Thursday, February 26, 2004
More stability?
In today's chat for ESPN.com, Bill Clement made the following comment:
San Jose, CA: What is your opinion of a salary cap in the NHL?
Bill Clement: I think it needs to happen to create stability in the sport. Otherwise, the owners will continue to eat their young. It can't be a hard cap. It has to be something tied to revenue, and I think that truly is fair for both sides. Naturally the players would like to keep it the way it is but teams will start dropping like bloop singles if something isn't done.
Stability?
If we're talking cities the only league that has had fewer franchises moving around is Major League Baseball and it doesn't have a salary cap. The NBA and NFL have salary caps but it hasn't helped Vancouver, Charlotte, LA (twice), St Louis, Cleveland, Houston, Baltimore, San Diego, etc.
If we're talking players, what other league can keep a player tied to their organization for 13 years? The NHL rosters are among the most stable in pro sports. Has an NHL team ever lost a 24 year old superstar for nothing like the Orlando Magic did when Shaquille O'Neal went to the Lakers?
As for teams dropping like bloop singles, there hasn't even been one that's dropped yet. It's like extrapolating a nationwide epidemic from a few people getting frostbite. There hasn't even been patient zero yet and they're already sounding warning bells about the illness.
San Jose, CA: What is your opinion of a salary cap in the NHL?
Bill Clement: I think it needs to happen to create stability in the sport. Otherwise, the owners will continue to eat their young. It can't be a hard cap. It has to be something tied to revenue, and I think that truly is fair for both sides. Naturally the players would like to keep it the way it is but teams will start dropping like bloop singles if something isn't done.
Stability?
If we're talking cities the only league that has had fewer franchises moving around is Major League Baseball and it doesn't have a salary cap. The NBA and NFL have salary caps but it hasn't helped Vancouver, Charlotte, LA (twice), St Louis, Cleveland, Houston, Baltimore, San Diego, etc.
If we're talking players, what other league can keep a player tied to their organization for 13 years? The NHL rosters are among the most stable in pro sports. Has an NHL team ever lost a 24 year old superstar for nothing like the Orlando Magic did when Shaquille O'Neal went to the Lakers?
As for teams dropping like bloop singles, there hasn't even been one that's dropped yet. It's like extrapolating a nationwide epidemic from a few people getting frostbite. There hasn't even been patient zero yet and they're already sounding warning bells about the illness.
