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NHL Talks May Be Opened Again This Weekend (WGR-AM) NHL labor talks to resume Saturday in New York (AP) NHL, NHLPA to meet Saturday in New York in attempt to salvage season (CP) Possibility of NHL season still remains (Sportsticker) … [Read more...] about Friday’s Lockout Update

'"I thought about it all the way to the rink," McKee said of the season being wiped away. "It just gave me a sick feeling because I think we came a long, long way to find a deal that worked for everyone."' … [Read more...] about Things don't look better in morning for NHLers

'Ultimately, though, this is Bettman's failure. He presided over the league when it overexpanded and saw salaries soar beyond justifiable levels. It's true the NHL needs fixing. But the owners created the problem, and they miscalculated by trying to fix their salary woes in one fell swoop.' … [Read more...] about Bettman's bargaining is to blame

'With no deal even though the players finally accepted the concept of a salary cap, it’s quite likely they’ll never get a contract as good as the last proposal they turned down.' … [Read more...] about NHL steps back to step forward

Amerks crank up offense (Rochester D&C) Amerks slide by Barons (Cleveland Plain Dealer) Tonight (Cleveland Plain Dealer) Besting the Barons (RNews.com) Amerks beat Cleveland 5-3 (Amerks.com) AHL quick hits for Feb. 17th (Amerks.com) Bartovic And Pominville Double Up On Barons (ClevelandBarons.net) Barons' win streak snapped by Americans (ClevelandBarons.net) … [Read more...] about Friday’s Rochester Coverage

'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