NHL Lockout Update – Brief

By Kenton Wolfe

The NHL opening night has been officially missed with the passing of the previously scheduled Oct. 11 openers.

The lockout has forced the NHL’s hand in cancelling all games scheduled Oct. 11-24. With no indication of progress made between the two sides, it is expected the NHL will cancel more as Oct. 24 draws closer. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly claimed there is no “real-time urgency” to the negotiations.

While more members of the NHL Players Association continue to sign overseas, many are donating their time to charitable causes in North America. Vancouver Canucks defenseman Kevin Bieksa has started an initiative he dubbed “Bieksa’s Buddies,” where he and members of the Canucks play other British Columbia-born NHL players, charging admission and donating the profits to charity.

The negotiations will continue between the NHL owners and players until an agreement is reached.