2012 NHL Lockout Puts Regular Season at Risk

We're in the middle of October, and NHL fans and bettors know it’s time for some hockey.  Unfortunately, that's not going to happen anytime soon.

If you are a fan of NHL Hockey Betting, then you’ll have to start looking for a new pastime.  For the second time in eight years, the NHL is in lockout, and thousands of followers and team supporters in four cities expected to kick off their 2012-2013 season schedules this Thursday night will miss the first week of NHL action.

After weeks of unsuccessful negotiations between NHL officials and the Players Association, the result is trail of cancelled games in both the preseason and the first few weeks of the regular season.

While both sides are sustaining daily meetings to discuss possible ways to progress the talks, the lack of progress is putting the future of the 95th season of play of the National Hockey in peril.

Problems arose on September 15, 2012, right after the expiration of the NHL’s bargaining agreement (CBA). Team owners declared a lockout of the members of the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) when a new agreement could not be reached before their deadline.

As a result, the NHL cancelled all September preseason games on September 19, and on September 27th. Just a few days later, the remainder of the preseason schedule through October 8 was cancelled, resulting in approximately $100 million in lost revenue.  The start of the regular season, scheduled for October 11, was postponed on October 4, when the league decided to put on hold a total of 82 games scheduled through October 24th.

Currently, the NHL regular season is scheduled to begin on October 25, 2012 and end on April 13, 2013, with the playoffs to follow between April–June; however, the start of the season depends on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) being negotiated.

League and union negotiators met in two sessions Wednesday to discuss medical, health and safety issues, and will resume meetings Thursday to try to put an end to the monthlong lockout, which according to NHL deputy commissioner, Bill Daly, is costing the league as much as $250 million in revenue.In the meantime, stay tuned for more updates courtesy of Sports Betting Online.