Isn't dividing the union a way of destroying the game? Sports unions are extremely strong, nobody is going to cross the picket line. Players under $800,000 cannot agree to this deal either. They wont get a paycut that's true. But they dont have very long contracts compared to the multi-yeared rich guys. And when they do sign a new deal, it will have no bonuses, no arbitration and a salary cap based on revenue (which will decrease because hockey is hurting)
Let's take the maple leafs as an example, their payroll is $65 mill. The rollback takes them to about 50 mill. How do they get from 50 mill to the cap of 35? you think they're going to cut sundin and belfour? It's all the $800,000 guys that will have to take a 'voluntary' paycut or get released.
What happens when you have hot rookies come in and you have a salary cap? Someone has to get cut to make room for him.. it's the $800,000 guys.
The owners should have negotiated off the pplayers deal instead of coming up with a radical one. Bettman wants to fix all his dumb mistakes in one swoop and legislate the dumb owners. By doing this, he's taking the game down the drain.
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