NHL, union reach tentative agreement

Sticks and gloves litter the ice following a fight between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers, during the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Wells Fargo Center on April 15, 2012 in Philadelphia. / Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

NEW YORK The NHL and the players' association reached a tentative agreement early Sunday to end a nearly four-month-old lockout that threatened to wipe out what was left of an already abbreviated season.

A marathon negotiating session that lasted more than 16 hours, stretching from Saturday afternoon until just before dawn Sunday, produced a 10-year deal.

"We've got to dot a lot of Is and cross a lot of Ts," Commissioner Gary Bettman said. "There's still a lot of work to be done."

The collective bargaining agreement still must be ratified by a majority of the league's 30 owners and the union's membership of approximately 740 players.

Under the negotiated CBA, free-agent contracts will have a maximum length of seven years, but clubs can go to eight years to re-sign their own players. Each side can opt out of the deal after eight years.

The pension plan was "the centerpiece of the deal for the players," said Winnipeg Jets defenseman Ron Hainsey, who took part in negotiations throughout the process.

The actual language of the pension plan still has to be written, but Hainsey said there is nothing substantial that still needs to be fixed.

The players' share of hockey-related income, that reached a record $3.3 billion last season, will drop from 57 percent to a 50-50 split. The salary cap for the upcoming season will be $70.2 million and will then drop to $64.3 million in the 2013-14 season. All clubs will have to have a minimum payroll of $44 million.

After the sides stayed mostly apart for two days, following late-night talks that turned sour, federal mediator Scot Beckenbaugh worked virtually around the clock to get everyone back to the bargaining table.

This time it worked — on the 113th day of the work stoppage.

George Cohen, the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service director, called the deal "the successful culmination of a long and difficult road."

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[skyviewperspective]

What a coincidence....40+ games. Just enough to cover the bills and provide a nice little profit for the year. The players take a cut?..boo hoo. Most of them work six months out of the year and with a pay cut still make four times what teachers, ministers, social workers, police and firemen, and most of us make.

Im a hockey fan. Or was. Ill watch it...next season. This season they havent factored in the people who deserve to be part of the contract, the fans! What do they get in the deal? Oh, forgot, the privilege to buy tickets at full price and pay for this fiasco.

People should boycott the season. And not just attendance but viewing. Because they have made it clear that 40+ games are needed to get the tv time and income necessary for everyone to make their money.

Im ignoring hockey this year.

[Suppressed]

NHL Hockey is back but...
OUR demands have not been met!! They take our money and spend it freely but do not even recognize our issues!
They get higher pensions
Who will pay this? Fans.
They have a $300 million dollar escrow account to pay players for time locked-out.
Who will pay this? Fans.
What fans must do to make sure we are not continually ignored?



https://www.facebook.com/NhlHockeyFansInternationalAssociation#!/NhlHockeyFansInternationalAssociation/posts/398641683553958

[tapittwice]

Vote with your wallet and don't go to a game, this is all they will listen to because money is all they care about.

[gabe97]

honestly, WHO CARES!!!! GREEDY IDIOTS!!!

[eroteme2]

O Goody.

[Bekma]

I won't be sending any of my HARD EARNED money their way for quite a while. I won't fund greed if I don't have to.

[pitai]

The owners and the NHLPH have shot themselves in the foot and even in the head in many areas...Let's see the assistance now in the southern cities!!! More than one club won't survive!

[tapittwice]

Than I guess that means the owners shot themselves in the foot? Or are you one of those "special idiots" who think the players locked themselves out PITA??

[kevboom]

It won't happen, but the fans should now lock out the greedy players by not showing up to watch their games. You are the ones after all, paying $20 to park, $80 and way up to watch a game, and $12 for a cup of crappy beer, so they can live in further luxury beyond what they already have. Greed knows no bounds. NHL players can shove it.

[thechooch1]

kevboom did you even read the article? Looks like to me the "greedy players" took a big pay cut. How about the owners?

"The players' share of hockey-related income, that reached a record $3.3 billion last season, will drop from 57 percent to a 50-50 split. The salary cap for the upcoming season will be $70.2 million and will then drop to $64.3 million in the 2013-14 season. All clubs will have to have a minimum payroll of $44 million."

[pedalit]

so, chooch...

now the players will only be able to afford a 5,000 sq. ft. beach getaway instead of 6,000. i feel for them. the owners can now afford to build on a guest wing to accommodate the newly impoverished players.

just etch a "thank you fans" in the ice and all will be forgiven, just like after the 04-05 lockout.

[Kenny_Vee]

Now the question is: will anybody actually watch the NHL games? I'll give them this, though...the NHL is still less dysfunctional than Congress.

[pedalit]

also less dysfunctional than injecting politics where it doesn't belong