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The fans want a 'bold move' that costs no key assets, does not result in an overpaid player, and entails no NTC. And my daughter wants a pony.

The players ALSO have a right to unionize and help to shape the conditions of their employment. So saying 'hey, this is the business you chose, suck it up' is mistaken. The players get a say over what that business looks like in the first place. As they should. Joe, if soldiers were to unionize (!) they too could negotiate terms of employment, collectively. (Unless they were deemed by law to be an 'essential service,' which wouldn't prevent unionization, but would remove the hammer of a strike threat). It's completely reasonable for the NHLPA to bargain NTCs. It's also completely reasonable for the owners to try to get rid of them in the next round of bargaining. But I for one would certainly not like to see an extended work stoppage over this issue. I was all for doing whatever it took to get a salary cap, because I HATE the model where a handful of rich teams vacuum up all the UFA talent. But NTCs are hardly the same kind of problem, because they unfold within a level playing field. All teams are equally well-positioned to extend or withhold them, depending on their GMs' intestinal fortitude and managerial competence. Negotiating the cap was about creating a balanced league where success was based on merit rather than owner wealth. Negotiating away NTCs would be purely about protecting teams against stupid general managing - not a 'cause' for which I, as a fan, am willing to suffer through another dreary lockout. (Beyond all that, there is a simple compromise: negotiate a partial rather than total NTC. This gives the player some control while also allowing the team flexibility. Win-win).