Zamboni Drives Into U.S. HHoF
“There are three things in life that people like to stare at: a flowing stream, a crackling fire and a Zamboni clearing the ice” – Charlie Brown
Ah yes..the Zamboni. The mystical machine that motors it’s way around the ice in between the three periods of a hockey game, magically smoothing the ice that was sliced and diced by the two teams during 20 minutes of play. We watch them go round and round while honored guests ride alongside of the operator.
The inventor of these motorized ice-resurfacing machines, Frank Zamboni, was recently added to the list of those who will be enshrined in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame this year. To be honest, I’m somewhat surprised that Mr. Zamboni hasn’t already received the honor.
Frank Zamboni was born January 16, 1901 in Eureka, Utah… the son of Italian immigrants. He grew up near the town of Pocatello, Idaho where is parents bought a farm when young Frank was just a year old. It is on this farm that he developed certain mechanical skills that would benefit him later in life.
In 1920, he and his younger brother Lawrence relocated to the Los Angeles area where Frank’s older brother George owned an auto repair business. After a couple of years tinkering with cars, in 1922 Frank and Lawrence opened up an electrical supply company in the Los Angeles suburb of Hynes… now a part of Paramount. That business built and installed the large refrigerator units that local dairy industries used to keep their milk cold.
In 1923, Frank married and the couple went on to have three children.
As the demand for their cooling devices grew into the produce industry, the Zamboni brothers built a plant that produced block ice that was used to transport the product cross-country in rail cars. However, as the technology surrounding modern refrigeration improved, and demand for the block ice shrank, Frank and his brother Lawrence looked to other ways to make their expertise with ice pay off.
The brothers capitalized on the growing interest in ice-skating. The activity was very popular in southern California, but there were very few rinks. So in 1939 they, along with a cousin of theirs, built the Iceland Skating Rink in Paramount…which is still open and operated by the family today and the Zamboni factory is nearby.
Originally an open-air facility, it had 20,000 square feet of skating surface and could accommodate as much as 800 skaters. However, they soon came to learn that the California sun and the dry winds of the desert played havoc on the quality of the ice surface…so the rink was covered.
Over the next few years, Frank devised a process that eliminated the rippling effect on the ice caused by pipes that were implanted under the surface to keep the ice frozen. In 1946 he obtained a patent for that invention.
However, the biggest problem for the rink had to do with the amount of time and labor it took to resurface the ice. To do this job, a scraper needed to be pulled behind a tractor along the ice. Then, three or four workers would come behind and scoop away the shavings. Water was then sprayed over the ice surface, then the workers would squeegee it. Once the water was allowed time to freeze, it was ready for the next round of skaters. This process could take up to an hour and a half to complete.
The challenge the Zambonis were faced with was…how could this process be shortened so that more paying customers could enjoy time on the ice?
In 1949 Zamboni invented a device that completely revolutionized the entire ice resurfacing process. It took the 90-minute, three-man chore and reduced it to a 10-minute, one man job. That very same year he applied for a patent for the new machine and created Frank Zamboni & Company in Paramount in order to build and sell his new invention. He was granted the patent in 1953.
Zamboni’s ice resurfacing machines were first built on top of a Jeep CJ-3B. Then, between 1956 and 1964 they were built upon stripped Jeep chassis.
As demand grew for the “Zambonis”, a second factory was opened in Brantford, Ontario as well as a branch office in Switzerland. In the 1970’s Zamboni created machines that could remove water from outdoor artificial turf fields, remove the painted stripes from those surfaces and rolling up/laying down artificial turf in stadiums. His last invention came in 1983…an automatic edger that removes ice buildup from the edges of rinks.
Two years after his wife died, Frank Zamboni lost his battle with lung caner in 1988 at the age of 87. His Zamboni company is still owned and operated by his son and grandson.
Zamboni is the word used to describe any and all ice resurfacing machines… even though other companies manufacture other similar-type machines. And today, Zambonis are as much a part of ice rinks as open-iced check and double axles.
Hockey fans consider it a thrill to be able to ride the Zamboni during intermissions of games. In fact, last month when many of us gathered at TJ’s for the NHL draft Party…and many great prizes that were given away…none was more coveted and sought after than the prize package that include four tickets to a game plus a ride on the Zamboni between periods.
I was happy to see a 9-year old young as the winner! The look on her face…priceless!
So well done, Mr. Zamboni…I hope you enjoy watching the induction ceremonies from the great ice rink in the sky when you and your invention enter into the U.S. Hockey Hall of fame.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
83 comments Add your comment
GaVaHokie
July 29th, 2009
12:14 pm
It’s amazing it took so long for Zamboni to get into the US Hockey Hall of Fame… I could maybe understand “the” Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, but the United States?! What was the hold up?
World Be Free
July 29th, 2009
12:24 pm
The rink I played on as a kid was too cheap to buy a Zamboni. They still had the scraper to remove snow and a barrel on wheels with a rubber mat to resurface the ice.
Frozen ponds were fun too-the loser of the draw was sent out at the end of the day to poke hole in the ice to let the water up.
I prefer a Zamboni. Thanks Frank.
Smoothie
July 29th, 2009
1:10 pm
Really when you think about how important this machine is to the game of hockey played in any organized form, it is an absolute travesty that Mr. Zamboni wasn’t honored for his contributions to the world of hockey before he passed away in 1988. As my lovely co-conspiritor Punch Bunny would say, that is “RIDIC”!!
Jim
July 29th, 2009
1:12 pm
I drove one of the early Zambonis in Worcester, MA around 1968. It was a converted Jeep with a manual transmission that, for some reason, was mounted backwards. Along with several levers and wheels for controlling the depth of the cutting blade and water flow it was quite a machine.
English Teacher
July 29th, 2009
1:29 pm
I wanna ride the Zam-bo-ni!
Anne
July 29th, 2009
2:26 pm
Hi Rawhide! Greetings from Finland. Just booked my trip to Atlanta for next season….hopefully I see you then
I cannot wait to season start…I’m going Florida-Chicago game beginning of October here in Helsinki. Finally we get real games here….not only those “practice” games 
Wings fan in Ga.
July 29th, 2009
3:30 pm
It takes Mr. Zamboni this long to get into the US Hockey Hall of Fame, but only 11 years for the whole 1998 US Women’s Team? No offense to women’s team, but gosh.
Glovesave29
July 29th, 2009
3:55 pm
I always find it sad that there are so many similar stories floating around regarding posthumous honors such as this one. To award this to the man who almost singlehandedly changed an aspect of our sport almost 6 decades later is stupefying to me. I’d like to know the story behind why this took so long. It’s such an obvious honor to bestow upon him (them).
To anyone who has exited the locker room ready to play a game…only to see the figure skaters at the end of their practice standing around and digging huge gouges into the ice with the heel of their blade as they wait for their turn in the harness or to do their compulsory figures knows the true value of the Zamboni. Thanks Frank!
HookyBob
July 29th, 2009
7:06 pm
WBF: Those were the days my friend,…our town had a barrel,..but mounted on sled, with the rubber mat (or was it a piece of carpet?), and often pulled by a slew kids. Had to shovel then ice first,….then filled barrel with hot water as it would help melt any remaining loose stuff. The Zamboni is to hockey what air conditioning is to the south.
Also, recall when we finally got a used Zamboni,..built on the jeep frame (as noted above by Jim) and looked like a piece of farm equipment. Some friends took it out on the town streets late one night. They laid some slick, really slick, spots before returning. Perfect for hookybobbing.
So do any of you recall closing the rink’s doors so the ice wouldn’t crack from the cold?
Rawhide, great article. A fine story to fill in, refresh, the background and lore of our grand old game. So, who was Lord Stanley, Punch Imlach, Toe Blake, George Vezina, Billy Christian (ever see the bumper sticker “Take a Christian to the arena”?),.etc. It would be good to be reminded who are the Babes, Ty Cobbs, Wrigleys, O’Malleys, Robinsons, etc of Hockey. The next 6 weeks are the perfect time Hockey History 101. Carry on Professor Willy Tilly.
Come to think of it,…great job over the last two years.
Rawhide
July 29th, 2009
7:35 pm
WBF, Jim & HookyBob – Great stories! Oh, and thanks HB!
Anne – Look forward to seeing ya again! Enjoy the games.
The Earl of Bud
July 29th, 2009
8:58 pm
Rawhide, why don’t you just take the old conference and division names and give a HookyBob lesson on those? Then go to the awards names and have that be HookyBob lesson #2 although you will get Adams, Norris & Smythe again so maybe a different format is needed. Although World Be Free and Pam on Weck will want something on Punch Imlach.
World Be Free
July 29th, 2009
9:14 pm
EOB-Punch Imlach was one of the names on my change list-he was a great old guy with a bad heart.
HookyBob-WOW! You brought it back allright. As a kid, played at an indoor rink that was 3/4 outdoor (open) in Hamburg, NY at an old military base. The rink was 3 miles from Lake Erie. If you skated NW you got snow and wind chill in the face. We didn’t have visors back then, but it was so cold your hands would steam up when you took off your gloves on the bench. You are so correct-those were the days, my friend!
You could not skate on Lake Erie-too much wind, the ice never became flat and even enough to play, only ice fish. Enough of that stuff.
That’s why I moved to ATL!
thrashyou
July 30th, 2009
7:29 am
The Atlanta Thrashers have signed forward Josh Gratton and defenseman Michael Vernace to one-year deals.
five_hole
July 30th, 2009
7:37 am
A facinating story. Thanks Bill.
Sage of Blueland
July 30th, 2009
8:54 am
According to Wikipedia, Mr. Zamboni designed his first machine by following a well-formulated 5-year plan. Look how that turned out…
Suckers.
Toby
July 30th, 2009
8:55 am
Now all we need is the Brass Bonanza to be inducted!!!
Pam on Weck
July 30th, 2009
9:38 am
I don’t remember how they smoothed the ice at Allen Park Ice Rink in Jamestown, NY. That’s where I played as a kid. I wasn’t very good except at tripping, so I got to hang out at the blueline.
MOST WANTED
July 30th, 2009
10:30 am
Kovalchuk re-signing
J.B.
July 30th, 2009
10:59 am
How ’bout a source MOST WANTED?
The Earl of Bud
July 30th, 2009
11:06 am
“According to Wikipedia, Mr. Zamboni designed his first machine by following a well-formulated 5-year plan. Look how that turned out…
So what Sage of Blueland is trying to say is that one day Don Waddell will be long overdue for making the Hockey Hall of Fame but will ultimately get in no less. His fingerprint however will be left on the sport for all future generations to see and appreciate. Thank you for adding that Sage of Blueland. William Tiller VII will be writing about it.
World Be Free
July 30th, 2009
12:09 pm
Pam-the Swedish influence from Jamestown!
MOST WANTED
July 30th, 2009
12:11 pm
NO SOURCE, JUST WISHFUL THINKING.
Brendan
July 30th, 2009
12:22 pm
So, the Sage imposter is back.
Toby
July 30th, 2009
12:25 pm
How many are there?
GaVaHokie
July 30th, 2009
12:35 pm
Thrashyou… thanks for the headsup… found it on http://www.capgeek.com
Not seeing anything official on the Thrashers page.
Both are depth moves for Chicago… Josh Gratton you might see once in a blue moon. He’s a fighter… and not a very good one.
R. Stroz
July 30th, 2009
12:40 pm
GaVaHokie – Why not simply re-sign Hoffman instead of bringing in Gratton?
PUTTING ON THE FOIL
July 30th, 2009
12:42 pm
GaVaHokie- great link. Thanks
J.B.
July 30th, 2009
12:42 pm
his hand keeps breaking
Alan
July 30th, 2009
2:07 pm
Don’t know if anyone saw this yesterday. I’ve been a pretty infrequent poster lately.
NHL BoG unanimously approves Jerry Reinsdorf’s application to buy the Coyotes.
Glovesave29
July 30th, 2009
2:12 pm
Yeah, I saw that Alan. The Canadians are all up in arms about Balsille getting rejected. It’s makes for humorous reading! The NHL has every right to choose who their partners are. Balsille went public and spat in the face of the league, so he’s getting what he deserves. The only way the Yotes move to Canada is if its not BlackBerry Jim and its to Winnipeg.
GaVaHokie
July 30th, 2009
3:46 pm
Stroz… and everyone else, i suppose… Ben Wright has a pretty good write-up on Gratton and Vernace.
He touches briefly on the Hoffman issue and long-term comparisons with Boulton.
http://www.bluelandblog.com/
GaVaHokie
July 30th, 2009
3:53 pm
Vernace has some “wheels” too… he’s definitely an Anderson system guy… watch him join the rush on this play and get the shot off.
http://www.nhl.tv/team/console.jsp?hlg=20082009,2,1217&fr=false
R. Stroz
July 30th, 2009
4:43 pm
GaVaHokie – Thanks for the link.
lee
July 30th, 2009
4:53 pm
nice blog rawhide! i do indeed wonder why it took so long for zaboni to get into the hockey hall of fame when so many other people took only a couple years.
lee
July 30th, 2009
9:14 pm
yeah, it seems like this gratton guy is gonna be good!
Glovesave29
July 30th, 2009
9:30 pm
Sergei Zubov just signed with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL.
Glovesave29
July 30th, 2009
9:32 pm
The KHL also registered the contract of Jiri Hudler, saying the absence of a transfer agreement pushed them to do it. Can we say blackmail?
R. Stroz
July 30th, 2009
10:52 pm
It’s time the NHL gives the KHL the finger.
If Waddell is still interested in Kiwi, the Thrashers should bring Kiwi back just to make a point. You piss on my bed and I’ll crap on yours.
Alan
July 31st, 2009
2:21 am
Honestly? I get the feeling I know the full plan behind Hudler’s departure, and I somehow doubt the “absense of a transfer agreement” pushed the KHL to do anything.
Confused? Perhaps. But you have to understand how Kenny Holland works in order to see where I’m going with this.
Sadtoseeitthisway
July 31st, 2009
4:00 am
Here`s a candidate(s) for the hall of fame. The twins in the pink sweaters in the movie “Slapshot”. Seeing them caused the Zamboni driver to be cited for failure to maintain his lane.
Sara
July 31st, 2009
7:27 am
Alan – Hudler leaving solves cap space issues but the reason the KHL is ratifying this contract is because other NHL teams are daring to try and sign their Russian draftees. Vancouver I believe is the one at the moment trying to get something done with one of their guys.
This whole thing is the most ridiculous p!ssing contest I’ve ever seen.
World Be Free
July 31st, 2009
7:57 am
Sad to see-only when they jumped up and down on a continual basis!
I am not so certain the sight would be so appealing 32 years later! Good one though, I forgot about Billy’s girls!
Glovesave29
July 31st, 2009
9:06 am
I am merely quoting Medvedev…if there are alterior motives and/or issues behind the scenes (which there inevitably are) then so be it. I am not going to read into this and try to dissect it using half truths, rumors and innuendo…that is Eklund’s job!
Alan
July 31st, 2009
9:51 am
Sara, how far does the rabbit hole really go? It’s a lot deeper than merely cap space.
Smoothie
July 31st, 2009
11:42 am
Wow, the month of August is really going to suck. The deadest, darkest, slowest time of the year…if only I had saved more Thrashers games on my DVR to get me through the hockey-less doldrums!!
Toby
July 31st, 2009
11:46 am
Maybe it’s the month we hear Kovy signed for 10 more years…
Glovesave29
July 31st, 2009
12:00 pm
Hudler now just signed with Detroit for 2yrs / $5M. WTF? Medvedev’s gonna blow a gasket
Alan
July 31st, 2009
12:11 pm
Sportsnet’s story is inaccurate..
Glovesave29
July 31st, 2009
12:18 pm
I was wondering why he turned down $3M per year for up to 5 years, to sign with the KHL for $5M for 2 years…only to accept $2.5M for 2 years. Strange. And getting more so…
Smoothie
July 31st, 2009
1:46 pm
Holland knows he can’t afford Hudler and probably figures it is not worth the fight even if they have a valid beef. Sure would be nice if Bettman would at least step in and make a statement. I guess Daly has been the mouthpiece on this one, but Gary B needs to step up and take a stance or start working towards a transfer agreement that works for both sides.
Kiwi was under contract so he should have been untouchable, but the KHL is over-stepping their bounds registering a contract before the arbitration hearing has finished and a decision rendered. Hudler was sure to be a UFA by 8/3 when Holland walks away from the arbiter’s decision so I’m not so sure why the KHL team couldn’t wait…they’re offer of $5 M per is likely to not be matched by any NHL team.
Alan
July 31st, 2009
1:54 pm
Detroit and Hudler parted ways long before this hearing took place. They all knew his intentions, and he had the blessings of the team. They all seem to appreciate what he did while he was with the team. Considering Detroit’s cap situation, it’s also easy to say he’s now “taken one for the team” by leaving his salary on the table to play in Russia.
I’m positive there’s more to the story, but I would be Eklunding if I posted my theory. There’s not enough room on the internet for the one Eklund that is already present as it is.
Randy
July 31st, 2009
2:09 pm
More 4th line forwards and AHL D-Men – typical Waddell moves
Randy
July 31st, 2009
2:10 pm
if you guys dislike Eklund, why do you keep reading his crap?
Glovesave29
July 31st, 2009
2:17 pm
Alan – gonna submit Eklunding (that’s great!) to Colbert for “The Word” segment? If so, please send it along with stendectify! It’s like a modern version of “sniglets” from the Rich Hall program on HBO back in the 80’s
Please post your theory, i’d like to hear it – Eklund presents his clueless and uninformed garbage as fact. Do you feel they are talking to him about his return once he completes his deal with the KHL? Do you think the Wings are hanging themselves out there and are ripe for the league to step in like they are in the Hossa / Blackhawks issue?
Glovesave29
July 31st, 2009
2:24 pm
Randy – people read the National Equirer and they know it’s full of it, but ya do it for entertainment’s sake. It’s pretty damn funny how seriously he takes himself despite the fact he’s almost always wrong.
Toby
July 31st, 2009
2:29 pm
Many over on the HF boards have Bertuzzi signing here. I hope not…..
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=668608
Toby
July 31st, 2009
2:30 pm
PS…Long from official…all opinions…
Smoothie
July 31st, 2009
2:58 pm
“Sniglets”…ha, I remember those now! Thanks glovesave for the walk down memory lane. Solid arcane reference there.
Alan, I am sure Holland knew before anyone what Hudler’s salary demands would be, but why qualify him at all? I thought he would become a UFA if no QO was tendered by the deadline on June 25th (see Chicago Blackhawks screw up). Perhaps Holland hoped he’d be able to use Hudler’s rights in a trade, but I don’t think you’re theory (I’m guessing) would support that line of thinking.
Smoothie
July 31st, 2009
3:38 pm
An interesting summary of FA rumors from the DET Red Wings perspective:
http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2009/07/dabbling_in_the_red_wings_rumo.html
GaVaHokie
July 31st, 2009
4:30 pm
Strange that Eklund thinks Bertuzzi will be a Leaf when on Spectors Blog, which Eklund reads and “respects” has a Calgary article where Bertuzzi himself believes he’ll be with a Southeast team (dismissing any Leaf rumors).
http://spectorshockey.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=419:nhl-rumors-friday-july-31-2009&catid=5:trade-rumors&Itemid=4
GaVaHokie
July 31st, 2009
4:39 pm
Toby… I’ll take Bertuzzi… 44 pts in 66 games in an injury plagued year? As long as we don’t lose anybody in the process, like White or Peverley, I’m fine with it.
Smoothie
July 31st, 2009
4:45 pm
Considering our team’s apparent youth movement, I think there is a snowball’s chance that Todd Bertuzzi comes to ATL. More likely he’ll end up in Florida somewhere a step closer to his retirement home.
All things considered, ATL, if interested, has got to be in a good positioin to land either Malhotra, Pyatt or Moore (less likely since we don’t need another pivot).
Brendan
July 31st, 2009
4:58 pm
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=457975
According to a report in the Ottawa Sun, the NHL wants to find out if the Hawks and Hossa ever discussed the idea of him retiring before his contract expires, which would be a violation of the collective bargaining agreement and salary cap.
The red flags are up because Hossa’s cap hit over the length of his deal is $5.23 million but he will receive a bulk of his $62.8 million up front. If he retires prior to the end of the deal, the cap hit goes away.
Hossa is due an annual salary of $7.9 million for the first seven years of the deal. He’ll make $4 million in the eighth year of the deal, but only $3.5 million over the last four years of the contract.
“We’re trying to understand how (the contract) was negotiated and whether the intent and effect is to circumvent the cap,” NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly wrote in an e-mail to the Ottawa Sun. “This was the first of the long-term contracts that took a player out past the age 40, and the value of the contract in its ‘out years’ was dramatically lower than its early years. We want to know if the possibility of player retirement was ever discussed or even contemplated.”
The Sun report said the Hawks could face a maximum fine of $5 million and lose some draft picks if the League’s investigation concludes with the finding that Hossa and the Hawks did indeed discuss retirement before the contract is due to expire.
lee
July 31st, 2009
5:29 pm
I bet hossa will retire. i think he just wants more money.
Sara
July 31st, 2009
6:35 pm
Hokie – how did you get Southeast out of that? I read it as “not a Canadian team.”
Unless Anderson and/or Waddell has already determined that not a single solitary prospect is capable of making the leap to the NHL next season, I don’t see where they sign anyone else.
R. Stroz
July 31st, 2009
6:36 pm
The Blackhawks mess up the RFA qualifying offers then circumvent the CBA with the Hossa contract.
Looks like the Blackhawks play by their own rules.
So does Bettman stand up to Scotty Bowman or lie down and take it like the pansy we all believe Bettman to be?
Place your bets, the window is open.
World Be Free
July 31st, 2009
9:40 pm
I thought the Black Hawks were screwed up when Bill Wirtz owned them.
His son seems worse!
Glovesave29
July 31st, 2009
9:55 pm
The NHL is eyeballing the Pronger deal with Philly for the same reason…a lessened cap hit.
Brendan
August 1st, 2009
1:48 am
I ask everyone to keep one thing in mind. Perhaps the Blackhawks are innocent? Hey, it’s not nice to do rim shots during my posts! “Innocent until PROVEN GUILTY” is a phrase that’s tossed about frequently. And, I’m sorta wondering … just how WOULD someone go about PROVING this guilt? (1) Recorded conversations. Who would have done that? The Blackhawks? Not likely. Not unless they were preparing a “How we FINALLY built our Stanley Cup Championship team documentary,” and they wanted to document the signing of Hossa, to include the negotiation process. And Heaven help them if they did. Perhaps nobody had time to delete the missing 22-minutes of the Blackhawk-gate tapes. What about the NHL? The NHL doesn’t wiretap its teams, to the best of my knowledge. What about the FBI? (Chuckling.) Unless the Blackhawks or Hossa or Hossa’s agent … are suspected of terrorist activities, I think we can cross that one off the list. Generally-speaking, a wiretap requires the approval of a Federal Magistrate, who requires the establishment of ‘probable cause’ that criminal activity is occurring. While hockey fans might think the Blackhawks have behaved in a less than exempliary fashion during this offseason, the establishment of a CRIME has yet to materialize. There’s been plenty of bending and breaking of the CBA. But the CBA isn’t part of the Constitution, or societal rule of law, as spelled out of the criminal code (USC) or Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). And we shouldn’t expect an Amendment proposed up on Capitol Hill anytime soon to include it. Oh wait… would this be an opportunity for the Federal Gov’t to seize control of a private sector, and publicly traded company? Okay, maybe they will!! Will Obama oust Bettman and take over the NHL, using his Federal Henchmen? Hold on there, before ya say no!! Obama would probably install new accountants who’d actually lower the cap, and redistribute the wealth of revenue-sharing more equitably, and establish salary parameters that would actually allow the Phoenix Coyotes to have a pretty legitimate shot at winning a Cup. But I digress.
Okay, what about voicemail messages? From that long ago??? Who saves a voicemail message that long? They’ve long since been recorded over or erased. And they won’t be magically resurrected. So what else does this leave? (2) Testimony of the participants, with direct access. Hmmn. Hossa gonna fess up? No. His agent? No. The GM?? The Bowmans?? The owner?? Highly unlikely. If there’s a cleaning lady … who’ll swear out an affadavit that she heard the Blackhawks talking about Hossa’s early retirement … it’s still circumstantial evidence, and probably falls under ‘hearsay.’ Rubbin’ my chin, I guess that’s a KIIIIIND of evidence. It’ll be interesting to see how Bettman would react to Hossa or the Blackhawks saying, “Yes, we talked about what might happen if Hossa got hurt, and couldn’t play anymore, such that he had to retire early. And how insurance premiums work to cover that.” Well, that’s a different color of fish from “Psst. Go ahead and retire in Year 9, at 39 years old, if ya want to, that’s practically all the money anyway. And the cap hit will come off our books. Wink-wink. Touch nose. And sniff a little.”
And then there’s (3), buried in the fine print of the contract itself … an out clause, whereby Hossa and/or the Blackhawks can mutually agree that Hossa’s playing days in Chicago are over. But the NHL is supposed examine the fine print, before they APPROVE a contract. After all, a contract really ISN’T a contract until the NHL says so. I’ve never heard of an ‘out clause’ under this CBA, like that. If the Blackhawks are that displeased with Hossa, they could always buy him out, for years 10-12. If it ever came to that. What I’m saying here is … I just don’t see how the NHL is ever going to actually PROVE this. I am, as always, open to opposing views on the subject.
Brendan
August 1st, 2009
2:11 am
R.Stroz, Commissioner Bettman ‘may’ be pansy, but he’s the only pansy I know who is making $7.1 million. He’s got a nice, cushy job. At least he stands up to obstinate jerks like Jim Balsillie. I’m sure he’ll pay this topic (Hossa’s contract/alleged CBA violation) some mind, but in the end, having the Chicago market flourish for a while … does help out his league. Chicago is an “Original Six” team, way up north, that is a big market. Truthfully, I think Bettman has privately and very silently been angry over the lack of success in Chicago, for quite some time. I also happen to think Bettman probably is flustered by what’s happened so far, right here in Atlanta. I don’t really think Bettman’s goal was to make the Atlanta market schedule fodder for the other 29 teams, for decades at a stretch. Nor do I think Bettman particularly had designs on Atlanta becoming a dynasty, that wins four straight Cups, either. I think Bettman’s designs on Atlanta were to have a team that is in the playoffs more years than it isn’t. And what happens after the playoffs start, he throws his hands up in the air. If the Thrashers never win a Cup during his Administration, but had decent opportunities, he’ll figure, “At least they had their chances.” But not even I would think Bettman, during a Game 7 of the Finals, would call the officiating crew over and say, “Boys, hear me and hear me good. Atlanta does not get its name on that trophy! Try not to make it look obvious, eh boys?”
R. Stroz
August 1st, 2009
7:32 am
Brendan – Actually The Patroit Act allows any of the “authorities” to forgo many of the formally required procedures.
In a similar manner, the CARS (Cash for Clunkers Program) Privacy Act waiver, requires that receipents sign over ownership of their computer and its contents to the federal govenermnent, however most people haven’t read the fine print. Here it is:
This application provides access to the DoT CARS system. When logged on to the CARS system, your computer is considered a Federal computer system and is the property of the U.S. Government. Any or all uses of this system and all files on this system may be intercepted, monitored, recorded, copied, audited, inspected, and disclosed to authorized CARS, Dot, and law enforcement personnel, as well as authorized officials of other agencies, both domestic and foreign.
YIKES!
Now, back to hockey. I’m confident the Blackhawks are well aware of their actions and figured, as an original six team, they would get a slap on the wrist, best known as a public investigation. However, at the end of the investgation, no punitive action will be taken by the NHL
World Be Free
August 1st, 2009
8:26 am
Brendan, I think alotta people are looking suspiciously at these long terms deals for guys who far into their careers. You give a guy a deal that pays him until he’s 42, it’s pretty certain he won’t be playing that long. The Islanders started this parade of long term deals, Detroit took it to the next level.
Frankly, I don’t care if Hossa and Chicago talked about retiring before the end of the deal. If this falls within the framework of the current agreements, well so be it. Chicago is still making a long term commitment to a player.
Bettman has done a good job as commissioner during difficult times. I am not certain I would have wanted the job during the period he has been commissioner, especially with the labor issues that were not his primary fault.
Another day with no decision my Manny……….. Talk about commitment, the Thrash have made one to Manny and he is making us wait and wait. I hope he is good as Don and Duds thing. Sign Dom Moore instead and let’s get on with it.
Red Light
August 1st, 2009
9:17 am
One thing is certain: Bettman is no Bud Selig, which means he actually pays attention to what goes on in his sport.
Back to Rawhide’s post here. When I played Pee Wee hockey, the rink’s roof had curtains on the sides to keep the snow from blowing in, and players had long snow shovels that we pushed around the ice until it was clear. Then, a miniature version of the Zamboni, which laid the water over the ice also was pushed around by a man on skates. The whole process took the entire 15-20 minute intermission. When the rink finally got a Zamboni, it was similar to the feeling of moving from a tenement to a mansion: we thought we were somebody.
Charlie Brown forgot to include a naked 22-year-old woman with no need of enhancement! Sorry, I digressed. And, while watching a Zamboni is mesmerizing, there’s nothing that equals jumping on a fresh sheet of ice with one of your buddies and having the rink to yourselves for 30 minutes or so. Love the sound of skate blades in a quiet rink and the sound of a slapshot hitting the end boards.
World Be Free
August 1st, 2009
12:43 pm
You know Red Light, I think we all played in a number of those “semi–open” indoor arenas, cold as heck.
There’s a rink in Ft. Erie, Ontario that we all knew as “The Barn”. It basically was a barn with an ice surface; not certain if the place is still there.
Better yet, we had the rink in Cazenovia Park in South Buffalo with no glass, just fencing or “chicken wire” in the corners and end zones. Great to get your face rammed in that stuff! I never played HS hockey there, but I remember someone telling me that they were once spat on during a high school game by the opposing fans from a “prep” school.
Rinks do have unique sounds-you know you can get on the ice when you hear the Zamboni doors close and the sound of skates hitting a fresh ice surface.
Hockey is not for the weak, that’s for sure!
Brendan
August 1st, 2009
12:45 pm
R.Stroz, I had thought that certain elements or aspects of the Patriot Act had expired or been eliminated, except as it relates to obvious and overt instances of terrorism, or narcoterrorism, or money laundering in furtherance of terrorism. I really should brush up on it! That “fine print” clause of the Cash for Clunkers is shocking.
World Be Free, I want to give a hypothetical example of what ‘the problem’ is with these longer term deals, as currently structured by this CBA. Let’s just say… for spits and giggles, Kovalchuk and his agent, Jay Grossman, have made it abundantly clear that they will not sign ANYWHERE for less than a $100 million deal. This is hypothetical. Everyone can stop hyperventillating now. Still with me? Okay, the obvious choice might be 10-years at $10 million, for a (say it with me) cap hit of $10 million. That’s one way to get to $100 million. Here’s another. Kovy’s 26, roughly. What the heyyy, let’s demonstrate absurdity by being absurd! Atlanta’s offer is 20 years for a total of $100 million. Well, the “new” Cap Hit is $5 million-per-season.
Allright. Shrugging sarcastically. Anybody got a problem with a new Kovy deal at a cap hit of $5 million?? That pays him until he’s 46! Somewhere, Chris Chelios is smiling. Or laughing. Charles Wang, the disgruntled owner of the NY Islanders, inked goalie Rick DiPietro to a 15 year deal that pays the netminder until he’s 40. That contract made us all laugh heartily when it was announced. Commissioner Bettman’s reaction, at the time, was to say … “No one knows the wisdom of making such deals. Time will tell. But it’s not prohibited.” And Bettman urged the use of caution when making contracts of this size and scope. Islanders fans argued that $4.5 million cap hit, for DiPietro, was a good deal. Many bloggers here counter-argued, “And he’ll have $4.5 million reasons to ride the pine or sit up in the pressbox, being the highest paid spectator in the building” at the tail end of his career.
As a proponent of protecting the smaller markets, I’m opposed to “front loading” contracts. If the Blackhawks were actually going to pay Hossa $5.23 million for each and every season … until he’s 42, I’m fine with that. They’d be saving money up front, but paying through the nose at the end, and be STUCK with it, too. And when Hossa turns 40, making $5.23 million, under my scenario, fans will question why Chicago ever made this deal. He won’t be worth that kind of money. Probably.
Ladies and Gentlemen, GM’s ARE RESPONSIBLE for oversight and direction of the team they manage. That’s it. Some GM’s are good at what they do, planning properly for the future, drafting well, trading well and responsibly. Others, not so much. A reckless contract can ruin a team for YEARS. Who made the contract? Was there ever a GUN involved in the negotiations? Allright then. I think Commissioner Bettman could have interceded in some capacity to challenge the Rick DiPietro contract. Ohhh, maybe he couldn’t have negated it, but he could have at least tabled an emergency panel to review and discuss it, to make sure future contracts would have “pronounced warning flags” all over them, discouraging GM’s from reckless contract-making. Bygones. This CBA expires in 2011. Maybe that very topic will be addressed?
World Be Free
August 1st, 2009
3:22 pm
Well put Brendan, great explanation. Bettman seems to have the power to intervene on franchise movements, but little power to intervene on player contracts. Or if he has the power, he does not use it too often. I thought the DiPietro contract was the dunbest thing I ever heard. But it was coming from the Islanders, so it made alotta sense?!?!
I believe as you do, that the subject of long term contracts will be a part of the next collective bargaining agreement. The union should not care, since the player is getting what they want-a long term commitment.
Reckless contracts-I am trying to remember that Hawks’ center who was paid for years after he retired-Rasmussen was it? Reckless and stupid contract.
Brendan
August 1st, 2009
6:19 pm
I’m looking for a CBA specialist out there, who can answer this question, which I recently received. “What’s the penalty for being OVER the cap on “Opening Night?” My answer was, that it was my understanding that all teams HAD to be under the cap, once the season started, and throughout the ENTIRETY of the season. Period, the end. He counter-argued, “No, no they don’t. They can pay a fine, or forfeit some draft picks. But if a team really WANTED to be at $90 million, nobody could stop them.” And then he cited Jim Balsillie as a likely candidate to do precisely this, if ever awarded an NHL franchise.
Anyone got the CORRECT answer? I’m hoping that the answer is something along the lines of this, “You could, but the punishment is so severe, that no one, not even Balsillie, would try it.” Putting on my “armchair GM hat,” If I found out that, by being over the cap, I’d have to forfeit all of my next year’s draft picks … I’d be very discouraged from being over the cap limit. And if I found out I’d be losing multiple years’ worth of draft picks, I’d never even consider it.
But I do have to throw this out there. What if you were George Steinbrenner? And you wanted to own a powerhouse franchise. And you were willing to pay whatever the cost was for being over the cap limit. With the idea in your brain that … well gee, if my $90 million roster doesn’t win the Stanley Cup every year, but gets close, I’m only giving up picks #29, #59, #89, #119, etc. In other words, ‘crapshoot’ to ’shot-in-the-dark’ type picks, anyway. To land decent players, from those draft positions, you do have to have EXCELLENT scouting. Really, truly. Isn’t this what a George Steinbrenner / Jim Ballsillie-type owner might try, if cost were no object??
Jameson
August 1st, 2009
7:14 pm
If cost was no object, and all I had to do to be any amount over the cap was to give away one year worth of crap picks, I might just have a roster full of players paid $11.36 million.
Jameson
August 1st, 2009
7:21 pm
Brendan- If I’m reading this correctly, according to section 11.6 the NHL can actually reject player contracts if it puts a team over the cap, so the league can actually prevent a team from being over the cap, period. That is, if I’m reading it right. I’m no lawyer.
Jameson
August 1st, 2009
7:36 pm
Here’s the important part:
If an SPC or an Offer Sheet is rejected: (A) because it results in
the signing Club exceeding the Upper Limit, or (B) because it does
not comply with the Maximum Player Salary or (C) because it is or
involves a Circumvention of either the Club’s Upper Limit or the
Maximum Player Salary
Jameson
August 1st, 2009
7:39 pm
Of course it’s followed by a lengthy explanation of the NHLPA’s appeal process, which makes me think that it’s possible a club could manage to get away with doing it, and only paying the minimum fine. What I do like about this paragraph, though, is that it seems to me that a team could be fined for just trying to go above the limit:
26.9 Violative Filings. Any Club which files an SPC, which if approved and
registered, would cause the Club’s Averaged Club Salary to impermissibly exceed the
Upper Limit of the Range, shall be fined a minimum of $25,000, regardless of whether
the SPC was registered and regardless of whether the terms of the SPC constitute or are
the result of a Circumvention.
Jameson
August 1st, 2009
7:50 pm
Actually, upon reading that, again, I think if a team even tries to file a contract that would put them over the limit, they owe the league at least $25,000, and would still expect the contract to be rejected.
Brendan
August 1st, 2009
11:09 pm
Good snooping, Jameson. I thought it was prohibited. Now, I am fairly sure that a team, like right now, can be OVER the limit, but only because the season hasn’t started yet. Teams over the limit must get under $56.8 million, by the official start of the season. Or, that is my belief. For example, right now, the NHL wouldn’t reject a contract that exceeds the upper limit of the cap … because the season hasn’t started yet. But if the team couldn’t trade away enough salary to get under the upper limit, then what? The ‘offending contract’ had already been approved, and allowed, because the season hadn’t started yet. In that situation, I’m thinking there has to be some kind of punishment. And ’severe’ at that. Or, at least ’severe enough’ that few, if any teams would even try it.