The league will be cancelling all games scheduled for November, after a Thursday deadline to save a full 82-game season passed.
“The National Hockey League deeply regrets having to take
this action,” deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement. “We had hoped to be able
to forge a long-term collective bargaining agreement that would have preserved
an 82-game regular season for our fans.
Unfortunately, that did not occur.
“We
acknowledge and accept that there is joint responsibility in collective
bargaining and, though we are profoundly disappointed that a new agreement has
not been attained to this point, we remain committed to achieving an agreement
that is fair for the players and the clubs — one that will be good for the
game and our fans.”
So far this season, the NHL has lost a total of 326 games and is reportedly planning to cancel the All-Star Game and the Winter Classic on Monday.