Blogs

Some Monday thoughts, dear readers: ♦ Just a completely depressing vibe at the players’ organized workout at Southpointe. Nobody wants to chat about the latest in the NHL/NHLPA labor war, and perhaps with good reason. It is not as though the players are in an enviable spot here. Craig Adams is part of an NHL [...]

Been a bit, dear readers – but, to be fair, it was quite a hectic week, this one past, with a few days in New York City, and too many hours trying to piece together what was going on with the NHL, NHLPA and those get-their-groove-on Penguins. • Speaking of the local club, this piece [...]

Sidney Crosby cannot end the NHL lockout by winning a puck battle in the corner, sending a pass to an open area of ice only he sees, or ripping one low and to the left of a goalie that tends to cheat high and right. Arguably the world’s finest hockey player, Crosby is not in [...]

Big developments Sunday, dear readers; as Ron Burkle, the Penguins’ majority co-owner, will be among six owners to meet with select players at a meeting Tuesday in New York. First up, the statements: • NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly:  “We have confirmed with the Union that we will attempt to schedule a Players/Owners-only meeting for [...]

Quite an interesting day, dear readers, on the NHL labor front. Nobody should have expected anything different from federal mediators, who essentially threw their hands in the air after two days of conversations with the NHL and NHLPA. Given the ideological divide between owners and players, it is hard to blame the kind souls at [...]

A few quick Hump Day morning hits for the dear readers: • The first mediated negotiation between the NHL and its Players’ Association is slated to be held this afternoon. Neither side is disclosing the location. The Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service (FMCS) has said it will not comment about any nature of the talks [...]

A busy Monday, dear readers, as the NHL lockout hit Day 72. A story is on the Triblive.com site – http://triblive.com/sports/3022898-85/fmcs-nhl-negotiations-director-labor-league-mediation-nhlpa-players-union#axzz2DMykuQT0 – about the big news, which is that federal mediators are getting involved in the NHL/NHLPA negotiations. Statements from the Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service, the NHL and NHLPA: • FMCS director George Cohen: [...]

A cheery Saturday morning to the dear readers, though a loss by this blog author’s beloved Everton to a Reading in the EPL has started this weekend sour. Fortunately, one of Chipped Ice’s best beat buddies, Frank Seravalli, provided hockey fans with a glimmer of hope with this column: http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/flyers/20121116_Is_Flyers_Snider_helping_thaw_NHL_talks_.html Interesting, eh?   • Addressing [...]

Friday was many things, but probably mostly the best example of how Twitter has re-shaped – and probably not in a good way – the way we among the unwashed media do our jobs. First, the Trib’s story about the actual NHL and NHLPA labor negotiations: http://triblive.com/sports/2926918-85/negotiations-players-nhl-union-friday-labor-week-adams-penguins-lockout#axzz2BmP55pI4 • On any other day that would be [...]

Not one dear reader should be surprised if this lengthy stretch of negotiations between the NHL and NHLPA breaks off either Friday or at some point this weekend. After three days and nearly 20 hours of face-to-face sessions, there remains a reality that cannot be ignored: Not one person associated with the NHL is certain [...]