No surprise in the NHL cancelling all remaining October games thru Nov. 1.

Notice the date. November 2 is the day that the season could open with a full 82-game schedule.

So, the wiggle room within the NHL still exists to get a deal done by Oct. 25, but I would say the odds are slim and none of that happening.

Talking to people within the sport, and that includes television, what I am hearing is that The Commish may have sorely underestimated Donald Fehr's resolve.

One person said what he is hearing is that the league office doesn't know how to take Fehr and really thought by now they would get a deal done.

Some people say that Fehr has his own agenda - a luxury tax system like the one he installed in Major League Baseball with no salary cap.

I don't think that is it. But I can tell you this. There is a steely resolve to the players because for the 3rd time now, Gary Bettman has simply dismissed without consideration what the players presented to him.

Go back and look at the all videos after each of the player proposals, including the most recent one, and take note of the body language of Fehr and in some cases, those standing behind him, when he talks about how quickly the league dismissed their ideas.

This angers the players because they see it as extremely disrespectful from a commissioner who claims he had a "partnership" with the players.

This also lends credence to why the players didn't make an offer last week but waited for the NHL to make one instead. They knew Bettman would dismiss it without even sleeping on it.

I think there is a deal to be made here. I don't think the two sides are that far apart in reality, but publicly, they seem very far apart.

I don't look for the NHLPA to make the next move. If there are going to be meetings next week, it's going to have to come from the NHL inviting the players to NYC to resume talks.

The Winter Classic remains a chip for Fehr. NBC and the owners don't want to lose it. But advance advertising and HBO set-up require a November start. WC is up next for being chopped off the schedule.

So here's my question: will Fehr let the Winter Classic go bye-bye to make his point the players won't cave?

I believe the league office is asking itself that question right now.


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