OT - Wings cancel prospect tournament...another lockout looms

Submitted by Red_Lee on

http://redwings.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=639907&navid=DL|DET|home

 

Well, might as well squeeze this in before the end of OT topics. I hope Michigan and Lions football is outstanding this year, and maybe even the Tigers can make a World Series run, because hockey is basically doomed.

I had some hope of a NHL season this year, but for whatever reason this seems to ruin my faith completely. Bettman is going for a threepeat. This time around, I am completely on the side of the players. The owners got what they asked for and it is still messed up. The players have little to do with the failing markets, and with revenue up, it is asinine for the league to ask for more paycuts.

I say slash Bettman's salary by 75% (well, really I'd like him fired). Sick of seeing owners, managers, and execs rake in money while the blood and sweat on the ice is just seen as the unimportant part of the game. It's like Caeser and the Colosseum.

With Dats and Z aging, Lidstrom gone, and Bettman trying his damndest to ruin the game, I may be rarely watching hockey in the future.

 

So Go Blue! B1G Championship!

BOX House

August 16th, 2012 at 6:08 PM ^

Call me a pessimist, but I don't think it's the worst thing in the world for the Red Wings if there is a lockout. After a downright failure of an offseason - the biggest signing being Jordan Tootoo - I think the Wings will be battling for one of the last seeds in the playoffs if a season were to be played.

weasel3216

August 16th, 2012 at 10:11 PM ^

Even though this off season was a swing and a miss on the big names i still think the Wings wil make the playoffs, that is if there is a season.  You may be right, they may come in as a #6-#8 seed but at least that means there would be hockey.  Another winter without hockey would suck donkey dick.    

 

Lionsfan

August 16th, 2012 at 6:15 PM ^

I'm almost at the point where I won't be watching. It's hard to care about a league that just shits all over the fans. From lockouts, to stupid rules to try and increase scoring, it's just all so sickening. Can we ask the Canadian teams to form a league, with Detroit involved?

angry byrne

August 16th, 2012 at 6:26 PM ^

Couldn't agree more.  Here's a good article by Burnside over at ESPN about the league totally forgetting that it's the FANS that make them their money:  http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/8255166/players-owners-every-reason-agree-new-cba-time

That they're about to screw over the people who attend these things again is just a testiment to their greed and willingness to cut off their nose to spite their face.  This kind of crap is just one reason why I stopped watching baseball so long ago.

clarkiefromcanada

August 16th, 2012 at 10:10 PM ^

I think Bettman honestly has a disdain for the Canadian fan. This is problematic for him with our teams and above par dollar subsidizing his sadly failed Southern Strategy.



Move a team to Quebec City, another to Toronto, another to Guelph/Kichener and go from there.

teldar

August 16th, 2012 at 8:12 PM ^

Lidstrom retired having made more than $100M. Jaeger (not sure of spelling, not checking) was up to like $120M and counting. 

Weber has already been paid like $13M for this year alone. 

The wonder twins in Minny are supposed to be paid $20 total signing bonuses this weekend. 

 

I'm thinking that if the players wanted, they would be able to start up a league with the more wealthy players getting the ball rolling. 

 

JimLahey

August 16th, 2012 at 8:26 PM ^

They get huge contracts, but they only see about 40% of it, most of which is spent living lavishly, all of which stops when they hit their late 30's, if they're lucky. Players make lots of money, but they are nowhere near the level of owners. The difference is buying power. The owners (obviously) have lots, the players, even the richest, have very little.

SalvatoreQuattro

August 16th, 2012 at 8:30 PM ^

That $100 million Lids made was before taxes. Secondly, he longer is bringing in that amount of money. An illitch has a cash cow(Caesers) to bring in tons of money independent of hockey. All Lidstom has is his hockey salary and whatever investments he has made. If Lids had successful grew his money in investing in other businesses like Magic and Michael, he would have the wealth to own a NHL team.But I doubt it.  

 

The money you are talking about is pre-tax and just a small slice of what it takes to own teams. You need hundred million at least for EACH team.  Few players in professional, much less the NHL, can afford to own and operate a team. The only ones who can are those who are businesses onto themselves.(Magic, MJ, Lebron)Heck, Kobe, is worth "only" about $80 million and he has signed far weathlier contracts then Lids. 

The only team a player like Lidstrom could afford is a minor league team--unless he has another revenue stream that generates tens of millions of dollars each year.

 

 

Top dog 4578

August 16th, 2012 at 7:42 PM ^

is there is just too many markets that are losing money..I love hockey, and it's big in Detroit, but not all city's have the fan base to support a team..Contraction seems to be the way to solve most of the money issues.. This would also make for more competitive hockey..

Roachgoblue

August 16th, 2012 at 8:17 PM ^

Why do the Wings and other teams pay for the shitty teams? I am tired of the watered down playoffs. The 2nd lines and on are a joke nowadays.

Hannibal.

August 17th, 2012 at 9:54 AM ^

For some reason, I can't get upset about this.  Maybe it's because I already wasn't feeling very good about the Wings' chances for 12-13.  Or  maybe it's because it only took six years for the "new NHL" to regress back to the "dead puck era NHL".  Or maybe it's because the salary cap disperses Stanley Cup winning teams on an almost annual basis and destroys the charm of watching your team get rewarded for good management and development. 

Jmilan

August 17th, 2012 at 10:12 AM ^

I wish that NBC sports or somebody nationally would just get the rights to some of the European leagues or the KHL or anything if the league locks out again. Maybe that would make the NHL realize that eventually if you keep locking out even your most loyal fans will find something else to watch. I know that it is highly unrealistic and this mostly comes from my disgust that the NHL is even in this position again, but Bettman has got to get the ax after this.