NHL Cancels Games Through December 14th, All-Star Game

The NHL announced another wave of cancellations Friday morning.

All Games through to December 14th and the 2013 All-Star weekend in Columbus have been axed.

In total 29 Vancouver Canucks games have been cancelled, six more in this latest wave including five home games.

If the season were to begin December 15th Vancouver would host the Toronto Maple Leafs at Rogers Arena.

NHL Press Release:

The National Hockey League announced today the cancellation of the 2012-13 regular-season schedule through December 14. The NHL also announced the cancellation of the 2013 NHL All-Star Weekend scheduled for Jan. 26-27 in Columbus, Ohio. The cancellations are necessary due to the absence of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NHL Players’ Association and the NHL.

A total of 422 regular-season games — 34.3 percent of the season — were scheduled for Oct. 11 through Dec. 14.

“The reality of losing more regular-season games as well as the 2013 NHL All-Star Weekend in Columbus is extremely disappointing,” said NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly. “We feel badly for NHL fans and particularly those in Columbus, and we intend to work closely with the Blue Jackets organization to return the NHL All-Star events to Columbus and their fans as quickly as possible.”

Don Fehr, National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) Executive Director, released the following statement regarding the NHL’s cancellation of games through December 14th and the 2013 NHL All-Star Weekend:

“On Wednesday, the players presented a comprehensive proposal, once again moving in the owners’ direction in order to get the game back on the ice. The gap that remains on the core economic issues is $182 million. On Wednesday, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said that the league is losing $18-20 million per day during the lockout, therefore two more weeks of cancelled games far exceeds the current economic gap. It makes the NHL’s announcement of further game cancellations, including the 2013 All-Star Weekend, all the more unnecessary, and disappointing for all hockey fans – especially those in Columbus. The players remain ready to negotiate but we require a willing negotiating partner.”