June 15, 2011; Vancouver, BC, CANADA; Boston Bruins forward Mark Recchi (28) after defeating the Vancouver Canucks 4-0 in game seven of the 2011 Stanley Cup finals at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-US PRESSWIRE
It’s not surprising that everyone in the hockey world, from humble bloggers to hockey icons are weighing in on the latest of speed bumps affecting the start of the 2012-2013 season. One of our own hockey superstars has decided to add his two cents to the community pot. Mark Recchi, three time Stanley Cup winner and member of our 2011 Stanley Cup Championship team say down with Boston Globe to get his thoughts on the record.
It’s not surprising that # 28 wants to see this lockout end, and soon. “The longer they’re out, the revenues are going to go down and down,” he told the Globe. “Corporate sponsors aren’t going to be lining up…so there goes that money. The schedule isn’t going to be 82 games, I don’t think, at this point. That’s more money lost. So, how are you going to get a better deal? Personally, I think the best time is now.”
Recchi also told The Globe he believes that what will get the negotiations settled and the season started are already in front of them. “There’s definitely a deal there,” he told Kevin Paul Dupont. “Obviously, it has to be fitted. But okay, get it right, then sign the thing for 10 years, get back to playing and don’t worry about it anymore. You don’t want to go through this again in five or six years.”
Recchi knows what he’s talking about. In Recchi’s career he saw three previous work stoppages including the one that blanked out the entire 2004-2005 season. He knows that the once the ink starts to dry, things will go back to usual.
“But look what happened, the players always get their money. They’re always going to get paid, no matter what. Look at that last deal. We ended up with the cap and everyone thought it was a bad deal. But it ended up great, right? No matter what the system is, or has been, the players get their money. No matter what the contract, the owners always find a way to pay them more. That’s why I say, get a deal and get back in there…the money’s always there.”
Recchi also commented on how things would be different if the players had retained their previous director, Paul Kelly. While he doesn’t take any shots at Don Fehr, he believed the climate would have been far more accomodating with Kelly at the helm.
“A dark time,” Recchi told The Globe. “And it has been frustrating to see how it’s played out, obviously. If Paul had stayed on the job, I don’t think you would have seen this happen. The two sides would have started talking long before, maybe a year sooner , and not with two or three months to go before expired. There would have been something in place, absolutely. And now here they are, trying to get to 50 per cent and also trying to make everyone whole. Well, you know, with the escrow we paid, I know I wasn’t made whole over the last few years I played. That’s just the way it was and we accepted it.”
“My advice is that the longer it goes, the worse is going to get .”
Well Bruins Nation, if we can’t listen to one of our own, who can we listen to?