Jaromir Jagr Sides with NHL Owners in the Lockout

Jaromir Jagr of the Dallas Stars won’t be the most popular player on the ice when the NHL dispute is finally settled and teams are playing again.  He has recently come out in support of the NHL owners after Washington’s Alex Ovechkin blasted the league and threatened to annul his contract if they try to “skim” and of his money off his deal.

Jagr might be a bit more empathetic as he is an owner.  He plays and operates HC Kladno in the Czech Extraliga.  He acknowledges that only a few franchises are making any money as they have big competition from football and baseball.  Once the World Series is over owners will be a little more anxious to start playing games.

Ovechkin claimed that the owners are trying to cheat players out of paying their existing contracts.  Jagr asks what he means by cheating.  He says that the owners own the team and are just trying to make as much out of their investment/ business as possible.  He acknowledges that the owners have power because in general, hockey it not their only or even main source of revenue.  He implies that the players only have one stream of income; therefore the owners have the power in the situation.

We are hearing something different almost every day with regards to how long this is going to drag on.  Neither side benefits the more games are cancelled for the 2012-2013 season.  As I keep saying, a major loss of the season would be hard for the NHL to come back from.