“You can’t compare hockey to any industry but to the sports industry. I get many (negative) comments on Twitter and I don’t even start arguing because I’m in a no-win situation.

“Say we take a 20-per-cent pay cut. Tell Vinnie Lecavalier his $10 million will go down to $8 million. ‘Poor him,’ people might say. But the point is, he’s got a contract that was agreed to by both sides and he’s still losing $2 million.

“If the league is doing so well that we want a pay increase, they’ll say, ‘No way, this is a contract we agreed to.’ It should be the same the other way. We don’t mind in a way restricting our growth to help the league, but why should we go back on what we’ve already agreed to? Nobody forced (owners) to give out these contracts.”

-Mathieu Darche, who has UFA status and has been heavily involved in the CBA negotiations. More on Darche's playing status and the CBA from Dave Stubbs of Hockey Inside/Out.