By Michael Russo
Staff Writer

NEW YORK · The NHL is back in business. Well, almost.

The critical part is over. On Thursday in Toronto, the NHL Players' Association
overwhelmingly voted to ratify the collective-bargaining agreement reached last
week with the owners, one that includes a salary cap, linkage between salaries
and league revenues and salary rollback of 24 percent.

"Like me, all the guys were pretty much, `Enough is enough,'" Panthers
defenseman Mike Van Ryn said. "Obviously, it's been a long wait, and we all want
to play hockey again. We want to help this game grow and show everybody we love
playing this game and this can be the most exciting sport in the world."

NHLPA Executive Director Bob Goodenow said "87 to 88 percent" of the 500-plus
players who cast votes Thursday chose to return to work.

So today's league vote in New York is just a formality.

It's a given that the NHL's Board of Governors will put the final stamp of
approval on ending the labor dispute that resulted in the cancellation of the
2004-05 season. The NHL has already announced today's draft lottery drawing will
be partially televised on ESPN News (4 p.m.).
That will follow Commissioner Gary Bettman's news conference to announce the
NHL's return with potentially radical rule changes, like implementing a
regular-season shootout to snap ties or removing the red line for two-line
passes.

Thursday, Bettman flew to Toronto to have a joint news conference with Goodenow.
For more than a year, the two were bitter adversaries. Suddenly, they were
partners sitting side by side.
"We stand here at a point where we can now together move forward in partnership
to take our great game to spectacular heights," Bettman said. "I think this will
turn out to be a wonderful agreement for the players, a wonderful agreement for
the game and a wonderful agreement for our fans.

"It's the type of agreement that we think a professional sports league like ours
can thrive under for everybody's benefit because we are true economic partners
sharing fairly."

Added Goodenow, "I think that history will show that this was a launching pad
for all aspects of the game."

If revenues increase, the players will share in the pie.

"It's up to us to deliver a great on-ice product, and it's up to the league to
make sure the product is seen and received by lots of fans," said goaltender
Jamie McLennan, the Panthers' player representative.

More than 200 players arrived in Toronto on Wednesday night and were schooled
into the early morning hours on every facet of the new labor agreement, which
will be released today. Besides Van Ryn and McLennan, other Panthers to attend
were Roberto Luongo, Jay Bouwmeester, Mathieu Biron and Darcy Hordichuk.

They were filled in about the salary cap, which has a floor of $21.5 million and
ceiling of $39 million. Because salaries can't exceed 54 percent of league
revenues, the players were outlined detailed team accounting practices. They
talked about revamped arbitration and overhauled free-agency rules.

According to one NHL player, one "hot topic and sticking point" was escrow. A
portion of salaries will be put into escrow and divided among teams if league
revenues don't reach $1.7 billion.

"It's uncharted water," the player said. "We've missed a year, the league lost
[its U.S.] TV contract, so nobody's certain what revenues will be. It's scary."

Until February, the union was steadfastly against a cap and so-called linkage,
so some players came to ask why it was worth throwing away $1.5 billion in
salaries.

"I don't think we could have gotten to the point we are today a year ago,"
Goodenow said. "The discussion that took place over the months was necessary for
both sides to move to where they are today. You may say, `Gosh, that's a hell of
a price to pay, unprecedented, etc.'

"But given where we were, I don't see -- every one will have their opinion
looking backward -- how this could be avoided. Could it have been? Anything's
possible."

Goodenow, who has three years left on a contract that reportedly pays him $2.5
million a year, was asked whether he thinks his job is in jeopardy.

"I've enjoyed working with the players, and I have no vision or idea of any
change whatsoever," Goodenow said.

McLennan said: "It's not up to me. Ultimately, 700 players vote, but I don't see
why he wouldn't stay on."

Still, one player said, "The only question is whether he takes a 24 percent cut
like the rest of us."

Goodenow, smiling, said, "Frankly, we haven't talked about that."

Posted July 22 2005

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