Fehr responds to owners' offer
NHL players' union head Donald Fehr claimed that management's latest proposal would cost players more than $1.6 billion over six years.
Fehr sent a letter to players and agents in which he said the attempt to preserve a full 82-game schedule was improved, but "represents very large, immediate and continuing concessions by players to owners," according to a TSN report.
"Simply put, the owners' new proposal, while not quite as Draconian as their previous proposals, still represents enormous reductions in player salaries and individual contracting rights," Fehr said in the letter. "As you will see, at the five percent industry growth rate the owners predict, the salary reduction over six years exceeds $1.6 billion. What do the owners offer in return?"
Owners presented the union a proposal on Tuesday that they hoped would save 82-game season. The league hoped to agree to a deal by Oct 25 and start the season by Nov. 2.
The sides are scheduled to meet again Thursday.
"We do not yet know whether this proposal is a serious attempt to negotiate an agreement, or just another step down the road," Fehr wrote. "The next several days will be, in large part, an effort to discover the answer to that question."
The NHL released details Wednesday, a day after sending it to the union. They are proposing a six-year deal with a mutual option for a seventh. The plan includes a 50-50 split in hockey related revenue and a stipulation that guarantees that players receive all of the money owed from existing contracts.
