NHL "Playing Chicken"!

1) Its a dam shame that even at this VERY late date the NHL/Gary Bettman are playing a high stakes game of brinkmanship with the NHLPA. The word that we are hearing from our well placed sources is that the league is daring the players to file their 'disclaimer of interest' (deadline 1/2/13). They probably won't make any attempt to broker a deal until that deadline is passed. Their thinking is that they (the NHL) would be at a disadvantage in the talks and under the gun. The NHL wants the players to feel the pressure, not them.  "Its so silly to be where we are" is what one source tells us.  " In reality we are a smidgen apart".  So what gives?

2) Yes, as we have written before, its about Donald Fehr!   Gary Bettman fears that Fehr will use any leverage he can to get his clients a better deal. The irony is that even the worst deal the owners could get at this point is still a clear victory for them. Why they are causing further harm to the game is beyond logical. So what will happen Faux?  No one can be sure, but from what we can surmise the players will be forced into filing their disclaimer and at that point the NHL will announce a drop dead date on 1/15/13. Either drop the premise of dissolving the union or its all out (legal) warfare and the season is toast and the only dates we will see on our calendar will be court dates. Players will file literally hundreds of law suits. In turn the NHL will file hundreds of their own. Yes, it can, and very likely will get VERY ugly after the New Year.   The NHL version of the 'fiscal cliff' is coming about the same time as the US government's.  The NHL as we know it might never be seen again. Franchises may not survive this nuclear fall out.  Its insane, but unlike the Cold War when 'mutually Assured Destruction' (MAD)kept the peace, the NHL has no such fear.