NHL Lockout: B.J. Crombeen says league doesn't match it's words

With progress toward ending the ongoing NHL lockout coming slower than a snail's pace, Tampa Bay Lightning right winger B.J. Crombeen recently expressed his displeasure with the league's lack of flexibility in continuing negotiations, according to a Thursday report by Damian Cristodero of the Tampa Bay Times.

"We want to get a deal done, but it's very, very frustrating," said Crombeen, a member of the union's negotiating committee, in the article. "What's just as frustrating as that is them telling the fans they want the game back, they're working as hard as they can, but they won't even meet with us. They won't even talk with us on anything."

So far, the lockout has cancelled regular season NHL games through the month of November, 12 games in total (and six at home) off the Lightning's schedule. Next on the chopping block, according to the article, could be the NHL's Winter Classic, which was set to be held Jan. 1 at the University of Michigan's football stadium.

"There's obviously differences, there's some things, but I'm fairly certain if they were wiling to negotiate something could get done fairly quickly," Crombeen said of his thoughts on getting a deal done in the report. "So, it's something where you try to hang on that hope, and hope it finally clicks with them, and they realize everyone wants the game to get back and get back quickly."