SabreSpace

'"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

Players feel the frustration as season crashes down (Rochester D&C) Cancelled NHL Helps Amerks (RNews.com) AHL prepares for Calder Cup playoff run (Amerks.com) … [Read more...] about Thursday’s Rochester Coverage

'Quinn said the Sabres lost an estimated $7 million by not playing this year less what they would have lost had the season been played. He worries fans will be put off by the lockout and the game's descent to rock bottom, but sees a silver lining in the opportunity to reform. ''We're all living through it here in Erie County and the city of … [Read more...] about Sabres partner looks for bright side in season loss

'“This is not about greed, this is about a fair deal,” said Goodenow. “If you want to talk about greed, I suggest you ask the other side.”' … [Read more...] about NHLPA Responds To Season Cancellation

'It's not a certainty but it's widely speculated the next step in this dispute will be the filing of an impasse by the league with the respective labor boards in the United States and Canada. As the majority of NHL franchises are located in the U.S., it's anticipated the league will file with the National Labor Relations Board first. It could take longer to … [Read more...] about NHL will never be the same

'``This is a sad, regrettable day that all of us wish could have been avoided.''' … [Read more...] about Text of statement by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman

'“We were not as close as some people we speculating,” said Bettman. “We were not talking about some small difference at all, we were still very far apart.”' … [Read more...] about NHL Cancels 2004-2005 Season

'How can Goodenow go back and look his union in the eye after caving to a cap earlier this week. It isn't the fact that he caved -- that often has to happen for labor strifes to be settled -- but it's when he caved. If the NHLPA would have come off its no-cap stance a month ago, perhaps I'd be here writing about an actual game or player rather than this … [Read more...] about No Stanley Cup playoffs, but plenty of drama ahead

'The animus that will have festered during this protracted labor dispute will make it virtually impossible for Bettman and Goodenow to continue to serve effectively -- if you think eviscerating the sport is service.' … [Read more...] about Down with the ship

'All I can say is I've never seen a worse display of bad faith bargaining and disingenuous dithering. No matter how much either side conceded, Bettman and his squinty-eyed, toothpick-chewing henchmen were intent on turning the NHL into a designer label version of the minor leagues where a fair patch of readers say they are enjoying hockey at reasonable prices.' … [Read more...] about Dirty deeds

'The league and union were roughly $6.5 million away from a possible deal, as a last-ditch effort to save the season brought about new numbers from both sides.' … [Read more...] about Final horn sounds on the season that never was