Ice Hockey: replacement players for the nhl?

AP Newsbreak: Thrashers owner fined $250,000 by NHL

By IRA PODELL, AP Sports Writer
October 12, 2004
NEW YORK (AP) -- The NHL fined one of the owners of the Atlanta Thrashers $250,000 on Tuesday for saying the league would use replacement players next year if a new collective bargaining agreement isn't reached, The Associated Press has learned.

Steve Belkin, a member of Atlanta Spirit, LLC -- the group that bought the Thrashers earlier this year -- was given the hefty fine for comments he made over the weekend to the Boston Herald, said an official within the league speaking on the condition of anonymity.

``I deeply regret the comments I made to the Boston Herald, which were my personal, uninformed views, and not those of the Atlanta Thrashers' ownership and management -- nor those of the National Hockey League,'' Belkin said in a statement.


Belkin, a Weston, Mass., businessman, said the NHL had a solution for next fall if a new collective bargaining agreement wasn't reached.

``We are going to try everything we can to resolve this,'' Belkin told the newspaper in its Sunday edition. ``If we reach an impasse and it goes on for a year, we will attempt to bring in other players. That's not good for anyone. That's a last resort. But if that's the only alternative, say, a year from now, we'll probably proceed with doing that, and then hopefully start building up the caliber of the players over a period of time.''

That was more than enough for the NHL to hear. The league has already dished out other large fines to those on the management side who have spoken out of turn during the labor dispute with the players association.

Los Angeles Kings president Tim Leiweke was hit with a fine he called ``a significant amount'' for comments he made last month.

``Board members are reminded periodically about conduct that would violate Bylaw 17.17, which prohibits comments pertaining to the collective bargaining agreement or pending or future negotiations,'' NHL spokesman Frank Brown said. ``In addition to being inappropriate and irresponsible, Mr. Belkin's comments also were factually inaccurate and do not reflect the current views of the National Hockey League.''

Belkin also told the Boston Herald that he believed some NHL players would rejoin the league immediately if it resumed play without a negotiated deal.

``I think over a period of time, (the number of returnees) would grow significantly,'' he said. ``I hope we don't get there, but if that's where we need to be a year from now, I still think it would be the best hockey available in the world. And I think eventually the caliber of the hockey would increase.''

The league's collective bargaining agreement with the players association expired last month, and commissioner Gary Bettman immediately imposed a lockout that threatens the season that was supposed to begin Wednesday night.

The sides haven't spoken or held negotiations since Sept. 9, one week before the old deal ran out, and no new talks are scheduled.

``This whole development raises further doubts about the approach the NHL has taken to date in our negotiations,'' NHLPA senior director Ted Saskin said.

replacement players!?!?!?!!?!?

That would go over like a Lead Zepplin...

I realize that nobody wants them, but why did he get fined for saying that it was a possibility if nothing else happened?