not quite yoda
Registered User
MTL should be able to spend up to the cap this season and will be one of the teams least hurt by loss of revenue due to the lockout thanks to their old and loyal fanbase.
But the cap limit (where big money teams will spend up to) will rise as league revenues rise. I do not see MTL's rising very much in the future as they have already max'ed out. Local companies that want to be associated with the team already are. The whole city (make that hockey world) already knows full well about the team. I don't think the fanbase or ticket sales can grow much being that we already lead the League in attendance.
They are already one of the top revenue teams. They can't improve there. Yet what has been killing them fiscaly are their expenses (the real estate tax). Add to that now that the top revenue teams will have to donate money to the weaker revenue teams... rumoured to be in the 6 to 8 million$ a year range... and that seriousy handicaps MTL.
Although the cap will allow them to keep up in spending inthe short term with the DET and NYR of this world... and that the new CBA will in theory help the CDN teams survive and compete... I don't think it realy serves MTL well once league revenues begin to grow. MTL's revenues can't grow much (unless the NHL eventualy gets a major TV contract in the states and all teams benefit). And their spending money is about to go down.
The fact that their payroll will have to shrink from about 45M to 37M can cancel out the revenue sharing loss. But if the CAP gets to 45M or 50M in 5 years, they shouldn't be able to spend up to the cap at that point. Unless I am missing something.
Goes to show you that you (Bettman) can't please everyone.
But the cap limit (where big money teams will spend up to) will rise as league revenues rise. I do not see MTL's rising very much in the future as they have already max'ed out. Local companies that want to be associated with the team already are. The whole city (make that hockey world) already knows full well about the team. I don't think the fanbase or ticket sales can grow much being that we already lead the League in attendance.
They are already one of the top revenue teams. They can't improve there. Yet what has been killing them fiscaly are their expenses (the real estate tax). Add to that now that the top revenue teams will have to donate money to the weaker revenue teams... rumoured to be in the 6 to 8 million$ a year range... and that seriousy handicaps MTL.
Although the cap will allow them to keep up in spending inthe short term with the DET and NYR of this world... and that the new CBA will in theory help the CDN teams survive and compete... I don't think it realy serves MTL well once league revenues begin to grow. MTL's revenues can't grow much (unless the NHL eventualy gets a major TV contract in the states and all teams benefit). And their spending money is about to go down.
The fact that their payroll will have to shrink from about 45M to 37M can cancel out the revenue sharing loss. But if the CAP gets to 45M or 50M in 5 years, they shouldn't be able to spend up to the cap at that point. Unless I am missing something.
Goes to show you that you (Bettman) can't please everyone.