NHL players submit a plan to expand revenue sharing

Associated Press

Posted: August 16, 2012

TORONTO - The National Hockey League Players' Association made its first proposal on Tuesday in the latest round of collective-bargaining talks with the NHL.

The union said its proposal includes a smaller percentage of revenues for players and an expanded revenue sharing program to help struggling teams

Donald Fehr, the executive director of the NHL Players' Association, said the proposal could "stabilize the industry."

Fehr said players are set to surrender as much as $465 million in revenue under the proposal if the league continues to grow at an average rate. He said that number could balloon to $800 million if the league grows at the same rate it has over the last two seasons.

"We do believe that the proposal the players made today, once implemented, can produce a stable industry ... that can give us a chance to move beyond the recurring labor strife that has plagued the NHL the last two decades," Fehr said.

Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, Steven Stamkos and Jason Spezza were among 23 players that participated in the meeting.

The current deal expires Sept. 15.