As the NHL lockout hits the 48th day, the league has cancelled the Winter Classic set to be played on New Year's Day in Michigan between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs.
According to reports, the logistics of the deal wouldn't be feasible since the NHL payment plan calls for Michigan to be paid $250,000 by Friday. Union officials haven't met with the league since Oct. 18, but lawyer Steve Fehr and deputy commissioner Bill Daly did speak by phone Thursday.
There was a separate conference call held players' negotiating committee and executive board, and other interested players, but no future sessions had been scheduled.
The two sides are still split on revenue sharing and existing contracts. Both agree on the revenue split at 50-50. The conflict, however, is that the league wants it implemented immediately, and the players, who last season received 57 percent, would like to see the new revenue sharing be gradually phased in. Players also want existing contracts honored.
"We want to get a deal done, but it's very, very frustrating," Lightning wing B.J. Crombeen, a negotiating committee member told the Tampa Bay Times. "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."