NHL cancels more games through December 14

You see where this is going? I suppose it won’t be long before the NHL leadership cancels the whole month of December and then we get to the ledge where the season is cancelled probably soon after if no agreement is reached.

NEW YORK - The National Hockey League announced today the cancellation of the 2012-13 regular-season schedule through December 14. The NHL also announced the cancellation of the 2013 NHL All-Star Weekend scheduled for Jan. 26-27 in Columbus, Ohio. The cancellations are necessary due to the absence of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NHL Players' Association and the NHL.

A total of 422 regular-season games -- 34.3 percent of the season -- were scheduled for Oct. 11 through Dec. 14.

"The reality of losing more regular-season games as well as the 2013 NHL All-Star Weekend in Columbus is extremely disappointing," said NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly. "We feel badly for NHL fans and particularly those in Columbus, and we intend to work closely with the Blue Jackets organization to return the NHL All-Star events to Columbus and their fans as quickly as possible."

You have to wonder how many other players are begging to feel the same way as Roman Hamrlik and Michal Neuvirth. I think this is kind of what the NHL owners wanted to do as well. You have to wonder if there is beginning to be some dissention in the player ranks.

Katie Carrera; Washington Post --- Washington Capitals forward Troy Brouwer was frustrated Thursday to read comments made by two of his teammates that questioned the direction of the NHLPA during the lockout.

In the previous 48 hours, veteran defenseman Roman Hamrlik said that he was “disgusted” and spoke out against NHLPA Executive Director Donald Fehr while goaltender Michal Neuvirth voiced support for the blueliner’s view, adding that he believed the lockout was about “several superstars with big contracts.”

Those comments didn’t sit well with Brouwer, who along with Jason Chimera serves as the Capitals’ representatives to the NHLPA and has spent much of the past few months learning the details of the union’s proposals and helping relay the information to others.

I was wondering about this the other day, not everyone in the NHL makes 5-10 million dollars a year in the NHL. There are a lot of players that are making less money and might be feeling the pinch of the lockout. I wonder is the will signal the beginning of the end of the solidarity with the NHLPA?

“I agree 100 percent with Hammer,” Neuvirth said. “This lockout is not about majority of players, I think. It is about several superstars with big contracts.”