By now, any hockey fan knows that Gary Bettman and the NHL owners decided to take the NHLPA to court, filing a suit against the union and submitting a complaint to the NLRB. What is not clear is whether or not the league's action was taken prior to it finding out that the NHLPA executive committee decided to put to a vote the players rights to file a disclaimer. The NFL and NBA used similar tactics last year in their labor disputes; new CBAs were completed within days after such action. What is not clear is how these actions will affect talks between the NHL and NHLPA.
Personally, I believe the NHL and Gary Bettman have "screwed the pooch" royally from the beginning of talks. Their initial offer, in which they were being "magnanimous" by offering the players 43% of HRR, sent the talks straight downhill. Each and every stupid move the NHL takes seems to steel the resolve of the players and actually increases player support of Don Fehr. To call Gary and the owners "boneheaded" would be an insult to true boneheads around the world.
I don't know how other fans feel, but here's what I think. I've supported the players in this dispute from the beginning. I believe if the NHL had begun the process with a reasonable initial offer, things would have progressed much better than they have. Gary and his crew of owners have really botched up these negotiations. Seriously, how many times can the owners say "this is our best offer" and then turn around and improve their next offer? This whole lockout feels like the movie "Spaceballs" because we're "traveling at ludicrous speed" towards a cancelled season.
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