2013 Southeast Division Champions Caps Vs. Rangers

[Warhead36]

So we basically lost two seasons of Ovechkin's prime because of lockouts.

**** you Bettman.

[ixcuincle]

The positive vibes continue as there is this sense that we are closer and closer to a deal, and the return of hockey. Marathon negotiations continue with headway being made

The negotiations are very fragile and can corrupt on any wrong move, but so far, everything looks extremely positive. There is an extremely strong sense that hockey will be back very soon.

---------- Post added December-5th-2012 at 03:28 PM ----------

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman says he's "pleased with the ongoing progress" as labor negotiations are resuming with players Wednesday following a meeting of the league's Board of Bovernors.

Bettman returned to the site of talks with the players' association after spending about two hours with executives from the league's 30 teams a few blocks away. The commissioner offered a brief statement but declined to take questions.

Bettman and union executive director Donald Fehr are again sitting out the latest round of talks that are made up of six team owners and 18 players, along with staff and counsel on both sides. Players and owners met for a total of nearly eight hours on Tuesday in different size groups. Enough progress was made to get back to the bargaining table after talks ended around midnight Tuesday.


Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...#ixzz2EDAId5yn

[Sticksboi05]

Kevin DeLury ‏@TheNYRBlog

Source telling me NHL podium in hotel is for press conference tomorrow announcing CBA agreement.

[Hersh]

Please let this be true. I'm excited to see what Adam Oates can do as the new head coach.

[Popeman38]

RGIII was involved in the meetings, wasn't he?

[HBnotBlades]

Lot's of exciting things happening in the hockey world this morning (technically it was last night). Everything should be taken with a huge grain of salt, but it's certainly better than all the other news we've been hearing.

Iain MacIntyre
‏@imacVanSun
Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos says some coaches are calling players to tell them to be ready for imminent return. #CBA

Kevin DeLury
‏@TheNYRBlog
Source telling me NHL podium in hotel is for press conference tomorrow announcing CBA agreement.

Steve Burton
‏@WBZSteveBurton
#CBA negotiations are strenous, but are closer and closer. Fans will have NHL hockey by Christmas, very likely games on Christmas day.

Matthew Barnaby
‏@MattBarnaby3636
Just got a text from owners side that his guess is season starts on dec 26th.

Bob McKenzieVerified
‏@TSNBobMcKenzie
IF I were going to read into anything, I'd be more likely to focus on fact that flow of info/details from room is shut down tight.

[EBoz]

Looks like an agreement is close and this is great news. I'm really missing the hockey as I'm not an NBA fan at all.

[HBnotBlades]

I may have posted those a bit early. After reading some more I found articles like this

http://thestar.blogs.com/thespin/201...wee-hours.html

NEW YORK--The conversation went something like this.

"Let's leave," said Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs, turning to NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly.

"It's up to you," replied Daly.

At that point during the talks between the NHL and NHL Players Association on Wednesday, a day that began as a continuation of the momentum generated on Tuesday, both sides were at the precipice, and the 2012-13 season was in jeopardy. Earlier, Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller had angrily vented when the owners said they were disappointed with the players responses to an earlier offer and threatened to pull everything off the table.

But with Jacobs poised to abandon the talks, other owners spoke up, and then both sides dramatically backed away from the precipice. When talks ended close to 1 a.m. Thursday morning after more than eight hours of talks without NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and union executive director Don Fehr, it certainly seemed from the outside they were getting closer and closer to a deal to end this ugly lockout.

Now there's word that the players want the talks to be open today, aka Fehr and Bettman will be back in the room. I realize that a final deal can't be made without those guys around, but I don't think their at that stage yet.

For the players, the current deal sounds pretty fair. It's a 10 year CBA, the owners up'd their make whole provision offer to $300M, added in $50M worth of pension money, are not changing the UFA or arbitration rules, contracts can only vary by 5% year to year, but there's a 5 years limit on contract length (7 if you sign with your own team).

If I'm a player, that's pretty close to when I've been looking for. Maybe try to get the 5 year contract limit up to 6, but otherwise that looks pretty good.

[pjfootballer]

Looks like an agreement is close and this is great news. I'm really missing the hockey as I'm not an NBA fan at all.

Me too. Gave up on the NBA about 4 years ago when the Wiz kept sucking and the Caps were stomping people. But I've been a fan of both teams for a long time, so don't get me wrong. I'm not a bandwagon Caps fan since I've been watching them the year they traded for Rod Langway. But Hockey has always been my second favorite sport behind football.

[BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93]

you guys should temper the enthusiasm...**** is not looking too good now

[ixcuincle]

Because Fehr and Bettman got re-involved

**** those idiots

---------- Post added December-6th-2012 at 06:59 PM ----------

Lot of positivity now that Fehr made his conference and announced what are allegedly huge gains in the process in terms of the financial aspects of the NHL

We get closer and closer to the return of Capitals hockey

[ixcuincle]

I am sad to report that the NHL has denied the NHLPA's demands and Fehr says there is "no resolution soon"

I am disappointed

So much progress was made, but the process is so fragile and any gust like that can just damage hope

Just...just stunned here

---------- Post added December-6th-2012 at 07:22 PM ----------

Jonas Siegel
‏@jonasTSN1050
Fehr: It looks like this is not going to be resolved in the immediate future.

[Pick6]

Donald Fehr is a piss of ****. The minute he in walked into the room the deal was ****ed.

[Popeman38]

Donald Fehr is a ****nut. The longer this goes, the more he makes. This is what he lives for. Ask MLB. The owners are *******s, but the players caused this 2 years ago when they hired Donald Fehr.

[skinsdomination09]

Truth is, while not meaning to insult anybody, if you believe Bettman is the wolf then you are a disillusioned idiot. Sorry but it's true.

Fehr is all PR no substance. Manipulative POS.