In Sunday's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Penguins player-owner Mario Lemieux suggested that the players need to understand the overall economics of the game, not just their own contracts, and that failing to get a new collective bargaining agreement in place soon would be bad for everyone's bottom line.
"The players really have to understand that the ability to maximize revenues next year is dependent on reaching an agreement as soon as possible," Lemieux said in the Post-Gazette. "Hopefully, they understand that, so we can go out and have our marketing plan and season-tickets [drive] and sell our sponsorships. Have the (June entry) draft, and all the things that need to be in place to maximize revenue.
"The longer we wait, the more challenging it's going to be for us to generate enough revenues. At the end of the day, you can only afford to pay the players so much. The longer we wait, the smaller the pie's going to be and the less there's going to be for the players."
Lemieux said he understands that a new agrement won't fix everything that is wrong with the game, but thinks it would help restore an economic balance. he also said getting a deal done now would help assure that the pool of money available to players and owners would remain big enough to satisfy both parties.
The NHL and the NHL Players' Association have not had a failed bargaining session since last Saturday, when Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky took part at the request of the players. Lemieux said he and Gretzky only took part because they were led to believe the union was prepared to make an offer that included a $45 million slary cap.
"The only way that Wayne and I would have gotten involved is because we believed there was a new proposal coming from the Players' Association," Lemieux told the Post-Gazette. "We were told by some of the players we were talking to that there would be a new proposal on the table at the $45 (million) level."
No such offer was made at the meeting, and the NHLPA later denied that an offer was even in their pocket, never mind on the table. The NHLPA said they only attended the meeting at the league's invitation. League commissioner Gary Bettman later told a New York radio station that he, Gretzky and Lemieux had been "set up" by the union, a notion NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow vehemently denied.
Lemieux avoided such talk in the aftermatch of the failed talks, but acknowledged he felt he was misled by the players - he just doesn't know why.
"It's a mystery to me," he said.
Bill Daly, the NHL's executive vice-president and chief legal officer, feels bad Lemieux and Gretzky had to endure what transipred.
''It's a shame that we had to put Wayne and Mario through an exercise like that,'' Daly told The Canadian Press via e-mail Sunday. ''But at the same time, we have believed throughout the course of these negotiations - and continue to believe - that we shouldn't hesitate to pursue any opportunity to reach an agreement with the union.''
Lemieux also acknowledged that if the union did make the $45 million offer, he's not sure it would have been accepted by the league.
Despite the debacle, Lemieux told the Post-Gazette he would be willing to try agian, even if he's "not sure," exactly what he would be able to do.
"When the time is right, I'm sure Wayne and I would look at it very carefully," he said. "If there's a need, we'll do everything we can to bring back the game."
Lemieux's words were well-times. The NHLPA will have a membership meeting Monday and Tuesday in Toronto, and the NHL Board of Governors will convene in New York Tuesday afternoon.
"I think a deal has to be reached in a couple of months," Lemieux said. "After that, you start losing sponsorships. People start spending money elsewhere. Season-ticket [holders], as well. People find other things to do."
Despite being a player-owner, Lemieux made it clear which side of the fence he was on - in case you couldn't guess. He supports Bettman and the other owners "100 percent."
"I've been on both sides, and I see the economics of the game," he said. "There's only so much money we can afford (to put) toward player compensation. I don't think the players realize that aspect, at this point. Hopefully, they come around and understand the economics of the game better.
"(The key is) just to be able to get in a room with the right people and stay there until they get a deal done," he said. "That should have been done months ago but, obviously, it didn't happen."