Two pieces this morning from the Buffalo News sort of encapsulate the whole situation for me. The first is about how hockey fans flock to the side of the owners and that's really one big reason why the NHLPA should realize it can't win this ridiculous battle about guaranteeing the "cost savings" they project.
The second article goes on to talk about how the NHLPA is making an example of Rob Ray and how he is fighting back as he sues the NHLPA over his exclusion from their stipend plan. He believes this is because he spoke out about his willingness to play and the NHLPA denies it since, as Ted Saskin keeps saying, they don't muzzle the players. Bull. This man has 900 games in the NHL under his belt - he's earned the right to speak his mind. Yet another case of NHLPA duplicity and yet another reason why soon more players will join the public and demand that the NHLPA quit protecting 30 guys while they punish 720.