Quote:
Originally Posted by Oil Stain
They don't really have a choice. In between lockouts, players have all the power.
If you don't offer a top player what he wants, he will get it somewhere else, and there is an extremely limited supply of top players.
There actually aren't all that many of these buyout/lockout proof contracts out there yet. There will be more and more as we get closer to 2020, but will it really make much of a difference in a lockout scenario?
All of the players in a position to demand a big signing bonus in the year 2020 in their contracts are the upper echelon of NHL players. These are the guys that always would have been the most prepared to resist folding to owner pressure. These guys can afford to miss 2-3 seasons if they really wanted. These are the guys whose grandchildren are set for life.
These contracts aren't helping out the majority of the rank and file NHLPA members. The guys that really need to make every season count, and the guys that are the most likely to fold. So I think these contracts will really benefit some individuals, but I'm not sure if it will affect the will of the NHLPA as a whole.
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I also think it's important to note that Athletes arent your typical labour force. If a steel mill worker strikes, it's not a tough decision because their job is hard and not fulfilling, so spending time on the picket line is a vacation compared to the daily grind. Hockey players generally really want to go to work. They literally play a fun game for a job. Plus they want to be the best and win awards and are naturally highly motivated people. Sitting at home is like torture.
It's always the low paying guys who get the shaft in every work stoppage. That is true for all industries, not just sports and entertainment. But the low paying guys also know who brings in the revenue for cap increases, minimum wage increases, and expansions. Johnny Gaudreau puts butts in seats, not Morgan Klimchuck. The Flames spending to the cap, putting money into player development, and carrying a well-paying and competitive AHL and ECHL teams only happens if the organization is a financially healthy franchise, driven by talent like Gaudreau and Monahan. It's much like Universities that way. Grants and jobs are created if you have the talent and minds working there.