No NHL Part III

"I can tell you unequivocally and without a doubt that we are done," NHL chief legal officer Bill Daly told The Associated Press on Thursday night. - Link

The facade is nearing an end. I am still perplexed as to why both sides even pretended to be trying to come to some compromise when both sides both steadfastly agreed they were not going to accept any compromise when it came to implementing a salary cap.

I think the owners have to say that replacement players will begin the season next year or the NHL is dead forever. I think once replacement players are playing, I think it will only be a matter of time before the NHLPA caves... if not, the NHL will continue without them. The damage has been done. If the player's think that fans aren't going to support replacement players, they are thinking wrong. The only fans that care about hockey now won't care who is skating and who isn't and in a few years the best hockey players in the world will again be in skating on NHL clubs.

Whether you think the player's are right or wrong, there will be no question that if/when they return, they will feel the impact of their motives this season for a long time...and in the end, I think they will lose more by giving in later rather than now.