Blues lay off about 20 workers

The St. Louis Blues have laid off "just under 20" front-office workers last week, a club executive confirmed Tuesday to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The remaining 75 employees were forced to accept pay cuts, and, in some cases, switch to four-day workweeks.

The layoffs, the result of the NHL lockout, were spread across different departments, chief operating officer Bruce Affleck told the paper.

The Blues aren't the first team to reduce staff. The Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers also have laid off workers, while employees at the league office in New York have been reduced to four-day weeks.

The NHL has canceled exhibition games through Sunday. The two sides haven't met formally since Sept. 12. Talks are scheduled to resume Friday.