NEW YORK: The little hope that existed for a full NHL season appears to be gone.
Shortly after the players’ association reached out to the league on Tuesday to restart stalled labor negotiations, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly rebuffed the union’s attempt.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said last week, in presenting the league’s most recent offer to the players, that if a new collective bargaining agreement wasn’t reached by this Thursday, it would be impossible for a full regular-season schedule to be played.
No talks have been scheduled, and no last-minute discussions seem to be on tap.
“I don’t anticipate any taking place for the balance of the week,” Daly said in an e-mail to The Associated Press on Tuesday. “The union has rejected the proposal we made last Tuesday and is not offering another one. We see nothing to be gained at this point by meeting just to meet.”
The players’ association informed the NHL it is willing to meet on Wednesday “or any other date, without preconditions, to try to reach an agreement.”
“We hope to hear from them soon,” NHLPA spokesman Jonathan Weatherdon said.
The NHL’s response wasn’t what the union had hoped to hear.
The sides haven’t met since the NHL turned down three counterproposals from the union on Thursday, two days after the NHL’s offer that included a 50-50 split of hockey-related revenue.
Now it seems that a full season, starting on Nov. 2, won’t take place.
As of now, the league has called off all games through Nov. 1. Without a deal this week, those games are in danger of being called off for good.
NHL rejects players’ attempt to restart talks
