Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal wrote this on December 6th, but it still holds true today and probably every day going forward until we have a new agreement.

Lemme get this straight. The NHL’s second-in-command Bill Daly, normally a solid voice of reason, says term limits on contracts “are a hill to die on” in this nauseauting labour battle that is now in day 83. Term limits on contracts? C’mon, Bill. You’ve got to kidding.

The NHLPA says they’re fighting tooth and nail too on how long a player can be signed. Really?

The NHL wants five years, and only a five percent difference in salaries from year to year, but will go to seven years max if a team wants to sign its own free-agent. The Players Union wants eight years.

Are they both nuts? Arguing over that? How many of the 690 NHL players have a contract longer than the five years they so steadfastly say they will want unless a team opts to sign their own free-agent and they’ll allow then a little wiggle room to go an extra two seasons. I bet you 600 of those 690 NHL players have contracts five years or less. So we’re talking about three players a team with a contract longer than five years. And that’s a deal-breaker?

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