Friday, 18 February 2005 :: 12:12 pm

The NHL Cancels the Entire Season

The NHL has done something that it's never done before in it's history. They have cancelled the entire 2004-05 season.

The owners and the players associations are in a lockout. The disagreement is over salary caps. They have had several meetings but no deal has been met yet.

Both sides have put offers on the table. Neither side has accepted any of them. If there is no agreement, there won't be an NHL Draft in June.

There are a lot of hockey players in the NHL nearing retirement. Most of them are in their 40's and this could have been their last season on the ice. Some of them are Detroit's Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull and Chris Chelios.

The NHL signed a broadcasting deal with NBC to show it's games on the peacock network. It was a two-year agreement and half of it is already gone out the window.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman released this statement, "Everyone associated with the National Hockey League owes our fans an apology for being unable to accomplish what is necessary for our game and our fans. We are truly sorry."

Since the Red Wings aren't playing hockey this year, it's a big loss for the city of Detroit. Local bars and clubs won't have anyone in them. Restaurants are losing money because they have no customers.

The city of Detroit is already in a financial crisis. It's a bad time for something like this to happen. Many people who work in businesses around the Joe Louis Arena are losing their jobs.

All we can hope for is an agreement so that hockey can return to the ice next season. It seems like both sides, the players and the owners are taking their time. If they were true to the fans, they would talk around the clock to get an agreement as soon as possible.

It shows a lack of morals on the players and on the owners. The fans want to see their hockey. No progress is being made in the roundtable discussions.

Where's the Stanley Cup in all of this? It has been traveling through Canada. It has been appearing at festivals and other events up north.

I never thought something like this could ever happen. When did society get tied up in the amount of money that you make as an athlete? There are lots of people who could play hockey without a million dollar salary.

I can understand that they have been extending old contracts. I think that both sides should sit down continuously through the night to reach an agreement.

Fans from all over the world are upset. It's like a missing part of their life. Some people live and dream hockey.

I encourage you to support the Plymouth Whalers, OHL hockey team. They play just about every weekend at the Compuware Arena on Beck Road. For their complete schedule, click here.

This is Hockeytown and we need our hockey back!!

Sources:

The National Hockey League

ESPN.com