T1B

Roenick wants chance to vote on offers

TSN.ca Staff



2/4/2005

Philadelphia Flyers' star Jeremy Roenick told ESPN on Thursday that he thinks NHLers might be able to live with a salary cap and that the union should allow its membership to vote on any reasonable NHL offer.

That was just one of several revelations made by Roenick on Friday that could rattle the NHL lockout, which entered it's 142nd day on Friday.

Although Roenick said he would like to cast a ballot, he made it clear that the owners have yet to put forth anything worth voting on by the players.

"My personal opinion, I'm in favour of a vote," Roenick said. "I'm in favour of the players determining what they will do themselves. At some point, I do not want someone else making that decision for me. When I see where the game is going and I see the damage that's being done and what we could probably live with - I would like to have a vote, and I have expressed my opinions to the PA, and I've expressed my opinion to other people in the league."

"If that bone was thrown to us by the NHL, by the owners ... it should be up to the players and it should be taken to a vote. If that was the case, I think you might be seeing hockey by now."

Roenick also said that a cap might be acceptable under certain circumstances.

"I really feel that maybe we can survive with a cap," he told ESPN. "Maybe we can survive with a cap - one that's not at a ridiculous level such as what's being offered. I really feel that maybe if there was a bone thrown to us, one that was acceptable, one that the players could gnaw on a little bit, it (a cap) might be feasible.

"But we haven't even got that. We haven't even got anything close to something acceptable. I think a lot of players might want to play for a cap, but not for the cap that they're offering. That bone hasn't been thrown."

The NHL and NHLPA met for nine hours on Thursday and have another meeting planned for Friday. No details of what was discussed are being made public, but Roenick isn't holding out much hope.

"I really don't feel very optimistic," Roenick said. "I think they've really beaten a dead horse, and that dead horse right now is the NHL."

Should the lockout drag on, Roenick said he could see some players breaking ranks.

"When we keep going and going, and National Hockey League players are without paychecks, you're going to get a few who are out there, maybe third or fourth line guys that might (cross the picket line)," Roenick told ESPN. "They might say, 'We need a paycheck, we have to go play. For my own good, for my own well being, for my family.' They might be third or fourth line players who might be making a couple hundred thousand dollars playing in the league - those guys, you never know, they might cross."

Mikey wrote:Who cares?

Hapday wrote:I am sure his wrist will get slapped by the NHLPA any minute and he'll take it all back...

"If that bone was thrown to us by the NHL, by the owners ... it should be up to the players and it should be taken to a vote. If that was the case, I think you might be seeing hockey by now."

Adelpiero wrote:Did he pay his bookie???

JD wrote:

Mikey wrote:Who cares?

The fact that you're reading this forum suggests you do...

Shoalzie wrote:These guys will still make millions with a salary cap...they'll just have to go to other teams to get it. Detroit, Colorado and New York won't be able to stockpile high-priced stars...some of these guys will just have to venture to other teams. I don't know how this league can't go without a cap.

BSmack wrote:

Shoalzie wrote:These guys will still make millions with a salary cap...they'll just have to go to other teams to get it. Detroit, Colorado and New York won't be able to stockpile high-priced stars...some of these guys will just have to venture to other teams. I don't know how this league can't go without a cap.

Tell me again why anyone would want the Rangers players?

Shoalzie wrote:

BSmack wrote:Tell me again why anyone would want the Rangers players?

I'd take Bobby Holik but not at $9 million per season. Teams might take a flyer on Jagr if he wasn't making $11 million. The cap will hopefully end the practice of overpaying star players. With $40 million cap, you won't see a guy anywhere near $10 million. Hopefully $5 or 6 would be the most anyone makes. Also, I hope third and fourth line forwards aren't making more than $1 or $1.5 million.

BSmack wrote:They are the Baltimore Orioles of hockey

Shoalzie wrote:

BSmack wrote:

Shoalzie wrote:These guys will still make millions with a salary cap...they'll just have to go to other teams to get it. Detroit, Colorado and New York won't be able to stockpile high-priced stars...some of these guys will just have to venture to other teams. I don't know how this league can't go without a cap.

Tell me again why anyone would want the Rangers players?

I'd take Bobby Holik but not at $9 million per season. Teams might take a flyer on Jagr if he wasn't making $11 million. The cap will hopefully end the practice of overpaying star players. With $40 million cap, you won't see a guy anywhere near $10 million. Hopefully $5 or 6 would be the most anyone makes. Also, I hope third and fourth line forwards aren't making more than $1 or $1.5 million.

Destrofelice wrote:

BSmack wrote:They are the Baltimore Orioles of hockey

The Orioles are nowhere near as bad as the Rangers. If the NHL had the DH, the Rangers would be 5 DHs and Holik. All shitty free agent teams bow before the Rangers.

BSmack wrote:Fair enough. But we can agree that the O's are the closest comparision possible to the Rangers?

Destrofelice wrote:

BSmack wrote:Fair enough. But we can agree that the O's are the closest comparision possible to the Rangers?

take a look at the Mets track record.