Not much reason for optimism for local hockey fans just now. Both the Edmonton Oilers and the league they play in are on shaky footing in the aftermath of failed negotiations.
Locally, Oilers owner Daryl Katz issued a terse statement concerning Edmonton City Council’s 13-0 vote to suspend discussion on the downtown arena, this after Katz and/or his representatives refused Council’s invitation to explain their request for additional subsidies. Today, Katz responded on the Oilers website:
We are concerned about the implications of the motion passed yesterday by City Council. We do not yet have a view on what comes next, but we remain hopeful that there is a solution that achieves the mutual goal of securing the Oilers’ long-term sustainability in Edmonton.
That says it all in 50 words or less. Indeed, many of the comments that follow on said website are longer than Katz’s own.
Meanwhile, on the National Hockey League front, any optimism that may have arisen from Tuesday’s new offer by the league seems to have dissipated entirely. Today in a face-to-face meeting, the NHLPA presented not one but three counter-offers, none of which seems to have come remotely close to appealing to the league. Minutes ago Gary Bettman emerged from the meeting and quickly doused any kindling optimism: “a step backward … clear we’re not speaking the same language … we’re nowhere close to what we proposed … I don’t know what the next step is. … I am to say the least thoroughly disappointed.”
While some of this is standard negotiating speak, it sounds depressingly familiar to those of us who lived through the protracted lockouts of 1994 and 2004-05. As CBA tactics plunge into deep freeze mode, millions of hockey fans and thousands who work in related industries will be left out in the cold.
No official word yet from the NHLPA, but after hearing nothing but doom and gloom from mayor, owner, commissioner, it’s hard to imagine it’ll be anything upbeat. I would, however, hope to hear an explanation as to why the NHLPA would make three offers at once after doing little of the sort over the past several weeks. Did they write them all up last night?
More to come … no doubt. For now I’m as depressed writing about this $#!+ as you probably are reading it.
Related at the Cult of Hockey
If Katz can’t make arena deal work, he should consider selling team
The city should build downtown arena with or without Daryl Katz
Katz refuses to meet with City Council, sends angry letter instead
Some early thoughts on NHL’s latest attempt to break CBA logjam
The lights are on but nobody’s home — NHL formally cancels start of regular season
Yet again, the NHL locks out its fans
With Third Bettman Lockout looming, NHL confirms its priorities
If the NHL and NHLPA are selfish, this should be a short lockout
Follow Bruce on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/brucemccurdy
