3dGameMan
02-16-2005, 04:21 PM
Bettman officially cancels NHL season: ~source (http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1108561109345_48/?hub=TopStories)
http://www.ctv.ca/archives/CTVNews/images/20050216/nhl_lockout_050216/160_bettman3_050216.jpg
CTV.ca News Staff
While the NHL's leader struck a rueful tone at the season's cancellation, his counterpart with the players sounded angry and defiant.
"This is a sad, regrettable day that all of us wish could have been avoided," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman told reporters at a news conference in New York.
But Bob Goodenow, the NHL Players' Association's executive director, said in Toronto: "At some point, the concessions end and they ended here today."
Bettman's announcement came two hours after his 11 a.m. ET deadline for the players' association to accept a final $42.5-million salary cap proposal passed without a word.
"It is my sad duty to announce that because the solution has not yet been attained it is no longer practical to conduct even an abbreviated season," Bettman explained.
"Accordingly, I have no choice but to announce the formal cancellation of play for 2004-05."
The official announcement ends speculation that the league and its players would be able to reach an agreement and salvage the season.
Instead, the NHL becomes the first major professional league in North America to cancel an entire season of play over a labour dispute.
As a result, the Stanley Cup will not be awarded for the first time since 1919 when the final between Montreal and Seattle was cancelled because of the Spanish flu.
Despite reports that last-ditch negotiations had brought the two sides close to a deal, Bettman said the proximity was exaggerated.
"We weren't as close as people were speculating.... We were still very far apart," Bettman said, referring to the gap in salary cap proposals made by both sides.
In its final offer, the NHL Players' Association had proposed a salary cap of $49 million US. The $6.5 million US difference between the union and the league's offers, Bettman noted, is actually $200 million US when factored by the league's 30 teams.
Goodenow said every major concession in the negotiations came from the players.
While Bettman said the Monday proposal to drop linkage was now off the table, Goodenow said the players' offer of a 24 per cent salary rollback and acceptance were now part of history.
"Both sides start with a clean slate," he said...
http://www.ctv.ca/archives/CTVNews/images/20050216/nhl_lockout_050216/160_bettman3_050216.jpg
CTV.ca News Staff
While the NHL's leader struck a rueful tone at the season's cancellation, his counterpart with the players sounded angry and defiant.
"This is a sad, regrettable day that all of us wish could have been avoided," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman told reporters at a news conference in New York.
But Bob Goodenow, the NHL Players' Association's executive director, said in Toronto: "At some point, the concessions end and they ended here today."
Bettman's announcement came two hours after his 11 a.m. ET deadline for the players' association to accept a final $42.5-million salary cap proposal passed without a word.
"It is my sad duty to announce that because the solution has not yet been attained it is no longer practical to conduct even an abbreviated season," Bettman explained.
"Accordingly, I have no choice but to announce the formal cancellation of play for 2004-05."
The official announcement ends speculation that the league and its players would be able to reach an agreement and salvage the season.
Instead, the NHL becomes the first major professional league in North America to cancel an entire season of play over a labour dispute.
As a result, the Stanley Cup will not be awarded for the first time since 1919 when the final between Montreal and Seattle was cancelled because of the Spanish flu.
Despite reports that last-ditch negotiations had brought the two sides close to a deal, Bettman said the proximity was exaggerated.
"We weren't as close as people were speculating.... We were still very far apart," Bettman said, referring to the gap in salary cap proposals made by both sides.
In its final offer, the NHL Players' Association had proposed a salary cap of $49 million US. The $6.5 million US difference between the union and the league's offers, Bettman noted, is actually $200 million US when factored by the league's 30 teams.
Goodenow said every major concession in the negotiations came from the players.
While Bettman said the Monday proposal to drop linkage was now off the table, Goodenow said the players' offer of a 24 per cent salary rollback and acceptance were now part of history.
"Both sides start with a clean slate," he said...