Quote:
Originally Posted by Gaudfather
Re the next CBA - Bettman loves a negotiation in an environment of hostility - it is his raison d'être !
|
I think he's really just trying to stock up on his carrots to dangle. He knows the players are going after getting rid of the escrow, and he also knows that it's going to be hard to argue against at the very least modifying it given the way the league revenues have trended since its introduction. He knows Olympic participation is a big bargaining chip so if he can offer that in addition to a few other small concessions he probably believes he positions the league to not have to give in on escrow. My guess at the end of the next round of bargaining we see Olympic participation, a reduced escrow and the cap escalator removed.