First CBA report

[Ravin]

The NHL has made the first move in labour negotiations with its union.

Two media outlets reported Friday night that the league has made an initial offer to the NHL Players' Association with several major changes to the current collective bargaining agreement.

RDS.ca posted details of the proposal, including a reduction of players' hockey-related revenues from 57 per cent to 46 per cent.

Renaud Lavoie, a journalist with RDS, also reports that players would need to wait 10 seasons before becoming unrestricted free agents and that contracts would be limited to a maximum of five years.

The RDS story also says that the NHL's proposal would bring an end to salary arbitration and that entry-level contracts would be five years instead of three as they are under the current CBA.

Larry Brooks of the New York Post also tweeted that the NHL's proposal would eliminate signing bonuses on future contracts and mandate that all future deals have an equal value for every year of the contract.

"NHL proposal amounts to Declaration of War against NHLPA," added Brooks in a separate tweet.

There could be some small group discussions over the weekend or on Monday involving the NHLPA Executive Director Donald Fehr and NHL Depute Commissioner Bill Daly.

Full group negotiations will resume in New York City on Wednesday.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=400580

I like the idea of even money across the board for contracts. None of this $14M in year one, and $1M in season 14 to lower the cap hit. Should be even money every year.

The five year contract thing is interesting considering how many long term deals were just signed this off season. Quick, Staal, Crosby, Parise, Suter all signed for 10+ years, and you know it was because they knew this would be in the next CBA talks.

Not sure about the entry level going up to 5. If this all went through, half their RFA life would be spent on an entry level contract. Don't know right now how I feel about this.

[wr50l]

Brooks is right, that is a declaration of war. To be honest, and although it's standard hard line stuff to be negotiated down if I was the NHLPA I wouldn't even engage on that basis. Not a good sign for hockey fans though.

[sraczk2011]

The only thing that I side with the league on is the even money and elimination of insane signing bonuses. There's no way most of the other proposals stick, and the negotiations will probably run into September.

[Guest]

I wouldn't say even money is a good thing. In NFL and MLB, it is common to either front or backload a deal. But there isn't an easier way to combat these crazy long term deals so they have to do it I think. But if I am the NHLPA, I wouldn't even start with this. Tell them no and they need to send another one.

By waiting 10 seasons until UFA, we are essentially going back in time before the lockout as well.

[Madman55]

I really don't like the 5 year contract limit if the ELCs are also upped to 5 years. Players that have been in the league for a longer time should be allowed to sign contracts longer than those of rookies. I'd be fine with a 7 year contract limit for older players if ELCs are 5 years, or if the ELCs stay at 3 years limit the vets to 5 years.