Cracks in the Ice for Players’ Union
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
With the NHL lockout a month old and more than 400 games already shelved, it is looking more and more like the 2004-2005 NHL season will not be played. No negotiations are being held between the owners and the players’ union, and there is no reason to believe that either side will capitulate any time soon.
Both the NHL and NHLPA have had plenty of time to prepare for this hockey Armageddon, and the advance arrangements on each side will allow them to hold their ground. The owners have accumulated a war chest of $300 million, while nearly 300 NHLers have taken jobs in Europe. As can be expected, some players have gone down with injuries while playing overseas but this hasn’t impacted their willingness to play there for reduced wages.
The overseas work has sparked another controversy, however. Many European regulars have lost their jobs and are sitting on the sidelines watching locked-out NHLers take their places. In recent weeks, displaced players like former Rangers prospect Corey Hirsch have spoken out, comparing what the NHLers are doing in Europe to what “scabs” might do during a lockout.
“NHL players are bumping off, one by one, players who need the money,” Hirsch wrote in a column for Canada’s Sun newspapers after losing his job in Switzerland to Carolina Hurricanes goalie Martin Gerber. “Every day I read another arrogant quote from someone coming to play in Europe for no other reason than to stay in shape.”
Hirsch’s complaint was echoed last week by Edmonton Oilers enforcer Georges Laraque.
“It’s not right,” Laraque told the Edmonton Journal. “As a union, we should be respecting the players over in Europe. As a union, we should be all skating together here. We shouldn’t be taking their spots.”
Laraque’s comments indicate that some non-elite players are less than supportive of their more talented colleagues. In the name of short-term gain, the NHLPA’s brightest stars have likely set the wheels in motion for what will be an ugly next step for the league.
It’s useful to remember that in 1987, the National Football League countered a players’ strike by fielding replacement players. The move seemed at the time like a desperate attempt to generate revenue, but the use of “scabs” ultimately worked in the owners’ favor. By disempowering the union, the NFL set itself up for an unprecedented run of success, which in the long run has also benefited the players.
As the days pass on the NHL’s work stoppage, it becomes more and more likely that the league will declare an impasse and start next season on schedule with replacement players.
There will surely be some resistance, but it’s unlikely to come from the fans. The Hockey News recently surveyed some 2,500 fans, of whom 71% said they’d watch an NHL with replacement players. With salaries averaging nearly $2 million a year, it’s hard for the average fan to sympathize with the players in this dispute, not when the owners’ proposal would still ensure average salaries of more than $1.3 million.
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The Rangers’ AHL affiliate in Hartford got off to an exceptional start, winning its first nine games and demonstrating that the organization’s deep pool of top prospects has the potential to lead the team toward glory not seen since the mid-1990s.
One of the Wolf Pack’s key contributors this season has been center Dominic Moore, who is tied for the team lead with nine points. Once considered a checking forward, Moore has emerged as a legitimate offensive threat.
“Part of the reason Dominic is having a good start is because he made himself a lot stronger over the summer,” said Wolf Pack head coach Ryan McGill. “He skates better, he sees the ice better, and the maturity of his game is also having a positive effect.”
Things did take a turn for the worse yesterday for the Wolf Pack. In addition to seeing their nine-game winning streak come to an end against the Hershey Bears, the Wolf Pack also learned that their top defense pair of Fedor Tyutin and Maxim Kondratiev will be leaving to play in the Russian Super League on November 15. Without them, it will be much more difficult for goaltender Jason LaBarbera (1.25 GAA, .955 SV%) to continue his astounding run of success.
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Things are a bit bleaker for the Islanders’ affiliate in Bridgeport. The Sound Tigers have gotten off to a disappointing 5-6 start, largely due to their inability to score consistently.
One of the players expected to contribute offensively was Finnish forward Sean Bergenheim, who only managed one goal in the Sound Tigers’ first 10 games. However, he broke through with two power play goals in Bridgeport’s 3-1 win over the Portland Pirates on Sunday and could be ready to break out.
“Sean has had quality chances,” said Sound Tigers head coach Greg Cronin, who is also the Islanders’ director of player development. “He’s got a good work ethic and good agility, and he has enough skill to get himself into scoring areas. However, he has to play with blue-collar grit that will generate scoring chances.”
Mr. Greenstein is the editor in chief of INSIDE HOCKEY (insidehockey.com).