NHLPA's next move: decertification?

[letangerang58]

The league won't let that happen. It would cause chaos and the league would be in danger of falling apart.

[arctic_rogue]

Actually being united is needed for decertification as they HAVE to vote by a majority to even start the process. Until the process is started the NHL will treat it like an empty threat. But as I said, if they start it, they better be prepare to live with the consequences afterward...most of these players need an education from someone other than the Fehr's.

Not quite. Right now there are questions around unification because a couple of players (Hamrlik and Neuvirth) have spoken out about the NHLPA and/or Fehr. To decertify, they need an initial interest of 1/3 of the players (far from unity needed there) and then a vote where majority wins. I understand what you mean, but unity implies everyone is behind it and in a majority situation of 50% + 1, unity is not needed at all.

[arctic_rogue]

If the NHL calls the PA on this bluff, most likely half of the current NHLPA members (those 3rd/4th liners)will never play again in 2 years time. Guess what, I wouldn't give a rat ass about them because they are simply too dumb to understand the number Fehr did on them.

That is pretty bad thing to say. If the players determine that their current pay is more important than the benefits provided to them, then good for them. As much as you criticize Fehr, look what happened in baseball after he led the players strike - NO MORE WORK STOPPAGES!

[RyWill09]

That is pretty bad thing to say. If the players determine that their current pay is more important than the benefits provided to them, then good for them. As much as you criticize Fehr, look what happened in baseball after he led the players strike - NO MORE WORK STOPPAGES!

He also created something worse than missing a season (in my mind anyway) and partial season with NO WORLD SERIES!!!

Anyone who follows baseball knows that is not a perfect league system, and if it wasn't for the steroids issue there would have been work stopages...they just about destroyed their fan base and have been working hard since to recover it. They had no option but to keep playing. If the Yankees do as they are rumoured to be doing (not spend, spend, spend) the small market teams are screwed!!! Their luxury tax (Yankees) subsidizes MANY teams. I'm not saying that Fehr isn't effective, quite the contrary. But as Ray Ferraro said "I hope they knew exactly what they were getting when they brought in Fehr"

They are not bring up decertification because of Hamerlik and Neiverth, they are bringing it up now because that is exactly what the NFL and NBA did, and really it is the only way to have any power in these negotiations. Lets hope more gets done this week than last!! *crosses-fingers*

[DuklaNation]

Most of the comments on what decertification would mean are roughly accurate. It basically touches the minimum effects. Impact on exisiting deals? What about undrafted players? While there is potential upside for the better players, there is definitely downside for the bottom 20%+. Hard to say how many would be adversely affected. The real problem in the courts is the question of a union decertifying and then recertifying, ie. to circumvent the entire process. This part is unclear and may have been discussed in the NFL proceedings yrs ago.