After meaningful negotiations between the players and owners fractured like a too-tightly-gripped composite one-timing a point shot, Montreal Canadiens defenceman Josh Gorges expressed his frustration and confusion to Sportsnet.
“To hear some of the moves (the owners) tried to make in the last proposal, it’s very disheartening,” Gorges told Sportsnet Friday after a practice session in Montreal. “What is this all about?”
Gorges said that the owners have achieved their desired 50/50 split of revenue “for a month now” and yet the league is still pressing the players on other issues.
“It can’t be about money. Is it about power? Is about them not wanting to show that they can give into us, that they can give us a little bit?
“Even if they agreed to give us all we’ve asked for in this last bit of negotiations, it’s still a concession by the players. It’s not a concession by the owners,” the defenceman continued, more bewildered than angry. “I don’t understand what they want from us.”
Trust is lost, as far as Gorges is concerned, who is suspicious of the league trying to hide HRR.
“How can you take them at their word?” he said, speculating that the NHL is using threats to get its way.
Such tactics, Gorges explained, have only served to galvanize the players.