Both Sides Prepared To Wait It Out

Any hope that a solution will be found to the current lockout that is preventing National Hockey League action so far this season is likely all but lost after the comments that were made by both the NHL Owners and the National Hockey League Players Association earlier this week. An NHLPA meeting this week in Toronto had produced some anticipation of a new proposal; however, it resulted in nothing more than the NHLPA reaffirming their willingness to reject a salary cap system at all costs.

Over the last few weeks, several players including Montreal’s Pierre Dagenais and Calgary’s Mike Commodore had suggested they would be willing to agree to a salary cap system if it would prevent the entire 2004-2005 campaign from being lost. Their statements were not well received by the majority of the NHLPA and part of their meeting was spent convincing any undecided players that indeed they are better off to adamantly refuse the salary cap.

On the other side, the NHL owners are willing to accept no proposal unless it includes a salary cap system in some way. They are intent on regaining control of salaries and they do not think it is possible unless a salary cap is implemented.

The major problem is not that the two sides are disagreeing on a new system; it is that both sides believe, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are completely correct in their stances. Generally in labour disputes, one side is advocating the sensible solution and the other side knows they are completely wrong in their stance but they are willing to be greedy and holdout. In those situations, it usually does not take long for one side to realize how wrong they are and back down in favour of the more sensible solution.

In the current NHL lockout, both sides believe they are one hundred percent in the right. Therefore until both sides acknowledge the problems that exist, there will be nothing to solve. As it stands right now, it is not looking like either side is willing to admit a problem which indicates it could be quite a while before we see NHL hockey again.