Chicago Sun-Times

NHL players’ association approves realignment

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 14:18:15 -0500

NEW YORK — The NHL moved a step closer to realignment Thursday as the players’ association approved a proposed plan that is set to go into effect next season. Now that the league has gotten the go-ahead from union chief Donald Fehr, the NHL will only need to get approval from team owners to put it in place. “The NHL Players’ Association confirmed to us today that it has consented to a revised plan for realignment, effective for the 2013-14 season,” NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement. “Our next step will be to bring the proposed plan …

Doubleheader at Soldier Field will give college game some exposure

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 07:06:07 -0500

Soldier Field is rich in tradition because of the Bears, but college hockey will try to capitalize on the iconic name when the two-game Hockey City Classic is held there Sunday. No. 12 Notre Dame will face No. 3 Miami of Ohio in the first game (noon, CSN) and No. 2 Minnesota will battle No. 18 Wisconsin in the second (3:30 p.m., BTN). It will be the first college hockey doubleheader at Soldier Field. Last week, seven high school hockey games were played there. Dan Kelly, who has called hockey at the college and pro levels, will serve as the …

NHL cancels games through Jan. 14 as lockout continues

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 19:00:22 -0500

More than half of the NHL’s regular season has now been lost. With talks for a new collective bargaining agreement stalled between the NHL owners and the NHL Players’ Association, the league announced Thursday that the regular-season schedule through Jan. 14 was canceled. A total of 625 regular-season games -- which accounts for 50.8 percent of the season – have now been axed because of the NHL’s lockout of players. If a deal isn’t reached soon after Christmas, the rest of the season may be next, leaving NHL fans without a season to watch for the second time since 2004. …

NHL cancels games through Dec. 30, season in jeopardy

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 18:01:12 -0500

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has repeatedly declined to set a drop-dead date to salvage the 2012-13 season. But whatever it is, it’s getting close.

NHL lockout: No contact between players, owners

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 22:21:30 -0500

NEW YORK — NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said Friday that he is out of ideas how to get negotiations back on track to save the hockey season. Talks fell apart Thursday night amid back-and-forth accusations, and the fallout was still being felt Friday. The two sides had no contact with each other on the 83rd day of the owners’ lockout of players. “I have no reason, nor any intention, of reaching out to the union right now,” Daly said in an email to The Associated Press. “I have no new ideas. Maybe they do. We are happy to listen.” …

NHL cancels games through Dec. 14, All-Star Game

Tue, 25 Dec 2012 06:19:37 -0500

Day 69 of the NHL lockout meant more days without hockey are coming. Still without a collective-bargaining agreement, the NHL announced another round of cancellations Friday, eliminating games through Dec. 14 and the All-Star festivities in Columbus, Ohio, on Jan. 26-27. The cancellations were expected as the league’s negotiations with the NHL Players’ Association broke down Wednesday, with the owners balking at the players’ most recent offer. It’s unknown when negotiations will resume. In a statement Friday, NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr defended the players’ proposal. The league has continued to stand its ground on revenue sharing and player contracts. …

NHL cancels Winter Classic — source

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 12:40:11 -0500

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The NHL has canceled the 2013 Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium. The signature event between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs, is the latest casualty from the labor dispute that has put the season on hold, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Friday. The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the league had not yet announced the move, also said the NHL will schedule its next Winter Classic at the iconic stadium that seats more than 100,000 people. There have been no labor negotiations since Oct. 18, …

NHL cancels games through Nov. 30

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 14:02:02 -0500

Because of the ongoing collective bargaining negotiations, the NHL informed teams on Friday that games will be canceled through Nov. 30. A total of 326 games—or 26.5 percent of the season—has been lost from Oct. 11 to Nov. 30. The All-Star Game and Winter Classic are still scheduled to be played. “The National Hockey League deeply regrets having to take this action,” NHL deputy commissioner Billy Daly said. “By presenting a proposal to the NHLPA that contemplated a fair division of revenues and was responsive to player concerns regarding the value of their contracts, we had hoped to be able …

NHL cancels games through Nov. 1

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 21:53:52 -0500

The NHL has canceled more games while holding out hope it can squeeze in a full regular-season schedule.

Gary Bettman, NHL make new offer in hope to salvage full season

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 18:25:32 -0500

The NHL has made a new offer to the players’ association that proposes a 50-50 split of hockey-related revenue and a full 82-game season starting Nov. 2.

Blackhawks players to play chairty game

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 13:00:09 -0500

Blackhawks players will play in a charity game at Allstate Arena on Oct. 26. …

NHL cancels first two weeks of regular season

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 06:25:03 -0500

An NHL lockout has forced the cancellation of regular-season hockey games for the second time in seven years.

NHL cancels games through Oct. 24

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 14:42:39 -0500

An NHL lockout has forced the cancellation of regular-season hockey games for the second time in seven years.

NHL lockout: Owners, union still far apart after long day of negotiations

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 09:44:22 -0500

NEW YORK — It didn’t take long for Blackhawks star Jonathan Toews to be approached by Swedish media and asked about Swedish hockey leagues as he made his way to NHL Players’ Association meetings Wednesday at a Manhattan hotel. “If it does get to the point where it’s time to look for a job elsewhere, we’ll see what type of options are out there,” Toews said. “But right now, those sorts of things are pretty unclear.” But if the impasse between the NHLPA and NHL owners continues, European options will come into play for top-tier players such as Toews. After …

Little progress in NHL labor talks

Sat, 01 Sep 2012 11:18:19 -0500

The exchange of proposals between the NHL and NHL Players Association this week is a good sign — at least they’re talking — but the two sides remain far apart. If the NHL is headed for another lockout — the third in 18 years, eight years after an entire season was lost — the timeline for the winter is starting to come into focus. The current collective bargaining agreement with the NHLPA expires on Sept. 15, and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has indicated the league will lock out the players rather than continue to play under the old agreement. There …