from Larry Brooks of the New York Post,

It is difficult to believe the members of the NHLPA are so self-interested that they would willingly depress the salary cap for the next two seasons in order to save a percentage point or two on escrow withholding when that decision would act against the well-being of every free agent seeking a new deal and sorely restrict cap teams.

Yet that is what the PA opted for in electing to apply merely a 0.5 percent growth factor that will increase the cap to $81.5M. This represents an increase of 2.5 percent over last year’s $79.5M ceiling, the smallest percentage increase since 2008-09 to 2009-10.

The notion this is somehow necessary to avoid a lockout (or even a strike) is nonsensical.

Do the players think Sixth Avenue is going to shut it down over another couple of million dollars on the cap the next two seasons? Are the league’s marquee players under contract going to squeeze the rest of the union over a couple of hundred thousand a year, and when most of the league’s marquee class have another couple of contracts ahead of them? Are they honestly that cowed?

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