St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page B011

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH Bll Players9 counter-offers quickly rejected BY JEREMY RUTHERFORD jYutherfordposMispatch.com 314-444-7135 A sense of optimism about the return of the NHL quickly turned to pessimism Thursday, when the NHL Players' Association made a counter-proposal to the league, and it was rejected in less than 15 minutes. "It's clear we're not even speaking the same language," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said. Attempting to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement on the day that would have been the Blues' home opener, the NHL and the union admitted they don't know where talks will head from here. Almost assuredly, Thursday's developments will lead to the cancellation of more regular -season games.

"This is probably as pessimistic as I've been," Blues captain David Backes said. "We may not be close, but closer (to an agreement), than we have been during the whole process. But at this stage of the game, I don't see an ending in sight. Once they start canceling games till December, I think both sides will look to make up what 10.19.2012 FRIDAY 1 they've lost." Two days after the NHL proposed a 50-50 split in hockey-related revenue (HRR), a move viewed as a potential breakthrough in the negotiations, the NHLPA made a proposal in Toronto on Thursday that included three separate offers. But in response to the league's offer to make contracts "whole" in Years 1-2 of a six-year CBA, the union's counter-proposal called for all existing contracts to be paid in full, which would fail to make the agreement 50-50 in the first few years.

And, according to the union's offer, an even split wouldn't happen unless the league reached a specific growth in revenue. Bettman said that the NHLPA's proposals were "nowhere close" to the league's offer Tuesday. None of them, he added, "even began to approach 50-50" split in revenue. After Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly returned to New York, the NHL released a statement. "The so-called 50-50 deal, plus honoring current contracts proposed by the NHL Players' Association earlier today is being misrepresented," Daly said in the statement.

"It is not a 50-50 deal. It is, most likely a 56- to 57-percent deal in Year One and never gets to 50 percent during the proposed five -year term of the agreement. "The proposal contemplates paying the players approximately $650 million outside of the players' share. In effect, the union is proposing to change the accounting rules to be able to say when in reality it is not. The union told us that they had not yet 'run the We did." Backes did not disagree with Daly.

"We think that we can get to that 50-50 number, but those (existing) contracts should be honored," said Backes, who has four years remaining on a five-year, $22.5 million contract. "I don't think (Daly's) comments are incorrect by any means, but we're saying those contracts should be honored." NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr pointed out that players accepted a 24 -percent rollback in salary to end the 2004-05 lockout and by going from 57 percent of HRR in the now-expired CBA to 50 percent in a new deal would mean another 12 percent in rollbacks. "How could that be fair? Fehr said. Fehr acknowledged that league officials quickly rejected the union's proposals and ended the talks. "Today is not a good day," Fehr said.

"It should have been, but it wasn't." Bettman had said the NHL's latest offer was the best way to guarantee an 82-game season, which could start on Nov. 2. But that hinged on an agreement happening before Oct. 25, something seen as highly unlikely after Thursday's developments. Bettman also indicated that the Winter Classic game between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs, to be played at the University of Michigan, is certainly in jeopardy.

A decision to cancel that game could be made soon. The only thing not expected soon is more negotiations. None are planned. "I don't know what the next step is," Bettman said. "I'm really discouraged." 3 WEST COUNTY VOLVO 636-227-8303 westcountyvolvo.com 1 441 0 MANCH ESTER ROAD, MANCH ESTER, MO SAT.

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