Players Thoughts On A Lockout

The invention of twitter has been great for hockey fans. It allows fans to share their thoughts on teams, players and gives them an opportunity to meet other hockey fans. But lately NHL players are starting to use twitter to update and stay in touch with their fans. Every so often fans get lucky and NHL players will tweet what is on their mind. With NHL commissioner Gary Bettman talking about a possible lockout both fans and players are up in arms and lucky for us some players have taken to twitter to express their feelings.

*Listed below are tweets directly from NHL players*

The @nhl says they won’t play past Sept 15th under current deal. Apparently they don’t like the deal they designed. #CBA #nhlpa2012
— Henrik Lundqvist (@HLundqvist30) August 10, 2012

Sad to see Bettman bring up the words LOCKOUT, it was tough on everyone staff, arena people, and the FANS in 2004. The game is to Good!
— Steve Ott (@otter2nine) August 9, 2012

Disappointed the League is talking about a lockout before we even give our @nhlpa counterproposal. #theplayers
— Brandon Prust (@BrandonPrust8) August 10, 2012

Still training hard for the season ahead. Hope Gary Bettman wasn't serious about a lockout. #theplayers @nhlpa
— Michael Cammalleri (@MCammalleri13) August 10, 2012

A lockout is only one option and never a solution #fansdeservebetter #theplayers @nhlpa
— daniel winnik (@Danwinnik34) August 10, 2012

The word lockout should be mentioned on Sept 15 and then only. Plenty of time for a solution. Seems like Gary is eager for the "hat-trick".
— Joffrey Lupul (@JLupul) August 10, 2012

Tough hearing the word lockout. Players just want what's fair. #NHLPA #theplayers
— Logan Couture (@Logancouture) August 11, 2012

 There you have it, straight from the horses mouth. Players thoughts on the lockout, while this is just a small sample of players one could only imagine many are feeling the same way... fed up!

Here's three things to take away from the tweets:

1. The majority of players are upset over the fact their side (the NHLPA) hasn't even submitted a counteroffer to the league and already Bettman is talking about a lockout. If anything the September 15th deadline should come as a wake up call to players. The players and Donald Fehr need to stop monkeying around and submit their side. Is it fair to talk about a lockout without hearing both sides? Not really, but considering how long the players are taking something needed to be said.

2. The players genuinely don't want a lockout. Take away all the money and endorsement deals, when it comes down to it the players are playing the game because they love it. Sure money can get in the way of that, but if they didn't love the game they wouldn't be in the NHL. The players aren't exactly dumb, they know another lockout would really hurt the game and the fans. A third lockout in 17 could turn a lot of fans away from the game, some may not come back.
At the end of the day the players just want to play hockey. Sure they need to make money for their families, but playing is the most important thing. But because of the two sides trying to hammer out a new CBA, they players don't have much of a voice. Unless Fehr gets a deal he likes out of Bettman chances are the lockout will drag on, no matter what the players say.

3. The players have a lot of hostility towards Bettman. Sure he is their antagonist trying to lower their pay and keeping them out of the game. But you have to think, if it wasn't up to the NHL owners maybe Bettman would have been fired by now..