We seem to be heading towards a lockout and it might not be a short one. We lost the 2004-05 campaign due to the last lockout and the result was that the NHL came back with a cap and player salary rollback.
“Seven years ago, we missed a year and then the players gave up,” Timonen said, according to the
Philadelphia Inquirer.
Timonen saw the NHL’s initial offer, which asked the players to make significant concessions compared to what they have with the expiring CBA, as similar to their demands during the last lockout. However, Timonen expects a different result.
“I think that was the wrong way to start the negotiations this time,” he said of the owner’s initial offer. “I think the union is much better this time around. We’re more informed, we’re more open. You can lock in (to information) on your phones. We know what’s going on.”
Timonen doesn’t think the owner’s strategy is going to work.
”Both sides have to give up something, but coming from seven years ago and what we gave up, I don’t think it’s going to happen this time,” Timonen said. “That’s why I’m afraid it might take a while.”
Meanwhile, Gary Bettman and Donald Fehr talked to the press today as we inch closer to the CBA expiring on Saturday.