Archives for February 17, 2005

'Sources close to NHL/NHLPA negotiations say that Pittsburgh Penguins player/owner Mario Lemieux and Phoenix Coyotes owner Wayne Gretzky have re-entered the dispute to try to save the season.' … [Read more...] about NHL Season To Be "Un-Cancelled"?

'The cancellation of the season removes one year from any existing player contract. So a player with one year remaining will not have been paid this year and will likely end up a free agent (the exact status of that free agent will be determined by the next CBA).' … [Read more...] about Sabres' contract status for the future

'While the Amerks do get to play, the figurative carrot of the NHL no longer dangles before them. They have battled for two-thirds of the season to produce the AHL's best record (36-10-3-5 for 80 points in 54 games), yet no one will be rewarded with a recall. "A lot of guys have played high-quality hockey and deserve to get moved up to the Sabres," said … [Read more...] about Players feel the frustration as season crashes down

'The $6.5 million disparity might look bridgeable, but multiply that by 30 teams and the six-year length of the CBA and it adds up to $1.17 billion.' … [Read more...] about Out of season

'Quinn questioned whether Sabres fans realize how fortunate this franchise was to have Golisano step in as the new owner. "This community is so lucky that we have a white knight willing to pay the bills while the system is fixed, but he's not going to do it forever," he said. "Tom Golisano makes it possible for us to weather the storm and make it so … [Read more...] about Lost season a relief

'But the Sabres had virtually all of their players signed, and few had been idling away on their living room couches. "That might be the thing that hurts more than anything," said Sabres defenseman Jay McKee, the team's union representative. "I think we were going to have a lot of success."' … [Read more...] about Sabres long for shortened season

'You watch, someday the NHL will be back. But when it comes back, will you watch?' … [Read more...] about The darkest hour comes before dawn

'"What scares me now is . . . I don't feel there'll be a lot of negotiating between now and next September," said Wayne Gretzky, managing partner of the Phoenix Coyotes. "Hopefully I'm wrong."' … [Read more...] about League makes wrong type of history with cancellation

'It could be easier for the NHL to dissolve and come back as a different entity, say, the National Hockey Association, impose its own rules and open the doors to any player who wants to skate. "I think that would be the worst possible option," said Sabres managing partner Larry Quinn. "I don't think it's something the league wants to do, but … [Read more...] about Awaiting the fallout

'Meetings intensified over the weekend but they weren't enough to keep hope alive. It was a stalemate. There was no compromise.' … [Read more...] about A tip of the cap

'"This absolutely will do damage to the game," Bonham told the Los Angeles Times. "Anyone who tells you otherwise is misleading you or completely ignorant."' … [Read more...] about Into the void

'Some may label this a sad day for hockey, but it's not.' … [Read more...] about Most of us doing fine with no NHL

'For Buffalo, the Sabres franchise will move on and get ready for the upcoming season. “Fans should be understandably angry and hurt and some will walk away for good,” Quinn said. “The game has to be relaunched. Buffalo hockey fans are too sophisticated to but a lesser product. We plan on getting in some Amerks games and a high school hockey tournament … [Read more...] about Game off

'So, did football-obsessed western New York even take notice of the NHL story? Actually, yes, according to a pair of Buffalo media members.' … [Read more...] about NHL gets its due in Buffalo

'Anti-replacement worker legislation in Quebec and B.C. would prevent the Montreal Canadiens and Vancouver Canucks from hiring any replacements, although the teams could try to hold home games in arenas outside their home provinces.' … [Read more...] about Replacements spell further NHL disaster