With no agreement in sight, NHL cancels games through Nov. 30
Thursday's deadline for the NHLPA to accept the NHL's offer proposed last week to save the full 82-game schedule came and went off the table Thursday, so what was expected became official as the league canceled the schedule through Nov. 30.
[Trending Topics: Firing Don Fehr or Gary Bettman wouldn't solve anything]
From the NHL:
The National Hockey League announced today the cancellation of the 2012-13 regular-season schedule through November 30 because of the absence of a Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NHL Players' Association and the NHL.
A total of 326 regular-season games — 26.5 percent of the season -- were scheduled for Oct. 11 through Nov. 30.
[Related: Bill Daly, Donald Fehr release statements in response to cancelations]
Two big dates on the NHL calendar that are now gone include the Nov. 9 Hall of Fame Game in Toronto three days before former Maple Leaf Mats Sundin is inducted along with Pavel Bure, Adam Oates and Joe Sakic, as well as the "NHL Thanksgiving Showdown" on Nov. 23 that was set to feature the New York Rangers visiting the Boston Bruins and a float in the Macy's parade the day before.
Surviving Thursday's cuts, for now, include the Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium on Jan. 1 and, per Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch, the 2013 All-Star game in Columbus scheduled for late January. Though rumors are swirling that both could be axed sometime next week.
Follow Sean Leahy on Twitter at @Sean_Leahy
