64 feet from the attacking goal
line (used to be 60 under the old dimensions). The blue and centre lines will
remain at 12 inches in width.
3) Removal of the
Two Line Pass and Tag-Up Offsides
– The two line pass will now be allowed, so the flow of game we can expect will
be similar to what we saw in the 2002 Olympics or in the past couple of World
tournaments, including the World Cup last August/September. This should
effectively eliminate the hated “neutral zone trap” as players trying to clog up
the zone won’t be able to position themselves in time. Also the tag-up offside
rule is being reinstated, allowing for players to get onside by getting back in
position before the rest of the team crosses the opposing team’s blue line.
Both of these changes should decrease the number of whistles and increase flow.
4) Partial no touch
icing –
I have mixed feelings about this one as I’m a huge proponent of no touch icing
period, but I can understand the reasoning behind it. Rather than blow the
whistle right away if a player ices the puck, the linesman will be given the
ability to wave off an icing if they see it fit, which will still allow for
players to race for the puck – the whistle will be blown however if the puck
crosses the goal line. This should reduce the number of injuries against the
end boards, but not take away from the flow of the game. Here’s what I really
like about the rule though: the team icing the puck won’t be allowed to make a
line change. I assume teams will still be allowed to ice the puck on the
penalty kill, but this hasn’t been clarified yet.
5) The instigator
rule will still exist, but be more strict
– any player who starts a fight during the final five minutes of a game will not
only be assessed a game misconduct but also be given an automatic one game
suspension. The coach of the player may also be fined $10,000 which would be
doubled for every subsequent incident. Unsportsmanlike conduct/diving will also
be frowned upon and regulated much more strictly than in the past. The play in
question will not only result in a minor penalty, but Hockey Operations will
also review the play and discipline it as follows:
- a warning letter
for a first offense
- $1000 fine for
second offense
- $2000 fine for
third offense
- one game
suspension for fourth offense
- Public complaints
or derogatory comments toward the game will also result in fines/suspensions
6) Limits on
goaltender equipment
– We knew this had to be coming – Goal pad width will be reduced to 11 inches,
as well as the blocker, upper body protector, pants and jersey will be reduced
in size. Goalies will also be restricted to a trapezoid behind the net which he
must not venture out of. This will restrict where a goaltender can play the
puck. This rule was used in the AHL last year and seemed to work fairly well.
Critics argue this takes away the creativity of the more skilled goalies like
Martin Brodeur, but the argument the NHL makes is defensemen should be handling
the puck, the goaltender’s job is only to stop the puck.
7) Officiating
points of emphasis
– They’re serious this time – zero tolerance on obstruction, goalies playing
beyond designated areas will be penalized for delay of game, goalies or players
deliberately shooting the puck into the stands will be penalized for delay of
game (before it was just the goalie who would get penalized for this), and
goalies will be penalized for freezing the puck out of necessity.
As
far as the zero
tolerance is concerned, call me a pessimist, but I’ll believe it when I see it.
Then again, as I already said, there won’t be as much opportunity anymore for
players to go waterskiing with the removal of the two line offside. If they
call it consistently, they will eliminate it and the game will ultimately
benefit.
SCHEDULE CHANGES
The
season schedule will also see an overhaul. The NHL is moving towards a schedule
which will be more rivalry oriented yet still allow inter-conference play
between the east and west. They are hoping this will get the fans more involved
in the game as they get to see their home teams take on hated rivals more
often. Teams in every division will play all four teams from the rest of their
division eight times (up from six), for a total of 32 games. Teams will play
teams outside of their division but within their conference a total of 6 times
(up from four), for a total of 40 games. The remaining 10 games in the schedule
will be used to play teams from the opposite conference on a revolving
schedule. There was some speculation the schedule would get reduced, but the
NHL has kept the 82 game schedule intact because most fans surveyed didn't want
the number of games to change.
To
use a local example on how this will work – the Ottawa Senators will play both
Toronto and Montreal eight times – four times at home, four times on the road
(not to mention their other division rivals Boston and Buffalo).
Now
for me, I never miss a game between Ottawa and Edmonton, but with the new
schedule I will only see Edmonton come here approximately every three years.
Personally, I don’t like this, but on the other hand it will help build more
intra conference rivalries. Staying in Ottawa, the new schedule will help to
further build the rivalry between the Senators and Philadelphia Flyers which was
starting to heat up prior to the lockout. With Sidney Crosby going to
Pittsburgh, this will give the fans in the east more home games to see this kid
play. In the Western Conference the Battle of Alberta and the Colorado-Detroit
rivalries will take on a whole new meaning. It’s a marketing department’s dream
come true, but I personally will get back to you all on how it works after a
couple of seasons.
Well
there you have it – the new deal is signed, sealed and delivered, we have the
draft and a flurry of player movement to track, and then training camps get
underway. October 5, 2005 – the day the puck drops again on a new NHL season,
and you know I will be on top of all the action. The NHL is ready to bring the
game to fans in ways they never have before, they plan to make the game more fun
with all the rule changes in place, and they want to make the game more
interactive than ever before, making it more broadcast and fan friendly.
From
here on in stay tuned more often as I will have plenty to talk about between now
and when they drop the puck. Be sure to hang on and enjoy the ride, because if
the game becomes half as exciting as they’re predicting, it could put hockey on
the map in ways never before imagined, deservedly so, because it is still in my
opinion the coolest game on earth.
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