Is An NHL Work Stoppage Brewing?

After having daily dialogue since March, it is now being reported that NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman have not spoken since Thursday. Unless you live under a rock, you know that the NHL is asking for an “increased deferral of salary and an increase in the escrow cap” to help cover the loss the owners will be facing this season as there will be no fans in the seats again(which sucks). The NHLPA argues that a deal is a deal, and they have every right to feel betrayed by the owners. When they agreed to the new CBA, the PA and the NHL laid out best, moderate, and worst case scenarios’s the worst-case scenario being a full season without fans in the stands. The owners were fully aware of this possibility, and blindsiding them has been a trash move from the get-go. Now we learn today from TSN’s Pierre Lebrun that the NHL and NHLPA haven’t spoken since Thursday, which clearly is a “go fuck yourself” from the PA to the league. I don’t think we need to panic yet fully, but if they plan on a January 1st start, I think the owners will have to stop being assholes and honor the deal they signed. Let’s all pray to the HOCKEY GODS that they figure this out, but I am officially worried.

Hearing that NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman haven't spoken since last Thursday. Which speaks to how the players feel regarding the NHL's salary deferral/escrow asks. Still time to salvage this, however. I think next week is important.

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) November 25, 2020

Chris Mancuso

My name is Chris Mancuso I am the CEO of Tarps Off Hockey, I started Tarps Off Hockey with one goal in mind… Put the fun back in Hockey and thats what were doing! Lets get it.

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