Agreed. Bettman uses “suspensions” from his negotiations with CBAs, and the NHLPAs gullibility as a marketing gimmick, and the owners use it for there advantages.
For issues deemed to require “discipline”, one of the few ways to hit the players is with money. So a player that makes 3m gets 36,585 a game a twenty game suspension costs the player 731,700.
So when this is imposed on the player, why not still have him play at a rate of 27,662 a game? Some fanicifal ideological notion of “punishment”?
Now for the owners, this notion can be used to appease fans for their team assuredly lossing quality and competitiveness to some extent, but they do have an opportunity in it.
Let’s say this player averaged 50points a year. Which is .61 a game., but with only 62 games that total will reduce to 38 for the year. What’s gonna be easier on the cap next contact, a 50 point scorer or a 38pt? Even if not in a contract year, this will effect the total value of the player during the length of his contract.
So, the “rules”, “processes”, & “decisions” are not only ridiculous, they are really just the result of poor negotiators that lead to marketing, salary cap, and other conical opportunities. Gods move by the owners, lousy for the NHLPA
Hey DC! Pretty deep analysis, there, buddy! (Wouldn’t expect any less, coming from you).
Your brain, and the built-in sequencer on my studio synthesizer, share some kinda commonality!! I just can’t quite put my finger on it yet! LOL (props to ya). This is the kind of conversation we should have over a couple of cigars in “the lounge”! Of course, alcohol is mandatory, as well!👍
Between Ozzie’s good post, and your expansion on it, it got me thinking a little bit about suspensions and discipline and money, and some light-hearted pokes at some “rule change” possibilities! (Ok, add in some off season boredom too)!!
So, if a Player that is suspended for a number of games, misses those number of games, and doesn’t get paid, of course, then what is suffered by the player as punishment? It sounds more tit for tat, and non-punishing to me! He doesn’t play/He doesn’t get paid.......SIMPLE!
Hell, for half of these NHL guys, that’s just a little mid-season vacay! How about making a rule that they MUST PLAY in those suspension games....GRATIS!! And as a deterrent to any bad attitude arising from the player, during this “freebie” time, any penalty he receives carries DOUBLE MINUTES, OR, are all considered MAJORS, OR, are both dbl. minutes AND majors! Coach would have to be required to play the guy, for at least half of his average TOI, otherwise head coach may simply sit him on bench!(Just some summer doldrums shit to consider)! LOL
I say, as an old schooler, of course, that there’s no way you could truly implement any of this stuff with these progressively softer suspension rules nowadays! But imagine the repressed “heat” that would’ve built up in the minds of guys like Probert or Berube, after having to hold their tempers for a few “freebie” games, back in the day!! The next game or two, for them, after the suspensions.....well, now THAT would make for some truly gritty-ass hockey!!😂. (Compare that to your “entertainment dollar” hockey, that you’ve mentioned in the recent past, just a time or two)!!🤣😂
I know bro, that’s another cigar conversation!!👍
Hopefully sooner than later, DC!
Rush
