Dan Hamhuis wasn't particularly surprised when NHL commissioner Gary Bettman rejected the NHL players association's proposal about 24-hours after receiving it.
"Nothing Gary does is really that surprising," said the Vancouver Canucks defenceman. "He's tough to negotiate with and sometimes can be pretty unreasonable in his demands."
Hamhuis was in Prince George Thursday and today to participate in the inaugural Prince George Cougars Alumni/Hospital Golf tournament at the Prince George Golf and Curling Club.
The 29 year old played four seasons with the Cougars in the Western Hockey League and was drafted in the first round (12th overall) in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators.
The NHLPA put forth a proposal Tuesday in the collective bargaining negotiations with the NHL and its owners as the two sides try to hammer out a new agreement before the old one expires Sept. 15. Bettman has already stated that if no new agreement is reached by that date a lockout would take effect.
In Tuesday's proposal, the players offered to keep a hard salary cap and put a limit on their salaries in exchange for more revenue sharing. A month earlier the NHL took a hardline when they presented the players with a proposal that called for a 24 per cent salary reduction and new contract restrictions.
"It looks like there's probably going to be a lockout," said Hamhuis. "The owners are pretty set on taking quite a bit of money back from the players. I think it's unfortunate. There are certainly better alternatives out there. I think that the proposal that the players have presented is certainly a fair one and also good for the league long term."
Hamhuis said he's not on any of the player committees this year but he spent five years as an executive board member and he keeps informed of the situation each day.
The NHL has had two labour stoppages in the last 20 years - in 1995 when a shortened season began in late January and in 2004-05 when the sides couldn't reach an agreement in time to save the season.
Hamhuis spent one season in the NHL with the Predators prior to the last lockout and ended up spending the 2004-05 season with the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals. He joined the Canucks in 2010 as a free agent.
The only member of the current Cougars roster that would be affected if there's a lockout is Troy Bourke, who was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in the third round of the 2012 NHL draft. The 18 year old isn't likely to crack the Avalanche lineup but he'd miss the opportunity to attend his first NHL training camp.
with files from CP
