Kukla's Korner Hockey
Realignment Put On Hold
by Paul on 01/06/12 at 10:44 PM ET
Comments (32)
added 8:09pm, Make sure to check out the numerous updated being made below…
NEW YORK (January 6, 2012) - The National Hockey League announced today that it will not move forward with implementation of the Realignment Plan and modified Playoff Format recently approved by the NHL Board of Governors for the 2012-13 NHL season because the NHLPA has refused to provide its consent.
“It is unfortunate that the NHLPA has unreasonably refused to approve a Plan that an overwhelming majority of our Clubs voted to support, and that has received such widespread support from our fans and other members of the hockey community, including Players,” said NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly. “We have now spent the better part of four weeks attempting to satisfy the NHLPA’s purported concerns with the Plan with no success.
Because we have already been forced to delay, and as a result are already late in beginning the process of preparing next season’s schedule, we have no choice but to abandon our intention to implement the Realignment Plan and modified Playoff Format for next season.”
“We believe the Union acted unreasonably in violation of the League’s rights. We intend to evaluate all of our available legal options and to pursue adequate remedies, as appropriate.”
As a result of the League’s decision today, the NHL will maintain its current alignment and Playoff Format for the 2012-13 season.
added 7:59pm, adding some rapid reaction from around the league to this below, so check back on a regular basis.
The League says it will not consider any simpler moves of one team (Wpg) to other conference, and maintain current schedule and playoffs.
-John Shannon
This means the #jets get one more season in the Southeast Division.
-Chris Johnston
PA had informed NHL it opposed this realignment plan before Board voted to approve…PA concern re added travel…League imposed deadline
Realignment on way to becoming part of CBA negotiation….Though only two teams voted against Bettman plan, many clubs pleased with PA
Told that union had expected to continue talks at least through all star weekend.
-Larry Brooks
For those who have interest in CBA negotiations…get ready for a brawl between NHL and NHLPA in the coming months.
-Darren Dreger
NHLPA says it was willing to continue to talk this through but league had imposed deadline today… So union said No to plan
League needed deadline because schedule maker has to get going next year’s sked
NHLPA says extra travel was major concern as well as playoff structure…. Union says it consulted with players on conf calls ...
-Pierre LeBrun
An email I just received from Wild owner Craig Leipold:
“To say I am disappointed in the actions of the nhlpa to deny consent to implement realignment for next season is an understatement. Our fans were universally excited to be playing against midwestern teams in the previous old Norris Division.
“I’m disappointed for our fans, our employees and our players. It appears everyone wanted this to happen except the leaders of the players union. I pledge to Wild fans to continue to pursue this realignment plan as aggressively as possible.”
Michael Russo of Russo’s Rants, where you can read more...
“We’d be disappointed if it’s on hold for a year,” Wings general manager Ken Holland said. “This is the first I’ve heard of it, but we’d be disappointed. We voted for realignment.”
via Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press.
It is incorrect+inaccurate to report that the NHLPA “rejected” the NHL’s realignment plan. Never happened. League imposed deadline of tdy.
Remember quote from NHL lawyer: “NHL owners are ranchers, players are cattle”. That about sums up everything.
-Allan Walsh, player agent
PEBBLE BEACH - Commissioner Gary Bettman and the Board of Governors went ahead and announced their realignment without much consultation with the Players’ Association. That was duly noted by Donald Fehr’s side, and we’re going to guess that being dismissed by their “partner” isn’t going to sit real well with the NHLPA.
But will the union stand in the way of realignment?
“They can’t withhold their consent (to realignment) unreasonably,” Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said. “They sent us a letter about a month ago on this issue. We invited their participation in the process. I had two conversations with them in the last week. With Mathieu (Schneider).
“I don’t anticipate there’s going to be any issues.”
-Mark Spector of Sportsnet on 12/6/11 from the BOG Meeting.
An NHL lockout in the social media age would be vicious & fascinating. I predict a “blockout” of the NHL’s Twitter account by its followers.
-Adam Proteau
Spoke with NHLPA source last week on realignment approval. He said travel was major concern. “We’re gathering travel data. It’s a process.”
-Craig Custance
anyone who thought nhl-nhlpa labor talks would be uneventful—that illusion just vanished. nhlpa’s rejection of nhl realignment plan is 1st
-Helene Elliott
In other words, let the jousting begin. Great. Less than seven months to a potential lockout!
-Bruce Arthur
Perhaps I’m wrong, but I really doubt the majority of NHLPA membership has stomach for another work stoppage.
-Lyle Richardson
Here’s a quote from Dallas Stars president Jim Lites on the news that the NHL has delayed realignment because the NHLPA has not provided consent.
“Disappointed,” Lites said. “It’s depressing. I know fans overwhelmingly want this. We fought for this for years, and now to have it there and delayed for reasons that don’t make any sense to me, I don’t get it.”
-ESPN Dallas/Fort Worth
Of course, both #NHL & #NHLPA will now argue their cases in the court of public opinion, spinning facts, fiction & B.S.
-Dave Stubbs
Just spoke with one GM who thinks we’ll ultimately see the realignment plan adopted by the BOG. “We’re still optimistic.”
-Craig Custance
Question: If it was crucial to get the PA’s consent on re-alignment should the NHL not have included them in the discussion from day one?
-Jeff Marek
“I’m disgusted and disappointed but not entirely surprised by that union,’’ Devellano told MLive.com.
via Ansar Khan of Mlive.
Filed in: NHL Talk, NHLPA, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Comments
I uh…can’t say it any better then George did.
This doesn’t bode well…at all.
Posted by mrfluffy from Long Beach on 01/06/12 at 10:53 PM ET
I like this. Just swap Columbus and Winnipeg and end it.
Posted by cs6687 on 01/06/12 at 10:54 PM ET
all of a sudden the mighty league offices are helpless….that’s sort of new. Bit of a disappointment,
Posted by Rdwings28 on 01/06/12 at 11:01 PM ET
So wait.. we’re heading into the last nine months of a labor contract and on something the NHL felt the players would rubber stamp, they’re putting up a stink.
Shocking? Not really. I think they’re just holding a position they’ll wind up conceding later for something they actually care more about. It seems pretty straight forward labor ploy to me.
Why would the NHLPA say yes to anything right now, even if it’s in everyone’s best interest?? It’s just tactics, and now the NHL is firing back to let everyone know it’s the NHLPAs fault this might not happen next year.
The biggest impact that I see is the schedule maker will probably need to devise multiple season schedules to meet different realignment scenarios.
Posted by Aaron from San Jose, CA on 01/06/12 at 11:04 PM ET
This is all about Donald Fehr putting a chip in his back pocket to be used later to get concessions for the NHL during the upcoming CBA negotiations. Pure politics and EGO.
Posted by behind the net in G.R. on 01/06/12 at 11:05 PM ET
Fehr works for the players, not the other way around.
Posted by George Malik from South Lyon, MI on 01/06/12 at 11:23 PM ET
Remember quote from NHL lawyer: “NHL owners are ranchers, players are cattle”. That about sums up everything.
-Allan Walsh, player agent
I guess that makes you a cow patty.
Posted by behind the net in G.R. on 01/06/12 at 11:25 PM ET
Hell, I am still waiting for the NHL to implement the verification goal line. Remember that?
Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 01/06/12 at 11:27 PM ET
The announcement that realignment being dead is not the story here.
The REAL story is that LIL gary and his fellow lawyers just revealed their plan to destroy
another whole season.
F.U. bettman
Posted by Down River Dan on 01/06/12 at 11:29 PM ET
This is nuts. What the hell is really going on here?
Posted by MsRedWinger from Flori-duh on 01/06/12 at 11:33 PM ET
If this heads in the direction it sounds like, I’m done with the NHL for good.
The NFL lost me for good a few years ago, and the NHL seems hell-bent on doing the same. I’m so done with crybaby millionaires that can’t get along with crybaby billionaires.
Posted by Primis on 01/06/12 at 11:37 PM ET
Stricly a leverage ploy by Fehr being they were not asked for their input with the division realignment prior to it shown to the public.
I think the real issue for the owners in negotiations will be guarenteed contracts like the NFL has now.
Didn’t like the realignment divisions anyway. Hope they just switch the Red Wings and Winnepeg for now, and to have the home and home for all the teams.
Posted by cigar_nurse from Greenville South Cakalakee on 01/06/12 at 11:37 PM ET
Seriously? Because the players couldn’t meet the deadline of TODAY, they’re gonna scrap the whole idea, inconvenience how many teams one more year and piss off a lot of fans just so the scheduler is not inconvenienced? WTH!
Posted by SandysWingingit on 01/06/12 at 11:46 PM ET
Thank god there’s the NHLPA. This was always a joke of a plan. Again, simplest format, Jets to Northwest, Minnesota to Central, Nashville to the Southeast, playoff structure the same. Realignment Done.
Posted by phillyd from Southern New Jersey on 01/06/12 at 11:51 PM ET
Any press release from Fehr himself anywhere?
Posted by SYF from a viewing moratorium of NBC's hockey coverage on 01/06/12 at 11:55 PM ET
I getcha, Paul. The stuff I’m reading as well were all about the NHLPA and its lawyers being unable to represent and participate as a Union in the realignment talks at the GM meetings that approved the realignment plan.
One report said that Bettman tried to push it through Fehr and Fehr responded with a left hook.
Heh. And we’re in the last year of the current CBA.
Posted by SYF from a viewing moratorium of NBC's hockey coverage on 01/07/12 at 12:07 AM ET
Heh. And we’re in the last year of the current CBA.
Posted by SYF from “Balls Hill” on 01/06/12 at 09:07 PM ET
And that is what this is all about. Fehr is a pro and is trying to get the upper hand over Gary.
Posted by behind the net in G.R. on 01/07/12 at 12:15 AM ET
The only story I’ve seen on about 6-7 sites is simply the press release.
The league dumped this story out late on a Friday, which is standard in business and politics.
Posted by Down River Dan on 01/07/12 at 12:17 AM ET
Fehr’s official press release is what I want to see and read before I get all pissed off again.
[sigh]
If there is a prolonged hockey strike or lockout, NBC Sports has college hockey willing to take up the usual TV times and I’m looking forward to that. Watching Dartmouth and RPI right now on NBCSN is a real treat.
Posted by SYF from a viewing moratorium of NBC's hockey coverage on 01/07/12 at 12:31 AM ET
Personally I liked the realignment, but wasn’t so sure on the playoff schedule. I wonder who in the PA objected? The main concern I’ve heard about is travel. But I thought that the new schedule reduced overall travel. Was this objection mainly from the Eastern players?
Posted by HockeyFanOhio from Central Ohio on 01/07/12 at 12:50 AM ET
This labor news was depressing me, so I dialed up the chicago/colorado game.
Hawks down 3-0 in the 2nd…...and now I’m feeling better.
Posted by Down River Dan on 01/07/12 at 12:53 AM ET
The REAL story is that LIL gary and his fellow lawyers just revealed their plan to destroy another whole season
The brilliance of your analysis has me wanting more. Please explain the master plan going on here?
Posted by timbits on 01/07/12 at 01:07 AM ET
The brilliance of your analysis has me wanting more. Please explain the master plan going on here?
Perhaps the underlying “brilliance” will be revealed on October 5th or 6th, when you turn on your tv/computer/radio/ and are confused because you can’t find any hockey being played?
Posted by Down River Dan on 01/07/12 at 01:26 AM ET
Oh COME ON. Most fans wanted this new plan. So many fans are sick of the stupid eastern and western conferences already. This is so stupid.
It’s crap like this that really make me want to stop watching altogether.
Posted by BuzzFledderjohn on 01/07/12 at 01:34 AM ET
So many fans are sick of the stupid eastern and western conferences already.
Really? I’m hoping you’re just referring to the names because you do realize that we’ve had 31 years of eastern/western conference alignment in actual geography, it’s just they were called the Campbell and Prince of Wales conferences before and nobody, before the 3 division format, ever complained about that alignment.
Posted by phillyd from Southern New Jersey on 01/07/12 at 01:57 AM ET
Stricly a leverage ploy by Fehr being they were not asked for their input with the division realignment prior to it shown to the public.
Yep. That’s my thought too. The players have been walked on by the league for years on decisions that should be made as partners. I think the PA will agree to it in the end, but they want and deserve the league’s respect. Tough to negotiate a decent CBA if the league doesn’t treat them as equals.
Posted by Nate A from Detroit-ish on 01/07/12 at 02:12 AM ET
Perhaps the underlying “brilliance” will be revealed on October 5th or 6th, when you turn on your tv/computer/radio/ and are confused because you can’t find any hockey being played?
So you think that is Bettman’s plan? He wants a lockout or strike?
Posted by timbits on 01/07/12 at 02:13 PM ET
Tough to negotiate a decent CBA if the league doesn’t treat them as equals.
I’d hardly call them equals. The owners will always have the upper hand because they are the ‘owners’.
While I do agree the PA has been walked over in the past and needs to take a stand, I’m not sure this was the spot. I mean the real losers here are the fans of the teams that are being screwed under the current format. The PA is basically stickin’ it to the fans and that’s not gonna buy them any good PR. Personally I have always been behind the PA when the CBA negotiations were on, but after this BS move it’s going to be a lot harder to garner my support next time…
Posted by cainer4wingsglory on 01/07/12 at 06:26 PM ET
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What the HELL is this about, especially given that the league was able to swap a team out late last year, and may have to do the same with the Coyotes this season?
This is bad, this is very, very bad going forward, and I think there’s way more to this than the PA dragging its feet.
Posted by George Malik from South Lyon, MI on 01/06/12 at 10:52 PM ET