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HIGHLIGHTS OF LATEST PROPOSAL FROM NHL TO NHLPA


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http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=412383

The following is the highlights of the latest proposal from the NHL to the NHL Players' Association:

- Ten-Year Agreement (through 2021/22 season); Parties have mutual opt-out right after 8 years.

- 50-50 Revenue Split between Clubs and Players with current HRR Accounting.

- $300 million in "Make-Whole" payments (outside the system) to compensate Players for the reduced value of Player contracts in the early years of the new CBA.

- No contractual "roll backs" of Player Salaries.

- Clubs can operate with an effective Upper Limit of $70.2 million in 2012/13; must come into compliance with $60 million Upper Limit for the start of the 2013/14 season.

- Each Club will be entitled to execute up to one "Compliance Buy-Out" prior to the 2013/14 season pursuant to which payments made to the Player will not be charged against the team's Cap, but will be charged against the Players' Share.

- Establishment of a Defined Benefit Pension Plan that will provide maximum permissible benefits to Players upon retirement. The Plan will be funded with contributions out of Players' Share and $50 million of the "Make-Whole" payment amount of $300 million will be allocated and set aside to fund potential underfunding liabilities of the Plan at end of CBA.

- Rules for Entry Level System, Salary Arbitration and Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agency will remain unchanged.

- Maximum contract length of 6 years subject to a Club's ability to re-sign its own Player for a term of up to 7 years (provided the Player played his last full season with the re-signing Club). In addition, year-to-year Salary variability will be limited (up or down) to no more than 10% of the value of the first year of a multi-year SPC.

- Money paid (above a defined threshold) to Players on NHL SPCs in another professional league (e.g., the AHL or a European league) will be charged against the NHL team's Cap, but not against the Players' Share.

- "Cap Advantage Recapture" formula applicable to existing long-term contracts (in excess of 6 years) for years in which Player is retired or fails/refuses to perform under his NHL SPC.

- Ability for Clubs to retain/allocate Salary and Cap Charges in the context of Player Trades within specified parameters.

- More robust League-wide Revenue Sharing Program (increased pool from approximately $150 million to $200 million) with creation of Industry Growth Fund to improve the long-term revenue generating potential of the League and low-grossing Clubs. Formation of active Revenue Sharing Oversight Committee on which NHLPA will participate.

- New Player Discipline procedures and protocol incorporating Player appeal rights to a neutral third-party arbitrator for both on-ice and off-ice discipline.

- Flexibility-related adjustments to Payroll Range System, including (in addition to Salary/Cap Charge allocation in Player trades):

1. Lower Limit obligation without performance bonuses;

2. Elimination of Re-Entry Waivers;

3. Creation of Salary Cap exceptions for emergency roster situations/goaltender injuries;

4. Waiver exemptions for mid-season signings of Club's own European Players;

5. Availability of Performance Bonus Cushion in every year of the CBA; and

6. Creation of "interview period" for Unrestricted Free Agents.

- Various Player contract enhancements and protections, including:

1. Early activation of "No Move/No Trade" clauses in contract extensions;

2. Additional restrictions on Club "buy-out" rights of Player contracts;

3. Modified Waiver obligations for Clubs / enhanced Waiver opportunities for Players;

4. Standardization of reimbursements and benefits related to Player assignments (trades, loans, recalls, etc.);

5. Continued increases in League Minimum Salary and Per Diem;

6. Playoff Pool increased from $6.5 million to $13 million in Year 1; additional regular increases over the balance of the CBA term;

7. All minor league salary paid in USD;

8. Liberalized "Cap treatment" standards for Club initiatives benefitting Players, such as "parent-son" road trips; milestone awards/gifts; parental travel and lodging for attendance at EL Player games, Club provision of various types of "professional development"-type services for Players, etc.

- Player "Working Condition" improvements, including:

1. Ice-time restrictions and mandatory "days off" requirements during Training Camp;

2. Club practice schedule and "days off" requirements during the Regular Season;

3. Extended "Christmas Break" (i.e., December 24-26 "days off" for all purposes);

4. Mandatory facility standards for Visiting Teams relating to training/medical supplies, workout equipment and dressing room standards/supplies;

5. Implementation of "best practices" and continued League initiatives to ensure optimal ice conditions;

6. Tighter restrictions/regulation of Club off-season conditioning requirements and Club Conditioning Camp; and

7. Establishment of annual Orientation and Development Program for Rookies/First Year Players.

- New CBA Article devoted exclusively to Player Health and Safety measures and covering such matters as:

1. The establishment of a Joint NHL/NHLPA Health and Safety Committee with equal representation from the NHL and the NHLPA;

2. The establishment of "Standard of Care" and "Professional Duty" obligations owing from team health care professionals to Players;

3. The establishment of minimum requirements for "health management" staffing and resources;

4. The establishment of standards for the creation, updating and maintenance of Electronic Medical Records for Players;

5. Improvements to Second Medical Opinion procedures and protocol and Fitness to Play determinations; and

6. Implementation of additional steps and safeguards to monitor the use (and possible misuse) of prescription medication by Players.

7. Increased flexibility for Players for rehabilitation of injuries during the offseason.

- Elimination of NHLPA "Guarantee" of Escrow shortfall and increased NHLPA discretion to determine in-season Escrow Rates.

- Completion of expert third-party review of SABH Program and commitment to make recommended modifications and improvements, as appropriate.

- Improvements to existing Performance Enhancing Substances Program, including:

1. Expansion of Prohibited Substances List to include illegal stimulants;

2. The establishment of testing protocol for HGH;

3. Varied forms and times of testing throughout the year;

4. The establishment of protocol for "reasonable cause testing";

5. Incorporation of agreed-upon appeal procedures from "positive" test results; and

6. Commitment to work with the AHL and the PHPA to expand Program to cover AHL Players.

- Joint (NHL/NHLPA) Committees:

1. Formation of new "Owner-Player Relations Committee," with broad-based participation from Owners and Players intended to foster and establish better understanding and stronger working relationships.

2. Formation of new "Revenue Sharing Oversight Committee" to oversee the operation of the Revenue Sharing System.

3. Formation of new "Joint Health and Safety Committee" to make recommendations to the NHL and the NHLPA on Player Health and Safety matters.

4. Formation of new "NHL/NHLPA Equipment Working Group" to study, promulgate and enforce minimum standards for protective equipment utilized by NHL Players.

5. Refined and enhanced role for "Player/Club Competition Committee" (CBA Article 22) with greater consultation and interaction with the NHL General Managers' Committee.

6. The "NHL/NHLPA Joint Owner-Player Broadcasting/Marketing Committee" (CBA Article 32) will be reconstituted to consult and establish policy on League broadcasting and marketing matters, as well as other League business functions and initiatives.

7. The NHL/NHLPA International Committee (CBA Article 24) will be charged with jointly identifying, creating, exploiting and managing new international business opportunities involving NHL Players, in which the NHL and NHLPA will participate as 50-50 partners. The NHL/NHLPA International Committee shall also have an advisory role in planning and executing NHL events conducted outside of North America.

- Players provided access to NHL.com platform for their individual Player websites and social media.

- Implementation of a weighted Draft Lottery in which all non-Playoff teams compete for opportunity to choose first overall in the annual Draft.

- Exclusive negotiating rights window for European Draftees extended to one period covering four years, instead of two periods covering two years each.

- Modification to "Four-Recall Rule" to remove limitation on "number of transactions" following the Trade Deadline; replace with limitations on the total number of Recalls on roster at any one time after the Trade Deadline.

- Updated and improved Grievance Arbitration process and procedure.

- Enhanced access to Game Tickets for Visiting Team Players and NHLPA.

- NHLPA representatives to be provided reasonable access to Club facilities and Players at reasonable times.

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Really happy to see this just ticked off that it took them this long to reach the point we all said it would end up being. I still want to see Bettman removed from the picture. Don Fehr too if that is what it takes to make Bettman leave. I want guys in those positions who are willing to work together and not waste so much time deciding who has the bigger pecker........

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@flyerrod As shocking as this sounds, Exlund has been the voice of reason during this lock-out, proving he actually does have some worth to the hockeyk world other than bunk rumors. A nice read..

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Eklund/Owners-Directed-Bettman-to-End-Lockout-Players-Must-Do-the-Same-with-Fehr/1/48107

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@flyerrod As shocking as this sounds, Exlund has been the voice of reason during this lock-out, proving he actually does have some worth to the hockeyk world other than bunk rumors. A nice read..

http://www.hockeybuz...th-Fehr/1/48107

Except for his twist on the facts........The OWNERS are the ones who have taken the hard line(until now), not the players. Gary Bettman has refused to negotiate even after the first draconian proposal made by himself and the owners. The players made the first major concessions towards the middle, not the owners. That is one of the reasons Fehr was able to maintain the unity among the players. Against his style of negotiating, he made large concessions to the Owners(to appease the larger moderate portion of the players) first.When the Owners snubbed that offer, that galvanized the players. It has taken over 3 months for the owners to approach the middle from their ridiculous starting point. I think there are a combination of things that brought about this offer:

1) Sponsors are getting antsy and seeing the backlash that is going to be coming from the fans in response to the lock out. There is no doubt in my mind the sponsors are pressuring the Owners to get this lock out over with.

2) Disclaimer of interest.The threat of individual law suits were going to cost the Owners more than anything they won back in these negotiations with the court costs alone not even counting if they lost the law suits and could have been ordered to pay 3 times the salaries.

3) More Owners are losing money at this point than they want to admit no matter what the books say. Somebody in Bettman's cadre of eight has told him this needs to get done or he is. Gary Bettman loses face with this offer and he HATES that.

4) Several of the take-aways ( non monetary contractual rights), were going to keep this deal from getting done and have been pulled back by the Owners. This, even more so than the make whole was key in getting this to be workable.

5) It is up to the players now to realize this is the olive branch they have been waiting for and they won't see another one. This is the Owners finally moving to where we should have been when the players made their major concessions. As long as there is nothing major in the fine print ( such as some silly statement that causes negotiated contracts to be null and void because the Owners say so), this should be a workable fair deal. The Players have stayed together as a group for reasons more than money. I personally think they will vote to accept this contract even with the 10 year CBA. Heck, some of them will even like the stability better. I am sure Don and Steve Fehr have got their magnifying glasses out and will have some things they think still need addressed but they should be minor and correctable at this point.

6) It is up to the players to also realize this is their chance to start winning the fans back. Their love for the game and respect for the fans should show in the vote. Unless Evander Kane is the norm ( which I do NOT believe to be true).

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Yeah, the players should realize this is thier big chance to get back on the ice. Take it and run. Not sure the owners are going to move much off this offer, but some minor tweaks might just get this done. This appears to be our last big chance to get the game we love back....hope both sides do not screw this up.

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I am sure Don and Steve Fehr have got their magnifying glasses out and will have some things they think still need addressed but they should be minor and correctable at this point.

Anybody heard about the changes in HRR that the NHL was trying to "slip" in?

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Posted Dec 30, 2012 - 03:19 PM

just sign the damn thing and drop the friggin puck. enough is enough

signed: A Disgruntled Fan

****************************************************

Posted Jan 04, 2013 - 10:02 PM

just sign the damn thing and drop the friggin puck. enough is enough

signed: A Disgruntled Fan

jeez i almost can't believe it - nothing yet? what the hell is with you guys? The players need to tell Fehr to end this thing. the latest changes seem pretty reasonable to me... i don't know take a look

- The NHLPA agreed to go to 10 years in CBA length, matching the NHL's desire on term for the deal (although the NHLPA has an opt out after Year 7 while the NHL would prefer one after Year 8).

- The NHL agreed to the NHLPA's request to up its compliance buyout to two per team, up from one per team before the 2013-14 season.

- The NHL upped its salary variance rule on contracts to 30 percent, up from the five percent and then 10 percent demands it had had in previous offers.

However, sources tell TSN that seven or eight unresolved issues remain, the three most meaningful ones being the second-year cap number, the length of player contacts and the players' pension.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=412769

so a few salaries won't make the 30% cut. As far as "the second-year cap number, the length of player contacts and the players' pension" they don't seem like deal-breakers. Plus we get two buyouts? That's a Flyers' fan dream come true. One of them will surely be Bryzgalov; if it was only 1 maybe they balk at cutting him loose so soon but with 2 - there's no excuse.

Enough is enough already drop the damn puck!

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@canoli If I was to put odds to the season starting, I'd go about 15% right now. Way to many damn egos in play here.

EDIT, hilarious, not more than 5 seconds after posting that 15%, I go to hockeybuzz and ol' Exlund has Deal done (e5)....LOL!

Still not sold. I have got my hopes up WAY to many times....feel like a friggin yo-yo.

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