For any of you who thought negotiations between the NHL and NHLPA were going to go smoother this time around, think again.

Yesterday the NHL made two proposals to the union. One of them was a $37.5 million dollar team salary cap. The other, a fixed link between player costs and league revenues, reportedly set at 54%. There is also a minimum salary threshold of $22.5 million dollars per team. Both of these offers are notably lower than the last offer the NHL made before canceling the season.

The union didn't seem all that thrilled with the offers. Bob Goodenow said that the proposals were similar to ones the union has already rejected in the past. The union would, however, take a look at them and respond accordingly.

Bob McKenzie at TSN reports that these offers will stay on the table only for a limited time. That time period will end sometime before the April 20th Board of Governors meeting. It is speculated that the owners will consider the option of replacement players at that meeting.

Larry Brooks thinks that all signs are pointing towards scabs.

Al Strachan of the Toronto Sun seems a little frustrated with Bettman and the NHL.

"Yesterday, Bettman presented two offers that he knew had not the slightest chance of being accepted . . . No matter how much rhetoric he produces, he clearly does not want a negotiated settlement."

Sportsnet has a long article on this whole situation. They are also reporting that the NHLPA has a three day meeting of the executive committee that will start next Tuesday.

So basically, if you thought they were getting closer a few weeks ago, they just took a few steps apart yesterday. I am curious to see what the union's response will be. The 24% rollback they had been offering would just about be useless to the owners now. There are not going to be too many existing contracts left out there in another year. The NHLPA indicated, through their counterproposals, that they were willing to accept a salary cap, despite years of telling everyone they would never agree to one. Let's see what they come up with.

The Hartford Wolf Pack got some veteran defensive help yesterday by signing former Ranger Joel Bouchard. And it is put up or shut up time for the Pack, who face the Manchester Monarchs tonight on the road. Hartford, who is coming off of two straight losses, trails the Monarchs by two points for first place in the AHL Eastern Conference.

HDH

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