NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman wanted to “enjoy the games,” but with impending labor strife two seasons away, Bettman stressed Thursday before Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals that the time is now to begin negotiations with the NHL players union.
Bettman said he is ready to begin negotiations “anytime, anyplace, any day” with the NHLPA and that his major goal for the league is to ensure that when the Collective Bargaining Agreement expires on Sept. 15, 2004, the NHL still has 30 teams.
“We’re committed to getting to 2004 doing everything in our power with 30 teams all where they are currently located. That’s the goal,” Bettman said. “I can’t sit here and tell you that there aren’t things that are going to make my life difficult.”
Bettman said there are some teams that are hurting financially and that the league needs a new economic system.
“It’s clear that no matter how much we have increased and grown the revenues,” Bettman said, “the existing economic system needs to be changed. And the sooner the better.”
Bettman said the union hasn’t shown a desire to begin contract talks and that the league has explained its position to the union.
“The union knows exactly what our issues are and how we think they need to be solved,” he said. “I do believe that the longer this goes on, the harder it’s going to be to fix.”
When asked if a work stoppage was inevitable, Bettman said it was too early to tell but he doesn’t begrudge the players the increase in salaries.
“But . . . all of our franchises need to be healthy and competitive,” he said.
Summertime fun: Bettman said the league and union have begun planning another World Cup of hockey, which will take place before their contract expires in the summer of 2004.
“This is one of the areas where we actually play well together,” Bettman said of management and labor.
The U.S. won the first World Cup–a different version of the old Canada Cup–in 1996.
Why bother? Carolina coach Paul Maurice doesn’t care much for morning skates.
“I hate [them], always have,” Maurice said. “I have our morning skates down to about nine minutes.”
Maurice said he remembers being in Pittsburgh one time watching the Penguins’ morning skate.
After watching the lackluster session Maurice thought, “These guys aren’t ready to play us. We lost 9-2. It was an excellent lesson.”
