Finally, A STARTING Point?!?

1) Key word/phrase we believe is, STARTING POINT.  Why?  This is what the NHL should have sent over to the NHLPA last June instead of that idiotic demeaning proposal that set the stage for 4 months of dead lock.  Had the NHL made this their opening proposal there is a very good chance the season would have stated on time. In fact its likely that training camp would have been uninterrupted.

2) We want to make clear though that this is NOT an end point. No way will the players simply sign off on this. There are still MANY questions that have yet to be answered/disseminated publicly. Such as:

•  How do they get the players share down from 57 to 50% without affecting existing contracts 
• Does this offer change the way HRR (Hockey Related Revenue) is calculated like the opening proposal did
• Most importantly for us at Fauxrumors- Are there new mechanisms in this proposal to address revenue sharing? Its this last bullet point that needs to be looked into. Why? If that is not addressed significantly we will be right back here again with the NHL asking for 'concessions once again

3)  So the 3.3 billion dollar question is what spurned the NHL to suddenly change their stance/make this offer?  To us and from what we have heard its clear; the NHL saw this situation slipping away. They hired a PR firm (Frank Luntz) to get a handle of what the public was feeling. It was right after this that the NHL did their apparent 'about face'.  They likely found what we wrote about just this past Monday, fans are apathetic and aren't missing the NHL  Meanwhile an increasingly large number of NHL players are playing and making a living and it appeared that Donald Fehr would be able to hold the NHLPA firm/united unlike his predecessors(s).  All those factors likely were taken into consideration. Additionally, don't be shocked if another item we were discussing here last week had/is having an effect. Namely pressure from the non hard line owners

4) The ball is now in the players court and the NHL certainly putting the pressure on them to respond. One has to wonder/be careful when the other side is saying  'hurry up and sign!'  The PR is now on the side of the NHL so the players need to tread carefully now. They can't reject this out of hand. Its also unknown if this is a take it or leave it deal?  As they say, the 'devil is in the details', but IF the NHL is ready to negotiate off this proposal there is light at the end of the tunnel, but until we hear answers to the questions we have put out here today we will continue to stay with the current 'count down clock' of no hockey until next fall prediction.  I would like to be found wrong. Meanwhile most fans should be asking Gary Bettman, where was this proposal in June/July????