Thursday, January 6, 2005

Red Wings keep the faith

With time running out, players profess optimism there'll be some sort of season

By Ted Kulfan / The Detroit News

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TROY -- They're clinging to hope, whatever little there is.

Several Red Wings, and other area NHL players living in the area, skated Wednesday at Troy Sports Center with hope the regular season can be salvaged.

The lockout reaches its 113th day today with no end in sight. Both sides say there are no negotiations planned, and no new proposals are being prepared.

There is a meeting scheduled for Jan. 14 between Commissioner Gary Bettman and the league's Board of Governors.

The remainder of what would have been this regular season could very well be scrapped that day.

Still, players cling to optimism something can be worked out.

"I'm still hopeful," said Wings captain Steve Yzerman. "I've got to believe something will get done in the next couple of weeks. But I don't have any reason behind that."

"I'm still hopeful we'll be able to resolve things, even if we don't have a lot of time left," defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom said. "I'm trying to be optimistic. It's tough when there are no negotiations, not even conversations, going on right now."

The two sides haven't met since Dec. 14 in Toronto when the league rejected the NHL Players Association's offer, highlighted by a 24 percent rollback in salary.

The NHLPA then rejected the owners' counter-proposal, which included a salary cap.

Despite the rampant speculation of the season being canceled next week, many Wings players feel that isn't likely to happen.

There's a feeling among the NHL Players Association that owners don't want to cancel the season because remaining season-ticket money will have to be refunded.

Owners also might not want to officially end the season because if ownership wants to declare an impasse in negotiations to the National Labor Relations Board, ceasing any talks with the NHLPA won't look good.

"I have no idea what'll come out of that meeting (on Jan. 14)," Yzerman said. "Even if there is an announcement, I don't think that's necessarily the final announcement. The final, final announcement will come later."

Yzerman isn't sure what he'll do if this season is scrapped.

He will be 40 in May, and the last game in which he played, on May 1 against Calgary in the playoffs, he suffered broken bones around his left eye after being hit by an errant puck.

"I don't think it's impossible to take a year off and come back and play," Yzerman said. "I think I could, but it's just a matter of wanting to do that."

Defenseman Chris Chelios is another veteran unrestricted free agent with an uncertain future.

Chelios, who turns 43 on Jan. 25, said he'll play once with the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League if Bettman pulls the plug on the NHL season.

"Just wait and see," Chelios said. "I don't know what to think anymore."

The grim reality that there won't be a season is growing stronger.

Neither side is working on a proposal, which greatly cuts into the chance of salvaging a season.

"We are not working on anything," said Ted Saskin, the NHLPA senior director. "It is very clear to us that if there is going to be any hope of a season, the NHL is going to have to show some interest in getting into a meaningful negotiation and it's very clear that what they presented to us on Dec. 14 provided no basis for further negotiation."

There have been rumors of the NHL putting forth an offer to the players, but Bill Daly, the NHL executive vice-president, denied the rumor.

"There is nothing to the story that we're working on a new proposal," Daly said.

All of which snaps hope for anyone hoping to watch NHL hockey any time soon.

It would the first time that any professional sports league in North America that an entire season would be lost to a labor issue.

"Even in 1994 (the last time the NHL had a labor problem), there were negotiations going on and the sides were getting close," Lidstrom said. "Now, nothing is really happening. I guess we're in a wait-and-see mode."

"I don't know if I'm optimistic (of a resolution)," said defenseman Jason Woolley, who is serving as a volunteer assistant coach at Michigan State. "I'm kind of holding out hope I guess. Sit back and wait it out. I know one thing. I really miss playing."

You can reach Ted Kulfan at (313) 223-4606 or tkulfan@ detnews.com.