Montreal Canadiens winger Pierre Dagenais and Ottawa Senators defenceman Brian Pothier are the latest locked out NHLers to speak out, expressing concerns in separate radio interviews over whether players of their ilk are being fairly represented by the NHLPA.
"Guys have started to talk in the last three weeks. It could open Bob Goodenow's eyes," Dagenais told CKAC in Montreal. "I'd be curious to see it if they they took a poll of the players on a salary cap. They may be surprised to see how many players in my situation would vote in favour of a cap."
Pothier, playing in Binghamton, doesn't feel run-of-the-mill players are being represented.
"I'm in Binghamton playing because I need to pay the bills," he told the Team 1200 in Ottawa. "The guys who are making the decisions (for the union) are making big money. They can take three, four, five (years) or the rest of their lives off and they don't have to work again."
The comments come two days after Calgary defenceman Mike Commodore expressed similar sentiments on a Calgary radio station.
A journeyman winger who was signed as a free agent in the summer of 2003, Dagenais registered career highs with 17 goals and 27 points in 50 games with Montreal last year.
Though players discuss the lockout, Dagenais says, "I don't think many guys are well informed. Only two or three talk to Goodnow. It's sad to say, but I go home and all I can do is pray to Jesus that they meet."
Dagenais, who was scheduled to earn $500,000 this season, is frustrated at being forced to sit out while there are no talks taking place.
"Do I have a say in this?" he asked, concerned about the state of his fledgling career. "I'm just a noodle in a bowl of soup."
Pothier said he met with Bob Goodenow and Daniel Alfredsson, a VP on the NHLPA executive committee, to express his concerns. "The guys who have the final say in making decisions make quite a few bucks and speak for the rest of us. I sat down with Bob Goodenow and voiced my opinion on how I feel. Alfie has been great about listening to guys like us and our concerns," said Pothier.
"I asked (Goodenow), what about a guy like me who only has a short window of opportunity or a guy like Josh Langfeld. This isn't about one guy. It's about the collective. This isn't just about now, it's about 10 years down the road and how it affects them."
Pothier played 55 games with the Senators last year, putting up eight points and a plus-6 rating. He's scheduled to earn $650,000 this year.
While these public declarations may upset the union, Calgary Flames forward Martin Gelinas said it's important for players to let their feeling be known. Gelinas, who remains behind the union's no-cap stance, thinks players who want to air their opinions should do it before next Tuesday's meeting of the NHLPA reps in Toronto.
"Individuals have to speak up," he told the Calgary Herald. "We have to share our feelings with Bob (Goodenow) and the executive right now.
"Bob's been doing a great job for us in the past. But the job has changed from the 1994 lockout. It's more complex. Then it wasn't simply salary cap or no salary cap. There were lots of issues we could negotiate separately.
"Our union is strong, but there are 700 of us, playing all over the world right now. Too many are just doing their thing. We put our trust in people, but now it's time for individuals to speak up."