NHL Move Frees Arenas for 45 Days

In another indication that the NHL season is in jeopardy, league officials Tuesday extended the time frame to free up arenas from 30 to 45 days, which all but cancels games through Dec. 2.

The league sent a memo to its 30 teams informing them that the “date rollback” was expanded to allow replacement events to be booked into arenas. But the league hierarchy also seems intent on sending a message to the NHL Players’ Assn.

“With the absence of any indication from the union that it has interest in engaging in talks anytime soon, we felt it made sense to provide clubs with more flexibility in scheduling options,” said Bill Daly, the NHL’s chief counsel.

Daly also said that the date rollback was “subject to modification at any time.”

Ted Saskin, senior director of the players’ union, said: “It’s very clear that the league and its teams are far more concerned with booking concerts than negotiating a solution to end the owners’ lockout.”

Extending the period to 45 days will give arena officials more time to fill dates that were set aside for hockey games. Tim Ryan, the Arrowhead Pond general manager, said that it takes six weeks to plan a concert tour.

The effects of the five-week lockout have started to have a financial impact. Teams have lost a week’s worth of game receipts, and players have missed one paycheck -- players are paid twice a month during the season -- with another pay period ending next week.

No further negotiating sessions are planned.