Flames make ankle guards mandatory - CBA violation?

[morgin]

Originally Posted by Flames in 07

Why are you so confident in that bet?

As for being public about it, that's one thing I liked about Sutter, everything was done in-house with very few leaks. Feaster likes to brag about every idea he comes up with, almost to validate that he belongs.

Because while it's funny to armchair discuss GM's being daft, these guys are high level executives who are very intelligent and quite frankly miles beyond any forum poster when it comes to understanding hockey and the business side of it. They may make PR mistakes (which is what my post is commenting on), but their day to day in the hockey world is not something your average fan would really get. It similar to how the general public perceives CEOs in other industries, like all they do is sit around reading the news and any everyman could do the job. In discussing things I think people sometimes lose sight of the fact that being really passionate and knowing a lot about a sport does not qualify you to work at an executive level in it.

[mikeecho]

Originally Posted by Flames in 07

Why are you so confident in that bet?

As for being public about it, that's one thing I liked about Sutter, everything was done in-house with very few leaks. Feaster likes to brag about every idea he comes up with, almost to validate that he belongs.

When was the last time Feaster actually said anything? Serious question... I can't even recall the last time he's said anything. If I'm not mistaken, he didn't even speak at the fan day a few weeks back.

I've heard McKenzie, Dreger and a few other insiders refer to Calgary as an organization that is extremely tight with stuff.

Sutter wasn't any tighter lipped. You just needed to know how to decipher him. I'm not trading Dion Phaneuf actually meant I'm gonna trade him later this week.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by mikeecho

When was the last time Feaster actually said anything? Serious question... I can't even recall the last time he's said anything. If I'm not mistaken, he didn't even speak at the fan day a few weeks back.

I've heard McKenzie, Dreger and a few other insiders refer to Calgary as an organization that is extremely tight with stuff.

Sutter wasn't any tighter lipped. You just needed to know how to decipher him. I'm not trading Dion Phaneuf actually meant I'm gonna trade him later this week.

link?

[Pointman]

Originally Posted by morgin

I'd be willing to bet a lot of money on the fact he and everyone else in management knew it was kind of offside the rules but they really don't give a #### and it's a fight they are willing to have.

What I don't understand is why they seem ok being public about it.

Probably they knew they can't keep it secret anyway so decided to be open about it from the start rather than try to conceal it and get caught.

[Flames in 07]

Originally Posted by morgin

Because while it's funny to armchair discuss GM's being daft, these guys are high level executives who are very intelligent and quite frankly miles beyond any forum poster when it comes to understanding hockey and the business side of it. They may make PR mistakes (which is what my post is commenting on), but their day to day in the hockey world is not something your average fan would really get. It similar to how the general public perceives CEOs in other industries, like all they do is sit around reading the news and any everyman could do the job. In discussing things I think people sometimes lose sight of the fact that being really passionate and knowing a lot about a sport does not qualify you to work at an executive level in it.

Not all high level executives know what they are doing. I've learned that along the way. At all levels there are people who don't have the skill set to be where they are.

The best example I can think of is Matt Millen with the Detroit Lions. To be a high level executive you need to convince a person or a board you are good enough. Sometimes the decision maker makes the wrong hiring decision.

I don't profess to know more about hockey than Feaster, I bet I know less about hockey than 3/4 of the people here. What I do know is that high level executives, who are competent enough to hold their job would know that CBA inside out. This is a small gaff in the sense it had small consequences but its the same type of gaff as the ROR deal last year where he doesn't have a proper working knowledge of a contract that dictates precisely how they can act.

[GGG]

Feaster kept a lid on all of the big trades last year.

It was Boston leaking like a siv that caused the issues. So when Feaster wants to they are very good at being tight lipped so I think releases like this are intentional.

[Oil Stain]

It's funny that the owners don't try harder to negotiate things like kevlar socks or mandatory ankle protectors into the CBAs. They must lose quite a bit of money paying for replacements, and sometimes missing the playoffs on account of injuries.

Guess hammering down on the players percentage of revenue is the big priority, and the players probably want too many concessions if they allow the owners to make their job safer. Crazy.

[renny]

um.. doesn't this article seem contradictory?

Flames players have informed the Players Association they were strongly encouraged by Flames management to wear the shotblockers, but were told the equipment wasn't mandatory.

then right after we have

However, Feaster says this is a mandatory team policy which may create a problem as such a policy could be viewed as a CBA violation.

So the players have told the PA that the Flames management has strongly recommended but haven't mandated that they wear protection. But right after, Dreger paraphrases Feaster saying that it's mandatory per the team.

So.... which is it? Did Flames management mandate this or did they strongly suggest?

[FAN]

I really don't think an NHL team can mandate the use of ankle guards at this point in time. You can strongly suggest it and players will likely give it a try, but most players don't seem to like it. Until ankle guards are better implemented and more players use them, I think players are at a competitive disadvantage wearing them. But that could be more psychological more than anything. If you're out there on the ice and thinking of how the ankle guard is affecting your skating you're not going to play too well. But let's face it, there are lots of players who rarely block a shot. I can see it making sense for a defensemen, but at the end of the day if your star forward, who rarely blocks a shot or misses games due to ankle injuries, feels that the ankle guards get in the way, are you really going to force him to wear the guards?

[strombad]

Originally Posted by renny

um.. doesn't this article seem contradictory?



then right after we have



So the players have told the PA that the Flames management has strongly recommended but haven't mandated that they wear protection. But right after, Dreger paraphrases Feaster saying that it's mandatory per the team.

So.... which is it? Did Flames management mandate this or did they strongly suggest?

Doesn't really matter. If the player told the PA it was strongly suggested, that's all that matters and it's a non-issue. Even if Feaster says it's mandatory, if the players don't relay that then it doesn't matter.

[Stay Golden]

I find the NHLPA to be an odd duck. You would think they would be more about player safety. This isn't an accurate comparison but most Goalies wear throat guards but I don't believe it is mandatory just smart.

[Poe969]

It's a union. They care more about money than anything else.

[sworkhard]

Originally Posted by Flames in 07

Not all high level executives know what they are doing. I've learned that along the way. At all levels there are people who don't have the skill set to be where they are.

The best example I can think of is Matt Millen with the Detroit Lions. To be a high level executive you need to convince a person or a board you are good enough. Sometimes the decision maker makes the wrong hiring decision.

I don't profess to know more about hockey than Feaster, I bet I know less about hockey than 3/4 of the people here. What I do know is that high level executives, who are competent enough to hold their job would know that CBA inside out. This is a small gaff in the sense it had small consequences but its the same type of gaff as the ROR deal last year where he doesn't have a proper working knowledge of a contract that dictates precisely how they can act.

You realize that the final CBA hadn't been released yet at the time of the ROR offer sheet, right? His interpretation was based on the Memorandum of Understanding and not the CBA. The issue wasn't that he didn't know what the MOU said, but rather, what that he interpreted differently than the league, and didn't clarify. The Avs appear to have made the same mistake given how quickly they matched. The MOU didn't dictate precisely how they could act, as you assert, but rather, was a document that outlined what would become the CBA, but was missing a lot of details and clarifications that would eventually make it into the CBA.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

link?

http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id...vid=nhl-search

He used to play for Calgary, now he plays for Toronto. He was traded. Check the "notes" tab for details on the trade.

[renny]

Originally Posted by Buff

http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id...vid=nhl-search

He used to play for Calgary, now he plays for Toronto. He was traded. Check the "notes" tab for details on the trade.

When was the last time Feaster actually said anything? Serious question... I can't even recall the last time he's said anything. If I'm not mistaken, he didn't even speak at the fan day a few weeks back.

I've heard McKenzie, Dreger and a few other insiders refer to Calgary as an organization that is extremely tight with stuff.

Sutter wasn't any tighter lipped. You just needed to know how to decipher him. I'm not trading Dion Phaneuf actually meant I'm gonna trade him later this week.

Pretty sure he was talking about the part in bold, not Phaneuf =P

[sec304]

even the TSN comments are with the Flames on this one... and I've never seen TSN comments reasonable before now!