The necessary, but painful, CBA secrecy
Jun 17, 2005
The good news in hockey’s Civil War is that peace talks will continue in Toronto on Monday.
“We’re slogging through,” one of the negotiators tells me, “and we’ll be at it the same way when he return to Canada.”
Judging by the lid of secrecy placed on negotiating “progress,” I get the sense that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is being more cautious about leaks than General Dwight D. Eisenhower was on June 5, 1944, 24 hours before D-Day.
Naturally, the leaks have trickled through anyhow; so many, in fact, that it’s difficult to discern fact from fiction when it comes to calling an accurate date for the ice version of Armistice Day.
Two of my best sources insist that, for all intents and purposes, “essentially” the deal is done and an agreement will be announced either just before or after the July 4 holiday.
“That explains the air of secrecy,” my source insists. “The owners don’t want to come out and say anything at this point because it might antagonize the players.”
Reports – all unconfirmed -- are circulating about potential dates for a Draft Lottery (mid-July) with the actual Entry Draft slated for Ottawa around the second week in August.
While these signs all are encouraging – if not deceptive – two of my other sources are quick to quell the euphoria.
“There’s still a lot of work to do,” a league official tells me. “Plenty of details still have to be ironed out.”
Likewise, a team vice-president insists that it is premature to conclude hostilities have ended.
All the NHL will tell us is that “The parties met for twenty-eight hours over four days and will resume on Monday.”
A hint that the end is in sight came via St. Louis where Blues owners Bill and Nancy Laurie announced Friday that their club is up for sale.
Last month word leaked out of St. Louis that the Lauries would sell the Blues but would not make it public until the CBA was completed.
On that assumption, one could conclude that enough progress has been made for them to hang the “For Sale” shingle over their arena.
Another promising sign is that next week’s conferences will continue to be “small group meetings,” which would suggest that major issues have been dealt with and the lawyers now are dealing with the small print.
Although most team officials have buttoned their lips, an occasional comment seems to reinforce the cause of optimists.
For example, on Thursday night, Edmonton Oilers general manager Kevin Lowe hosted a Hockey Hotstove for the club’s season ticket-holders.
Lowe did not go so far as to claim the 2005 CBA was sealed and delivered but he did note that, “The mess is in the rearview mirror.”
But when interviewed by John Manasso of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Thrashers g.m. Don Waddell was more cautious.
“They (the NHL) sent updates that they’ve made progress,” said Waddell, “but they’re not giving us the bits and pieces.”
Perhaps the most enthusiastic comment came from former Thrashers, Braves and Hawks president Stan Kasten who says, “I’m still bullish on the NHL.”
Of course, Kasten is predicating his hope on the premise that a deal will be done.
Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened yet.
Or, has it; and Commissioner Bettman just isn’t tell us.
