Appearing together at a Toronto news conference Thursday following the NHL Players’ Association’s ratification of a new collective bargaining agreement, league commissioner Gary Bettman and union head Bob Goodenow said they could work together to make the new salary cap-based system a success for both sides.
Both downplayed potential lingering bitterness in the wake of the cancellation of the 2004-05 season, and they emphasized the union and league need to be on the same page to promote the sport and maximize revenue.
Bettman called the agreement “wonderful” for all concerned, adding it was “the type of agreement that we think a professional sports league like ours can thrive under for everyone’s benefit because we are true economic partners, true partners in the game, sharing fairly. And that’s always been our goal and objective.”
Goodenow said his forwarding of the proposed agreement to the players amounted to his endorsement, and he said his backing down from the previous no-cap position was a natural evolution during the negotiation process, not a capitulation. He also said he had no plans to resign.
“We’re fully committed to the new deal, and we anticipate great success for the game as we go forward,” Goodenow said.
The league’s board of governors, made up of team owners or their representatives, is expected to approve the CBA today in New York, ensuring the NHL will be back on the ice this fall under a drastically realigned financial landscape, which includes an initial hard salary cap of around $39 million per team. Teams would be required to spend at least $21.5 million on player salaries. The payroll figures are tied to players receiving 54 percent of league revenues, with projections of about $1.7 billion in revenues for the 2005-06 season.
After the approval from the owners, the league today will announce rules changes designed to open up the ice and increase scoring.
It’s expected the red line will be eliminated as an issue in determining two-line passes, the width of the blue lines will be increased, goaltender pads will be downsized and goalies will be limited in where they can play the puck.
Also, the league will announce the first-round order for the July 30 draft in Ottawa. In the weighted lottery, the Avalanche will be one of 16 teams with a 1-in-48 chance of obtaining the No. 1 choice. Buffalo, Columbus, the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh each have three chances among the 48 Ping Pong balls.
Goodenow said “nearly 90 percent” of the almost 600 players casting ballots – both in person and by computer – voted to approve the proposed CBA, which also incorporates the union’s December proposal of the 24 percent rollbacks in existing contracts.
The players’ session in Toronto had turned contentious at times Wednesday night, but the overwhelming vote of approval wasn’t considered a surprise. Some of the anger was directed at some players who had publicly second-guessed the union’s strategy.
“People can look back and say, ‘Why didn’t we offer this in December?”‘ Maple Leafs defenseman Bryan McCabe told reporters in Toronto. “But this probably wasn’t available in December or even February. It is what it is and we have to move on.”
The league had the outline of a $42.5 million salary cap on the table when the season was canceled in February, but Goodenow said the complete 600-page package negotiated since the season cancellation was more favorable than what the league had been offering.
Much of the discussions involved spelling out what income could be considered hockey revenue for franchises, a process complicated by overlapping ownerships of multiple sports franchises, buildings and even television networks, as is the case with Kroenke Sports.
The Avalanche’s payroll at the end of the 2003-04 season was about $61 million. Colorado has seven major players under contract, for nearly $19 million, for next season. Avalanche officials have declined comment and have a news conference scheduled for Monday.
Under the new CBA, the Avalanche and other teams have nine days, beginning Saturday, to buy out existing contracts at two-thirds of their value, minus the 24 percent rollback, and not have that money count against the salary cap. After that, all buyouts would count against the salary cap. Teams also will have nine days to bargain with their unrestricted free agents, and to tender qualifying offers to their restricted free agents. The free-agent signing period would begin Aug. 1.
Staff writer Terry Frei can be reached at 303-820-1895 or tfrei@denverpost.com.
