- TSN: After cancelling 2 weeks of games: Bill Daly
“The game deserves better, the fans deserve better and the people who derive income from their connection to the NHL deserve better,” said deputy commissioner Bill Daly. “We remain committed to doing everything in our power to forge an agreement that is fair to the players, fair to the teams and good for our fans.”
Donald Fehr,
“If the owners truly cared about the game and the fans, they would lift the lockout and allow the season to begin on time while negotiations continue,” said Fehr. “A lockout should be the last resort in bargaining, not the strategy of first resort. For nearly 20 years, the owners have elected to lock-out the players in an effort to secure massive concessions.”
- Dejan Kovacevic via Sulia: Bill Daly when asked how the league can cancel games while barely negotiating,
“The Union is not prepared to talk about the most meaningful issues, relating to a fair division of League-wide revenues and other system-related matters. Until we can make progress in those areas, the ongoing discussions in other areas aren’t as time sensitive. That doesn’t mean we aren’t continuing to work on those other areas, or that we won’t schedule further meetings to move things along, it just means that until the PA is prepared to talk about the nature of the overall deal, and perhaps show some indication (any indication) that it is willing to compromise its position, we will remain a long way from getting a deal done.”
- Pierre LeBrun via twitter: The NHL said not to assume that they will cancel games in 2 week chunks, will depend on temperature of bargaining talks.
- Spector’s Hockey via twitter: Darren Dreger said on TSN that he thinks the NHLPA is working on a proposal, but the question would be when they present it. Dreger suggests presenting a proposal too early could be a “sign of weakness.”
- Howard Berger via twitter: The NHL will only cancel 2 more 14 day segments before they will cancel the season. Won’t be any postponements after the U.S. Thanksgiving.
- Kevin Paul Dupont via twitter: NHL and NHLPA in a 100 day countdown. No new CBA by mid-January and another season gets cancelled.
- Gino Reda via twitter: The cancelled games will cost the players an average of about $180,000 each.
- Allan Walsh via twitter: Cancelled games will cost the owners $114 million, on top of the $100 million from the preseason.
- Henrik Lundqvist via twitter: “Feels like I’m going to practice without a purpose, and I hate it! Don and Gary, let’s figure this one out! #NHLHockey #theplayers #thefans”
- Josh Rimer via twitter: David Backes on cancelling 2 weeks of games, “It is unfortunate that it has come to canceling regular season games, we were hoping that 900 million in concessions would be enough to a league with record growth and revenues. Since it isn’t, it might be a while.”
- Josh Rimer via twitter: Jonathan Toews on cancelling 2 weeks of games, “it’s another disappointing but expected move from the league. This seems to be our commissioners bread and butter. It’s almost like he is excited to take away hockey from the fans and the players just because he can. Personally, I still haven’t heard a valid argument from the league for what they are doing, just that they want more and last time it wasn’t enough. If they would be as determined to solve these issues as they are quick to point the finger at us (the players), this would be settled by now. But they aren’t and now we know well miss at least two Weeks because of it.”