Only A Few Words

Sometimes, I wonder how some people can look at themselves in a mirror and not be disgusted with what they see. I'm not make any comments regarding the physical appearance of those people, but rather about their moral and ethical image staring back at them. I ask this about Gary Bettman every time he opens his mouth. I used to ask this about Bob Goodenow and Ted Saskin, but they are now part of the long history that is the NHL. I held out hope for Bill Daly, Deputy Commissioner of the NHL, as he always seem to "tell it like it is". Instead, after hearing his comments today on a Vancouver radio station, I find myself wondering if anyone is pulling the strings on the puppet that is Bill Daly.

TSN posted a portion of the interview, and it can be read here. The portion of the interview below was what really rubbed me the wrong way. Here it is:

"I don't think so. Again, the lockout and the collective bargaining negotiations weren't about individual player salaries, per se," Daly told the Team 1040. "If we have the revenues to support them, then we want them as high as possible. Salaries, ultimately, are a reflection of how well the business is doing on the revenue side. We're generating about 600 million extra dollars in revenue than we were going into the lockout, and that's where you see an increase in player payroll."

Who are "we" in the statement "we're generating"? The NHL as a league might be generating more money, but there are still six to eight teams bleeding red ink. How much of that $600 million do you think they could use?

I'm too tired to go into a major tirade tonight. However, I will leave you all with this one final thought on Mr. Daly's comments: if the NHL is really making all this new money that they weren't making before, why are there still markets that cannot generate a profit? Why are there still teams that players choose not to sign with despite those teams throwing boatloads of money at free agents? Why are these the teams who are bleeding that red ink?

If you think the NHL is on solid ground, you've been drinking Bettman's Kool-Aid. I have defended the salary cap in the past, but I'll take my lumps and say I was wrong. The salary cap doesn't work. Parity in the NHL is a pipe dream. The league as a whole is certainly making more money, but the individual teams are still struggling.

Everyone was supposed to get rich under the salary cap NHL. It appears, though, that only Mr. Bettman and the players are getting rich. But doesn't Mr. Bettman work for the owners? Yeah, I thought so. And we're supposed to believe that the league is "stronger than ever" when the guy who was supposed to make the owners profitable is, instead, working against them?

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!