NHL cancels first two weeks of season
By Matt Shetler
Although it comes as no surprise to many hockey fans, National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman made it official on Thursday that the first two weeks of the 2012-13 season have been cancelled.
The lockout reached its 18th day on Thursday and currently there are no new labor talks scheduled between the two sides.
With the two sides unable to work out how to split up $3 billion in hockey-related revenues with the players’ association, the NHL proceeded to wipe out 82 games through Oct. 24 — beginning with four Oct. 11, which would have been the league’s opening night. There was no word if those games would be made up if an agreement is reached.
As is the case with most lockouts, games, revenue and paychecks usually have to be missed before the two sides really get serious about talks. But with no talks scheduled in the immediate future, this may be just the first of many cancellations of regular season games. Judging by history, things could get much worse as in the previous lockout, the NHL and the union didn’t get together between early September and early December.
According to TSN, the 82 canceled games will cost NHL players approximately $120 million in total salary.
As for the Penguins, the guys that are around will still workout with their teammates at Southpointe, but you will likely see more guys heading home and some guys will more than likely start looking for other places to play.