well not that I care that passionately, but to counter your points...
1. They already *did* give up fighting for more money by agreeing early on for the 50/50 split, walking away from 7% of what they got under the old CBA
2. The pension was re-introduced with this CBA...if they signed the last one without a pension it's obviously not the hill they were willing to die on.

So in the later stages of this saga, they chose to fight over something as far as I can tell, that wasn't a big issue.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

I highly doubt their financial situation is so awful that they need to milk for more money. Most of these guys have freaking mansions, see the Youtube video on Derek Roy. When they're willing to strike and postpone a season based on small changes to their pay check, you better believe fans will be pissed. Managing millions so you don't go poor isn't hard, it's called don't spend wildly. The NHL is in a tough position, it needs changes, but you want more dinero that you already make a lot of? No, I don't buy that.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

Again, B&Y...why do you question how they manage their money? Did anything tip you off that across the NHL most players are irresponsible math-tards that overspend "wildly" causing themselves to "go poor"? They want pensions....I'm not them....where is the reason I should be pissed? I seem to be missing it. Also, since the bulk of NHL players make under 1 million a year, why use the "mansion" owning Roy as an example who will make 5.5 million this year and who has made 24 million over his pro career? And...most of them have mansions? Mansions?

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While the definition of "mansion" can be debated, like I said earlier, even the crappiest players are making $500k a year.
They're the 1%...all of them.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

They're not managing their money, they're striking for it. Costing the NHL a season, costing the fans a season, destroying the workflow of local businesses and those who only work if a season is in place is NOT worth what THEY received. Both sides went balls out for no good reason, and what they got in exchange in my eyes just isn't worth all of that. And mansion, yes, exaggeration, but they're not exactly living in poverty. They're rich, and like Crosscheck said, even the bad players make a lot of money. The rookies and the depth guys make that money. Most of the starters make at least a million.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

I don't know, maybe I'm just in a really good mood and am feeling pretty forgiving but I side with the players. Lofty owners pinching more money brings up visions of Mr. Burns releasing the hounds and with that midget, pinched face shit bag Bettman repping them it just makes the taste that much worse for me. He has poisoned the brand and needs to be exiled. That being said, meh, I think players regardless of how much they make are still human beings at the end of the day. Who am I to say when their paycheck is good enough?

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I agree owners can be dickbags and they had a lot to do with it too, but it's hard for me to side with anybody since I find faults in both sides. Bettman saying the NHL is profiting then saying it's doing poorly is pretty shifty, but the players fighting tooth and nail for so little... Idk.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

The NHL itself was profiting, but not all of its teams are.

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

I don't think anyone yet mentioned that the players would still play the game even if they had to pay a few bucks to use the rink. THAT'S why I'm convinced they're greedy. I already laid out an indisputable scenario where they only "work" for their entry level deals, and then can retire(not lifting a finger after)at the age of 21, and are pretty set for life IF THEY DON'T FUCKING SQUANDER IT(that's the part where their management of funds came into the discussion). You can leave that "worked their ass off for it" shit at the curb, too. I know people who bodybuild just for the chance to put up an entry fee to get a shot at a trophy. Them staying in shape is a bullshit scenario. You're SUPPOSED to stay in shape, cuz it's good for ya.

ps, I'm also shocked cross used the term 1%'er.

lastly, as vanekfanatic pointed out, where's all the tears for the owners who lose money(millions) year after year? Did they fight hard enough for THEIR pensions? The only people who are guaranteed money in this league are the players. I wonder if they even realize that. An owner could spend $500 million on a team, lose tens of millions in payroll annually, and then if there's an economic downturn, sell their team at a loss of maybe $200m. Would the players even play if they had that kind of uncertainty?? Doubt it.

Hey, I say if you're gonna go for it, go for it all the way.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

Just as the players were not forced to choose hockey as a career, the owners were not forced to purchase a hockey team.

Besides, the owners weren't losing money at the rate they say they were, if at all.

I'm pissed about the lockout like the rest of you, and there was plenty of childishness to go around. I will say this though: they got a long term deal done. They addressed the core issues and went over things with as fine-toothed a comb they could. They met countless times in different formations. They brought in mediators. And you know what else, BOTH SIDES COMPROMISED.

That's the way negotiations work. If only our Congress worked the same way, maybe we could accomplish something as a society.

And if I were to take a side, I'd pretty much agree with this. What a shock right? Me siding with labor.

...and at what rate were any players losing money? My point is that the entrepreneurs are taking a big risk buying/owning a club, and the players take no risk whatsoever. How does that make even a 50/50 split fair? Also, it's obvious you're REALLY reaching for an argument, because hockey player isn't a career choice, it's a dream come true(much like winning the lottery). You're basically telling the powerball winner he had the choice not to buy the ticket when he's on tv crying about how tough winning a zillion dollars has been on him.

Players do not take "no risk whatsoever". They are the ones whose physical lives are on the line. They are they ones who could quite possibly end up with a broken-down body in their old age. They are the ones who might commit suicide or OD. They also don't all make it to the NHL, and many who do barely ever see much money. So the players have both their physical and financial lives on the line. On the other hand the owners risk only their money, and I'd guess pretty much all of them have money to spare or they'd never own a hockey team in the first place. It's just patently untrue that the owners have "more" at risk if you ask me.

I just did a quick scan of capgeek and if you play in the NHL you're making at least $500-600k
There are plenty of guys on entry level contracts int he AHL making over $1mm and again, at the least $500k.

So I'm not sure who you put in this group of guys that don't make much money.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

If you make $500K for say one season and never make it back to the NHL, I'm not sure that's a huge payout for dedicating the first 20 years of your life to that goal. Then what do you do after when you maybe haven't gone to college and don't qualify for a CHL scholarship because you made the NHL? They certainly can't all go into coaching and broadcasting. I'd love to make $500K in a year, but I'm pretty sure there's a less glamorous underbelly to the business for many players.

And capgeek is telling you their pay at the NHL level only probably. They make much less in the AHL, where almost all their work is done. That million dollar contract is prorated to how many games they play in NHL.

They would only make at least $500K if they played the whole season in the NHL.

yeah, you're right. Their actual salaries span from $150k to $850k
Entry level contracts.
In the AHL

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Hold my beer and watch this...