NEW YORK (AP) — The NHL wage cap might get its first massive improve since earlier than the pandemic before anticipated.
Commissioner Gary Bettman mentioned there’s an opportunity gamers could possibly be completed paying off what they owe house owners from pandemic income losses as quickly as this season, which might imply the cap going up $4 million or extra subsequent summer time.
Preliminary initiatives had been for one more modest $1 million bump and an even bigger improve in the summertime of 2024, however there’s now extra optimism about 2023 after Bettman mentioned the league generated $5.4 billion in hockey-related income final season.
“Income’s fairly vibrant,” Bettman mentioned Tuesday after a gathering of the NHL’s Board of Governors. “The enterprise is nice, and so issues are trying doable for (gamers’ debt) being paid off this yr. If we miss it, it’ll be shut and it’ll be subsequent yr.”
The league and union agreed to maintain the cap flat popping out of the pandemic and use escrow funds to make up for what gamers owed house owners to separate income 50/50. That meant the cap staying at $81.5 million for 2 seasons earlier than going as much as $82.5 million this yr.
With new U.S. media rights offers and different income streams flowing, it could possibly be over $86 million within the not-too-distant future.
WORLD CUP QUESTIONS
Discussions proceed between the league, NHL Gamers’ Affiliation and the Worldwide Ice Hockey Federation over internet hosting a World Cup of Hockey in February 2024. Bettman conceded the events concerned are working out of time to fulfill that timeline.
“We’re getting near no matter that deadline is,” Bettman mentioned. “We’ve bought to be a place within the foreseeable future to wrap up all the problems, in any other case it might delay the World Cup.”
Among the many ongoing points is what to do with Russia, given the warfare in Ukraine and what number of Russia-born stars at the moment play within the NHL. One choice is to have them play as an entity that isn’t Russia, however different international locations that may be concerned have made it identified to the league that’s not sufficient and so they don’t need Russian gamers taking part.
“The battle within the Ukraine makes it troublesome to take care of the Russian subject, and we’ve definitely heard from a number of the taking part international locations or international locations who would take part would have objections to Russian participation within the World Cup,” Deputy Commissioner Invoice Daly mentioned. “Clearly (it’s) one thing that’s related and we’d take into accounts in reference to making selections.”
Bettman emphasised: “We haven’t made any selections. There’s nonetheless lots of work that must be executed earlier than we even would get to that subject.”
COLE FALLOUT
After a league investigation discovered nothing to substantiate allegations in opposition to Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ian Cole, Bettman mentioned these conducting it exhausted each doable technique to get in touch with the one who posted them anonymously on social media. He known as it “fairly complete.”
“Tried all the pieces that you are able to do off an nameless tweet of a just lately set-up account,” Bettman mentioned. “There was nothing that was discovered that would substantiate these allegations.”
The Lightning suspended Cole with pay whereas the investigation was ongoing, one thing the NHLPA took subject with as soon as he was reinstated. The union mentioned in an announcement final weekend: “Gamers ought to by no means be topic to suspension or self-discipline in response to unsubstantiated and nameless accusations. Eradicating a participant from his workforce underneath these circumstances is inappropriate and grossly unfair.”
Bettman mentioned he understood that perspective and deferred to the Lightning for what was a workforce choice to droop Cole. Transferring ahead, the league will proceed to deal with comparable conditions on a case-by-case foundation, as they’ve for a number of years.
“It will depend on the circumstances,” Bettman mentioned. “I don’t suppose I can provide you a blanket rule as to the way you take care of it, however we’re delicate to the difficulty.”
HOCKEY CANADA REVIEW
Bettman mentioned the NHL’s investigation into the continuing scandal involving Hockey Canada is “nearer to the top than the start.”
The league started the method of holding its personal evaluate after information surfaced that Hockey Canada settled a lawsuit with a lady who mentioned she was sexually assaulted by eight members of the nation’s world junior workforce at a gala in 2018. A number of gamers from that gold medal-winning workforce are at the moment within the NHL.
Bettman mentioned the timing of the report, which he has vowed the league will launch to the general public, would rely upon the evaluate being executed by police in London, Ontario.
“We are able to give attention to what we have to do to really feel that now we have a complete report, and that work is ongoing,” Bettman mentioned
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Comply with AP Hockey Author Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno
___
Extra AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
NEW YORK (AP) — The NHL wage cap might get its first massive improve since earlier than the pandemic before anticipated.
Commissioner Gary Bettman mentioned there’s an opportunity gamers could possibly be completed paying off what they owe house owners from pandemic income losses as quickly as this season, which might imply the cap going up $4 million or extra subsequent summer time.
Preliminary initiatives had been for one more modest $1 million bump and an even bigger improve in the summertime of 2024, however there’s now extra optimism about 2023 after Bettman mentioned the league generated $5.4 billion in hockey-related income final season.
“Income’s fairly vibrant,” Bettman mentioned Tuesday after a gathering of the NHL’s Board of Governors. “The enterprise is nice, and so issues are trying doable for (gamers’ debt) being paid off this yr. If we miss it, it’ll be shut and it’ll be subsequent yr.”
The league and union agreed to maintain the cap flat popping out of the pandemic and use escrow funds to make up for what gamers owed house owners to separate income 50/50. That meant the cap staying at $81.5 million for 2 seasons earlier than going as much as $82.5 million this yr.
With new U.S. media rights offers and different income streams flowing, it could possibly be over $86 million within the not-too-distant future.
WORLD CUP QUESTIONS
Discussions proceed between the league, NHL Gamers’ Affiliation and the Worldwide Ice Hockey Federation over internet hosting a World Cup of Hockey in February 2024. Bettman conceded the events concerned are working out of time to fulfill that timeline.
“We’re getting near no matter that deadline is,” Bettman mentioned. “We’ve bought to be a place within the foreseeable future to wrap up all the problems, in any other case it might delay the World Cup.”
Among the many ongoing points is what to do with Russia, given the warfare in Ukraine and what number of Russia-born stars at the moment play within the NHL. One choice is to have them play as an entity that isn’t Russia, however different international locations that may be concerned have made it identified to the league that’s not sufficient and so they don’t need Russian gamers taking part.
“The battle within the Ukraine makes it troublesome to take care of the Russian subject, and we’ve definitely heard from a number of the taking part international locations or international locations who would take part would have objections to Russian participation within the World Cup,” Deputy Commissioner Invoice Daly mentioned. “Clearly (it’s) one thing that’s related and we’d take into accounts in reference to making selections.”
Bettman emphasised: “We haven’t made any selections. There’s nonetheless lots of work that must be executed earlier than we even would get to that subject.”
COLE FALLOUT
After a league investigation discovered nothing to substantiate allegations in opposition to Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ian Cole, Bettman mentioned these conducting it exhausted each doable technique to get in touch with the one who posted them anonymously on social media. He known as it “fairly complete.”
“Tried all the pieces that you are able to do off an nameless tweet of a just lately set-up account,” Bettman mentioned. “There was nothing that was discovered that would substantiate these allegations.”
The Lightning suspended Cole with pay whereas the investigation was ongoing, one thing the NHLPA took subject with as soon as he was reinstated. The union mentioned in an announcement final weekend: “Gamers ought to by no means be topic to suspension or self-discipline in response to unsubstantiated and nameless accusations. Eradicating a participant from his workforce underneath these circumstances is inappropriate and grossly unfair.”
Bettman mentioned he understood that perspective and deferred to the Lightning for what was a workforce choice to droop Cole. Transferring ahead, the league will proceed to deal with comparable conditions on a case-by-case foundation, as they’ve for a number of years.
“It will depend on the circumstances,” Bettman mentioned. “I don’t suppose I can provide you a blanket rule as to the way you take care of it, however we’re delicate to the difficulty.”
HOCKEY CANADA REVIEW
Bettman mentioned the NHL’s investigation into the continuing scandal involving Hockey Canada is “nearer to the top than the start.”
The league started the method of holding its personal evaluate after information surfaced that Hockey Canada settled a lawsuit with a lady who mentioned she was sexually assaulted by eight members of the nation’s world junior workforce at a gala in 2018. A number of gamers from that gold medal-winning workforce are at the moment within the NHL.
Bettman mentioned the timing of the report, which he has vowed the league will launch to the general public, would rely upon the evaluate being executed by police in London, Ontario.
“We are able to give attention to what we have to do to really feel that now we have a complete report, and that work is ongoing,” Bettman mentioned
___
Comply with AP Hockey Author Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno
___
Extra AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
