The league last canceled games on the day after Thanksgiving, when games through Dec. 14 and All-Star weekend were wiped off the calendar because of the NHL lockout.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman
The league last canceled games on the day after Thanksgiving, when games through Dec. 14 and All-Star weekend were wiped off the calendar because of the NHL lockout.
If games were to start on Dec. 31, teams would have less than 50 games left on their schedules, which would fit right into Gary Bettman’s thinking that any shortened season played should have at least 48 games. Dec. 31 is a big one on the hockey calendar—13 games are scheduled before the league would typically give way to its Jan. 1 Winter Classic. But that game between the Red Wings and Maple Leafs at Michigan Stadium was canceled in early November, an early victim of the lockout that began Sept. 16.
Talks broke down last Thursday after the sides appeared to be making significant ground toward a deal on Tuesday and Wednesday. Though NHLPA director Donald Fehr stands by his comments that a deal is not too far off, commissioner Gary Bettman bristled at those suggestions Thursday.
Whatever the case, with the clock ticking, this is a big week for the NHL to try get a deal done. Then again, the same could be said for the past several weeks.