More cancellations

Friday, 23 November 2012 09:53

Written by Shelly Anderson

The NHL today canceled games through Dec. 14 as well as the All-Star weekend, which has been scheduled for January in Columbus, as the lockout imposed by league owners is about to hit 10 weeks in length.

The season was originally set to begin Oct. 11. The league previously had canceled its schedule through the end of this month.

The Penguins had been scheduled to play 30 games before Dec. 14. In all, 422 regular-season NHL games -- 34.3 percent of the season -- are now off the table.

""The reality of losing more regular-season games as well as the 2013 NHL All-Star Weekend in Columbus is extremely disappointing," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement. "We feel badly for NHL fans and particularly those in Columbus, and we intend to work closely with the Blue Jackets organization to return the NHL All-Star events to Columbus and their fans as quickly as possible."

NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr also released a statement:

"On Wednesday, the players presented a comprehensive proposal, once again moving in the owners' direction in order to get the game back on the ice. The gap that remains on the core economic issues is $182 million. On Wednesday, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said that the league is losing $18-20 million per day during the lockout, therefore two more weeks of cancelled games far exceeds the current economic gap. It makes the NHL's announcement of further game cancellations, including the 2013 All-Star Weekend, all the more unnecessary, and disappointing for all hockey fans – especially those in Columbus. The players remain ready to negotiate but we require a willing negotiating partner."

If things can get settled relatively quickly -- and there's no big reason to think that's the case -- perhaps the league could squeeze in a 60-game season at this point.