Post by hatrick007 on Feb 13, 2005 0:58:42 GMT -5
Canadian Press
2/12/2005
There was no contact between the NHL and the NHL Players' Association on Saturday as a weekend deadline to put a deal on paper was quickly approaching.
Sources on both sides confirmed Saturday that there was absolutely no communication of any form between the two sides.
The league, however, sent out a memo to its 30 teams on Friday releasing the gag order on owners, GMs and team executives, not only allowing them to talk about the lockout to the media but also giving them the green light to reach out to players if they wanted. This would appear to be a move to circumvent the union leaders, hoping GMs could start a groundswell among their players to put pressure on NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow.
Dallas Stars owner Tom Hicks didn't waste any time.
Click here to find out more!
"The players have turned down the best offer they're ever going to get. I can say that with certainty," Hicks told the Dallas Morning News, adding that the NHLPA wasn't "serious about entertaining the system we need to go forward."
Another league source insisted commissioner Gary Bettman would not call Goodenow on Sunday, leaving it to the union to make the last move. There were reports of the union head office receiving phone calls from concerned players on Saturday, asking Goodenow to make a move Sunday, but an NHLPA source said that was not the case.
"I think something could happen Sunday," said a source.
Goodenow pulled a rabbit out of the hat 10 years ago in helping to end the lockout and some wonder whether he will do the same again Sunday, either call Bettman and tell him he's got a new offer or ask to meet on Monday morning.
Bettman said Wednesday that if a deal wasn't put to paper by the end of the weekend, he would go ahead and cancel the season sometime this week since it would be too late to salvage a shortened season.
Sunday should have seen this year's all-star game played in Atlanta. Instead, it's gone by the wayside as well as 824 of the 1,230 regular-season games. If a miracle agreement is reached, the league has a shortened schedule ready to go that would see teams play 28 regular-season games, playing only within their conference. The playoffs would stay the same.
2/12/2005
There was no contact between the NHL and the NHL Players' Association on Saturday as a weekend deadline to put a deal on paper was quickly approaching.
Sources on both sides confirmed Saturday that there was absolutely no communication of any form between the two sides.
The league, however, sent out a memo to its 30 teams on Friday releasing the gag order on owners, GMs and team executives, not only allowing them to talk about the lockout to the media but also giving them the green light to reach out to players if they wanted. This would appear to be a move to circumvent the union leaders, hoping GMs could start a groundswell among their players to put pressure on NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow.
Dallas Stars owner Tom Hicks didn't waste any time.
Click here to find out more!
"The players have turned down the best offer they're ever going to get. I can say that with certainty," Hicks told the Dallas Morning News, adding that the NHLPA wasn't "serious about entertaining the system we need to go forward."
Another league source insisted commissioner Gary Bettman would not call Goodenow on Sunday, leaving it to the union to make the last move. There were reports of the union head office receiving phone calls from concerned players on Saturday, asking Goodenow to make a move Sunday, but an NHLPA source said that was not the case.
"I think something could happen Sunday," said a source.
Goodenow pulled a rabbit out of the hat 10 years ago in helping to end the lockout and some wonder whether he will do the same again Sunday, either call Bettman and tell him he's got a new offer or ask to meet on Monday morning.
Bettman said Wednesday that if a deal wasn't put to paper by the end of the weekend, he would go ahead and cancel the season sometime this week since it would be too late to salvage a shortened season.
Sunday should have seen this year's all-star game played in Atlanta. Instead, it's gone by the wayside as well as 824 of the 1,230 regular-season games. If a miracle agreement is reached, the league has a shortened schedule ready to go that would see teams play 28 regular-season games, playing only within their conference. The playoffs would stay the same.