this years stanley cup winning captain?

[FanOfSpeed08]

I would love to see whoever it is, not accept it from bettman. Have him put it back down before picking it up. Would send a message:)

[mikecole141]

Really, what message does it send? A veiled attempt by the players to curry favor of the fans by embarrassing a man who is the representative of the 30 teams and if he presents it this year is already going to be booed by the fans. Bettman does not set the agenda, he is their [Owners] representative and it was his job to do what what they needed in order to get this done. He didn't lockout the players on the sole fact that there was no CBA, He did it because the PA wasn't negotiating, and when they started to negotiate and claimed they would play the season while they continued, the League was faced with the same thing that happened to MLB in '94 as orchestrated by Fehr where they claimed they would play the season and then striked part way through for leverage.

Have no illusions that this wasn't the rough start date for both the League and the PA. They were both playing from a playbook that called for a Lockout. I don't blame the League or the Players for the Lockout, it sucked but was probably necessary on order to fix some of the screw ups from the last one. I do however blame them for taking the fans for granted.

That said unless a fan is being awarded the Cup from the Commissioner, not accepting sends no message other than a lack of professionalism.

[andrewconnors9]

U can blame bettman all you want, but its because of him we do have a season. You have to realize Bettman is pretty much the lawyer for the OWNERS; whatever the owners say is what Bettman has to bring forward. You want to be mad at someone, be mad at the owners.

[cardscardscards]

I would love to see whoever it is, not accept it from bettman. Have him put it back down before picking it up. Would send a message:)

That captain wouldn't look too smart. If he's playing in the NHL, it means that he agrees with the new CBA and therefore shouldn't give a temper tantrum to Bettman. If my captain were to do that, I guarantee you he might only have an A on his jersey come next season.

The NHL and NHLPA need to kiss, make up and work on their relation to avoid another lockout. Like it or not, they're stuck with one another, so they might as well find a way to tolerate and maybe even like each other. They need to find solutions to keep the fans happy and well entertained after what just happened.

[RGM81]

This whole CBA dispute business will hopefully be a thing of the past and a distant memory by the time he calls Brian Gionta to centre ice.

[Habitforming]

Captain Serious wouldn't even think of something like that.

[sephiroth]

Anyway Gionta have too mutch class to refuse the holy grail from the hands of anybody.

[centrehice]

Really, what message does it send? A veiled attempt by the players to curry favor of the fans by embarrassing a man who is the representative of the 30 teams and if he presents it this year is already going to be booed by the fans. Bettman does not set the agenda, he is their [Owners] representative and it was his job to do what what they needed in order to get this done. He didn't lockout the players on the sole fact that there was no CBA, He did it because the PA wasn't negotiating, and when they started to negotiate and claimed they would play the season while they continued, the League was faced with the same thing that happened to MLB in '94 as orchestrated by Fehr where they claimed they would play the season and then striked part way through for leverage.

Have no illusions that this wasn't the rough start date for both the League and the PA. They were both playing from a playbook that called for a Lockout. I don't blame the League or the Players for the Lockout, it sucked but was probably necessary on order to fix some of the screw ups from the last one. I do however blame them for taking the fans for granted.

That said unless a fan is being awarded the Cup from the Commissioner, not accepting sends no message other than a lack of professionalism.

Total Balderdash. He locked them out because he threw a hissy fit and that was his 1st form of action, not because of anything the players did. Make up some more crap......

[FanOfSpeed08]

jeez guys it wasnt meant to be a totally serious post. Obviously it would never happen

[flopfish]

Something people often forget is the little gremlin wanted to negotiate last September to avoid this which the players said no. He'll always get hate, but he's trying to make the NHL a well run league and has increased hockey popularity over his reign.