On Thin Ice - The National Hockey League

THE NHL IS ON THIN ICE! (get it…) In the rinks of North America’s most famous arenas, a new match commences, not one of skates, sticks and pucks but dollars and contracts. The teams; management vs. players. Although they have very similar players the goals they're shooting for couldn’t be more different. On one side, the management and league ownership is proposing to crack down on overspending and implement a hard salary cap in the league. On the other side; a rag tag team of players and lawyers arguing that a salary cap would destroy competition and devalue years of professional dedication given by so many players. Although the teams have been clearly drawn, fans and outside voices cannot be ignored. Media outlets speculate endlessly about the future of the NHL. Is the NHL still reliable? Will my favorite team still play this year? If a salary cap isn’t agreed upon will the league be disbanded? None of these questions are unreasonable to be asking. Additionally, sponsors fearing an unstable future have pulled detrimental amounts of money out of the NHL accelerating even more anxiousness. As each side clings to its interests the foundations of the league begin to crumble. New opportunities stir abroad as international leagues sense a chance to seize power from the coveted NHL. Quietly making deals, signing contracts and stealing players, many European leagues seem increasingly poised to take power. Delegates in this committee must find solutions to end the crisis and settle the salary cap dispute. They will represent varying interests from players to coaches and from lawyers to management to attempt to strike a deal and hopefully rebuild the NHL bigger, better, and stronger than ever. Through debate and creative diplomacy, delegates must decide which league policies need to go and how they can ensure financial sustainability while safeguarding the integrity of North American professional hockey. As these debates play out, the fate of the future of the once beloved NHL hangs in the balance: Will it emerge unified under a new financial order, or will it shift to a B-tier league followed by only die- hard aficionados of the sport?