Flyers' Hartnell on players' negotiating committee

By Frank Seravalli, Daily News Staff Writer
Posted: June 29, 2012

FACING ONE of the most important crossroads in the NHL's recent history, one Flyer will have a big say in whether next hockey season starts on time.

After a 3-day executive board meeting at the Peninsula hotel in Chicago, the NHL Players' Association announced that 31 players, including Flyers forward Scott Hartnell, will be a part of the negotiating committee with executive director Donald Fehr.

Hartnell, 30, spent three seasons as the Flyers' team representative for the NHLPA. Braydon Coburn is the current team representative, but not a member of the negotiating committee.

Soon-to-be free agent defenseman Matt Carle was also one of 56 players to attend the meetings in Chicago.

"It's great to see that so many players have chosen to participate in bargaining and get involved in the important work ahead for their association," Fehr said in a statement. "I'm certain this group of players and all players who will be attending bargaining sessions will do a great job."

According to multiple reports, negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement — which expires on Sept. 15 — are set to begin on Friday.

On Wednesday, Fehr said that if there is no agreement by the expiration date, work could go on under the old contract if both sides agree to that.

Bargaining sessions will be open to all players. Other players may soon be added to the negotiating committee.

Currently, players earn a maximum of 57 percent of league revenues, and the NHL will surely try to push that number closer to the 50 percent that players in the NFL and NBA now receive after lockouts.

The NHL, of course, lost an entire season in 2004-05 due to a lockout, making it the only year since 1919 that no Stanley Cup was awarded.

— Frank Seravalli

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