- Tim Panaccio via twitter: From a player source on Fehr’s meeting on decertification talk: “it is a serious consideration right now.”
- Stephen Whyno of the Washington Times: Don Fehr updated about 25 players yesterday about were the lockout stands. No bargaining sessions are planned at the moment.
“When we made our proposal on Wednesday, I thought the answer would be yes. But we didn’t get a response which suggests that we are,” Fehr said from Caesars before the Operation Hat Trick charity game. “When you make a move towards them, if you’re going to have an agreement, somebody has to say, ‘Yes and now I can do this.’ Instead they said, more or less, ‘Yes and what else can you do for me?”
There was some talk between the two sides on Friday, and more is expected either today or tomorrow.
“Everybody understands that negotiation is a process, that’s about all I can say. So far, we seem to be doing all the negotiating,” Fehr said. “When you say, we have to have with the right hand and I’m going to give you with the left hand, that’s one thing, if they say we have to take with the right hand and we’re going to take with the left hand, too, that becomes very difficult.”
Fehr on the decertification option,
“There are two sets of laws that govern these situations and what happens is that, from time to time, unions and sports unions have essentially said that there are circumstances in which members would be better off without a union and taking action under the antitrust laws,” he said. “And that’s all I can say about it. You can check what’s happened in the other sports.”
- Jason Botchford of the Vancouver Province: If/when the lockout ends, the Roberto Luongo situation will consume Vancouver. Most think he’ll be moved, but management has said that they would be fine with having both Luongo and Cory Schneider at training camp. Luongo had said in the summer that a trade was in the best interest of all sides, but later said it’s okay if he came back. Some believe the Canucks should keep Luongo for their Cup run, but that could be a big risk. Nobody is sure how a Luongo-Schneider tandem would work, with each playing 50 percent of the time. What if he struggles this year? How difficult would it to trade him then? If they were to move him, it would make them a more complete team, especially if they get younger and add a 3rd line center. If they did move him, they would need to a backup goalie, and the market is weak. Dan Ellis is on a tryout deal with the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL. Other free agent options are Dwayne Roloson, Brent Johnson and Ty Conklin. The Maple Leafs might be willing to include Ben Scrivens in a Luongo trade. The Canucks have Eddie Lack playing in Chicago, but is he ready?
- ESPN: Blackhawks David Bolland retweeted on Friday “can I get a RT for wanting Bettman dead?” Bolland later deleted the retweet and offered up an apology.
“It was a mistake, I never meant to retweet that out,” Bolland told ESPN.com’s Pierre LeBrun. “I like to retweet for a lot of my fans, and I just retweeted the wrong thing. I feel bad about it.”
- Matias Strozyk via twitter: Blues Kevin Shattenkirk signed with TPS of SM-liiga according to MTV3.