| Clowe believes a solid majority of players are still onboard with the NHLPA stance. (Getty Images) |
Washington Capitals veteran defenseman Roman Hamrlik stepped off the company line of the union recently and expressed his frustration not only with the lockout but the leadership of NHLPA head Donald Fehr. He was backed by Capitals goalie Michal Neuvirth.
It hasn't taken long for the retribution to come. First it was Hamrlik's and Neuvirth's Capitals teammate Troy Brouwer who had some pretty strong remarks for the two "malcontents," for lack of a better word. That should make the Capitals locker room a whole lot of fun.
But it's not just Capitals players who are speaking up against Hamrlik and Neuvirth's stance.
Take Sharks forward Ryan Clowe. A temporary coach for the San Francisco Bulls of the ECHL, Clowe can't necessarily sympathize with Hamrlik being at the end of his career, but he can speak to the temperature of the NHLPA during this lockout.
Part of Hamrlik's comments centered on the idea of players voting to accept the most recent offer from the NHL and he thought a lot of players would take it. Clowe doesn't seem to agree. From David Pollak of the San Jose Mercury News:
"Sticking together, it's very important," Clowe said. "You saw what happened last lockout. I think it's easy to say that, but when you're not sure what's going on, then you start questioning."
But isn't that what Hamrlik did from the Czech Republic?
"No one likes missing hockey, but I'd say 95 percent of the players are on the same page. A few guys obviously have their own opinions. Roman's 38 years old. He's in a different situation. He's been through a few of these and he wants to play. I'm sure it’s the same with Alfredsson and Jagr."
It's not a surprise that players who don't have many years left to play would be more willing to accept a worse offer from the league in order to get this lockout lifted and to get back on the ice. Whether or not this is Hamrlik's last season in the NHL, it's certainly the last season he'll be making $3.5 million, so each missed pay check is a little more missed money to ride off into the sunset with.
Then there is somebody who can sympathize a bit more with Hamrlik, another lockout veteran like, say, New Jersey Devils longtime goaltender Martin Brodeur. Here's what he told the Washington Times' Stephen Whyno.
"Everybody has their own way of coping with things, but I think in the situation that we're in and the hard work that people are putting in, I think it's got to be [handled] internally," Brodeur said. "And I don't think he ever addressed it inside of our locker room as far as the PA's concerned, and he has to go out in front of the media and then show a sign of weakness from a player that should know better at his age."
Considering Brodeur was in a situation where he contemplated retirement this past summer, he certainly can understand what Hamrlik is thinking as guys in the twilight of their careers. If there is no season there's a very real chance the last time we saw Brodeur play in the NHL was in the Stanley Cup Final loss to the Kings in L.A.
Even still, he sings the virtues of standing strong with the union and all that they have been fighting for. He gets in a little dig to boot, noting how Hamrlik should know better.
When Hamrlik and Neuvirth had their comments showing some dissension among the ranks, it was the start of people wondering if perhaps we were hitting the breaking point for the union, that a collapse and mutiny could be coming just as it did in the 2004-05 lockout. But other union members have come forth rather quickly to quash that notion, particularly Clowe with his 95-percent estimate.
Are there some breaks in the company line? Absolutely. Hamrlik removed all doubt if that's the case or not. But the question is how many, and right now it appears to just be a few cracks, not a hole in the floor.
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