Players face 'cap' decision -- Newsday.com

TAMPA, Fla.

The final touches were being put on a voluminous collective-bargaining agreement last week, but there isn't any stronger solidarity in the NHL Players Association.

In fact, it seems ready to explode again in yet another controversy between a large percentage of players and the union's embattled leader, Ted Saskin. The argument is about next season's cap, which the NHL has said could be as high as $46 million, according to revenue projections.

Saskin would rather have the cap be closer to $40 million so the escrow taken is at a low or zero percentage. The players would rather take the maximum number and have escrow taken out because, in theory, that would mean they would be guaranteed to get the 54 percent share they agreed to in the CBA. Also, there would be more money to go around to free agents.

"At the upper limit, there's more total dollars being spent on players," Atlanta Thrashers player rep Andy Sutton, who is under contract for next season, said this past week. "It creates more of a healthy marketplace."

But it also keeps the system honest. As it stands this season, it is not a given the players will get a 54 percent share. The season began with a 12 percent escrow taken off the first three paychecks of the season, but as the NHL realized it would surpass its projected revenue of $1.7 billion by almost $500 million, the escrow dropped to 8 percent and then zero. The players will be getting all of their escrow money back. But will it amount to a 54 percent share?

You can understand the players' concerns and mistrust in the system and why they would surrender an escrow. If it means they get money back, they at least know it has a better chance at being 54 percent of the revenue share than if they have zero escrow and the league has yet another surplus in revenue.

"I don't like the escrow," Sutton said, "but it's part of the system. We have a responsibility as players and agents to extract as many dollars for the players as they can, and it's the responsibility of the owners and the players to grow the game."

Trouble in Tampa, Vancouver

The Tampa Bay Lightning is so concerned about its goaltending situation that general manager Jay Feaster made an attempt to bring Stanley Cup-winning goalie Nikolai Khabibulin back at the trade deadline, but he couldn't agree to a deal with Chicago GM Dale Tallon. Now the Lightning is stuck with Sean Burke, who broke the tip of his right index finger in practice Thursday and is out indefinitely, and John Grahame, who has been inconsistent this season.

Meanwhile, Vancouver is a much bigger mess in the West. Todd Bertuzzi was not dealt at the deadline, and it is one of the worst-kept secrets around the league that the Canucks' locker room is a bad situation right now. There's even talk that coach Marc Crawford's job could be in jeopardy. Vancouver lost five straight before a win over Columbus on Friday, but the Canucks are in a dogfight with five teams for one of the final three spots in the West. Two points separate the sixth-place Canucks from ninth-place Anaheim.