Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly Reiterates No Talks Planned -NHL Lockout Update
National Hockey League (NHL) Deputy Commissioner, Bill Daly, had made it clear during the past couple of days that there was nothing planned on the table for talks between the league and Players’ Association.
Fans were hopeful of hearing something positive in regards to the lockout during or after the Christmas break, but so far, the Deputy Commissioner has just said the same and backed his previous comments of there not being anything planned between the two
stakeholders.
Both sides know that there must be something the two can work out and not having a season at all will just result in monstrous losses for team owners and players. The NHL is a $3.3 billion a year business and not having that would wreck mayhem for many,
including team staff members and others associated with the league.
What the league, according to Daly, wants right now is to get a deal done that would ensure labour union-league peace for at the very least a duration of 10 years. Anything below that could result in another season being cut in half or even worse, totally
lost. This being the second lockout in less than a decade, both sides are slowly reaching to the conclusion that whatever is agreed upon, must stand the test of time.
“Ultimately, we have to get a system that works,” said Daly, according to the Calgary Sun. “If we get a season that is just a band-aid, particularly now that we’re talking about a 10-year term, then we’re doing more harm, in my view, to the game, to the
sport and to our owners than we would be by doing damage to the business in the short-term.”
“There’s no doubt we’ve dug ourselves a hole that collectively we have to climb out of. It’s unfortunate that’s where we are, but that’s what this negotiation has required to have happen.”
Mid-January has been set as the deadline by many experts as all 600-plus games are cancelled till that timeframe and not having a deal beyond that may just have the entire season off the cards. With less than half a season to go now, fans should expect something
significant after the New Year.
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