Could continued salary escalation be a train wreck waiting to happen?

Since Commissioner Gary Bettman ordered a 15-week lockout in 1994 to hold down salary escalation, the average wage has grown from $572,161 to $1.355 million.

Castiglione said he was uneasy with the salary escalation, but he was quick to add that it could be justified.

Some top executives defend the salary escalation.

By giving up free agency for players under age 24, the players have lost another lever for salary escalation.

The salary escalation, he said, has outpaced the increase in revenues so badly something has to be done to correct the imbalance.

These factors, Bettman told team owners, would slow down the rate of salary escalation.

Was the downsizing the end result of the salary escalation?

Cohen said there were other ways to create a drag on salary escalation, and he said he was glad the two sides were now discussing them.