The mediators, unable after two days to find common ground between the league and the players' union, are out of the picture for the time being.

Transcription

1 Philadelphia Flyers Daily Clips November 30, 2012 FLYERS/PHANTOMS Headlines 1. Philadelphia Inquirer - NHL talks with mediators fail 2. Philadelphia Inquirer - Good-bye, NHL season? 3. Philadelphia Daily News - Brayden Schenn starring for Phantoms as NHL lockout drags on 4. Philadelphia Daily News - Sports in Brief: Wild goalie Harding has multiple sclerosis 5. CSNPhilly.com - Mediators fail to help in NHL labor fight 6. CSNPhilly.com - NHL Notes: Stoner accepts deal overseas 7. Camden Courier Post - Roenick's quick fix for NHL: Fewer teams 8. The Saratogian - AHL: Phantoms showing resiliency after losses NHL Headlines 1. NHL.com CBA mediation with League, Union unsuccessful 2. NHL.com Boston College coach York on the verge of history 3. NHL.com Kings PA announcer David Courtney dies, TSN.ca NHL, NHLPA make no progress after talks with mediators 5. TSN.ca Former NHLPA president Linden weighs in on current lockout 6. TSN.ca As NHL lockout drags on, stars descend on desert for camp 7. ESPN.com Mediation yields no progress 8. ESPN.com Where do CBA talks go as mediation fails? FLYERS/PHANTOMS Articles 1. Philadelphia Inquirer - NHL talks with mediators fail Sam Carchidi The NHL season seemingly moved closer to being canceled after labor talks with federal mediators broke off Thursday in Woodbridge, N.J., without any progress. The mediators, unable after two days to find common ground between the league and the players' union, are out of the picture for the time being. "We are disappointed the mediation process was not successful," Bill Daly, the NHL's deputy commissioner, said on the 75th day of the lockout. On Twitter, fans roasted the owners and players. Tweeted Flyer_Bully: "... flyer fan for over 35 years now, and I'm done, they can all shove it." ESPN reported that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman proposed to Donald Fehr, the NHLPA boss, a meeting between owners and players - without league or players association officials in the room.

2 Fehr and the players were apparently considering it. Fehr did not address the issue when he released a statement, saying the mediators "informed the parties they did not think it was productive to continue the discussions further today." He added that the mediators would "stay in contact" and "call the parties back together when they thought the time was right." This would be the second NHL season canceled in the last nine years. Numerous issues are on the table, including how to divide hockey-related revenue - it reached a record $3.3 billion last season - free agency, arbitration, and length of contracts. The NHL's latest offer was a 50/50 split of hockey revenue and $211 million in the "make whole" provision, which goes toward players' salaries. The players would agree to a 50/50 divide if it included $393 million. But even if that issue is resolved, Daly said in an , the sides are far apart in many other areas. With negotiations breaking down, speculation again surfaced about the NHLPA decertifying, a lengthy process that would enable the players to bring an antitrust suit against the NHL, claiming the lockout was illegal. So far, the threat of decertification has not helped negotiations. A board of governors meeting is set for Wednesday, during which more games could be canceled. As it stands, games have been canceled through Dec Philadelphia Inquirer - Good-bye, NHL season? Sam Carchidi The NHL season seems on the verge of being canceled after talks with federal mediators broke off on Thursday without any progress. The mediators were dismissed for the time being, meaning they had two whole days to intervene. Two. "We are disappointed the mediation process was not successful," said Bill Daly, the NHL's deputy commissioner, on the 75th day of the lockout. On Twitter, fans roasted the owners and players.

3 Tweeted Flyer_Bully: "...flyer fan for over 35 years now, and I'm done, they can all shove it." ESPN reported that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman proposed to Donald Fehr, the NHLPA boss, a meeting between owners and players _ without league or players' association officials. Fehr and the players are apparently considering it. Fehr did not address the issue when he released a statement, saying the mediators "informed the parties they did not think it was productive to continue the discussions further today." He added that the mediators would "stay in contact" and "call the parties back together when they thought the time was right." This would be the second NHL season canceled in the last nine years. There are numerous issues on the table, including how to divide hockey-related revenue _ it reached a record $3.3 billion last season _ free agency, arbitration, and length of contracts. The NHL's latest offer was a 50/50 split of hockey revenue and $211million toward the "make whole" provision, which goes toward players' salaries. The players would agree to a 50/50 divide if it included $393 million. But even if that issue is resolved, Daly said in an , there are many other areas in which the sides are far apart. There is a Board of Governors meeting Wednesday, during which more games could be canceled. As it stands, games have been canceled through Dec Philadelphia Daily News - Brayden Schenn starring for Phantoms as NHL lockout drags on Frank Seravalli GLENS FALLS, N.Y. - When Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren finally signed off on a long-rumored trade to bring Brayden Schenn's older brother, Luke, over from the Toronto Maple Leafs, Brayden was relaxing on a boat with friends on a lake in Saskatchewan. That was June 23. "The trade has sunk in," Brayden Schenn said Thursday. "But we haven't exactly had that first NHL game where we're on the same team, to get to share in that experience."

4 For now, as the NHL lockout reaches its 76th day on Friday, the Schenn brothers remain worlds apart. Brayden is biding his time in upstate New York, playing for the AHL's Phantoms. Luke is trying to keep busy skating with a pack of five or six NHLers in Kelowna, British Columbia. For Brayden, getting sent to Adirondack last fall to start the season purely because of salary-cap reasons was frustrating. This year, without any other options left, he's looking at his stay with the Phantoms as a leg up on the competition for when (if) the NHL decides to play. "I think you're always trying to see what's going on with the NHL lockout," Schenn said. "My brother is skating with NHL players, but they're kind of on their own. They work out and do their thing. But it's not the same. Even the guys that are playing in Europe, they're playing on a different ice sheet. Some guys aren't playing at all. "It's not going to hurt any of us to be down here. We're not totally 'in' yet with the Flyers anyway. Whenever this lockout solves itself, I'll have a step ahead playing professional hockey. It's not like I'm just getting ice time in a bad league. There's a lot of good players here." Schenn has distinguished himself among the AHL's best, ranking third in league scoring through the first quarter of the season. His 22 points are more than Edmonton's Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who was a finalist for the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year last year in the NHL. He trails only NHL All-Star Jordan Eberle and rookie phenom Justin Schultz. Phantoms coach Terry Murray was behind the bench for Schenn's first NHL game, as a member of the Los Angeles Kings on Nov. 26, He was an emergency call-up as an 18-year-old for a game in Vancouver after being nearby with his junior team. Schenn played eight more games with the Kings before being swapped to Philadelphia in the Mike Richards trade. Murray was fired by the Kings earlier this year and hired by the Flyers for his fifth stint with the team as player and/or coach. "Since I saw him in LA, every part of his game has come along tremendously," Murray said. "He's physically more mature, mentally more mature. He's starting to really identify with what his niche is in the game. He's becoming a more complete player. His game with the puck is what really attracted your attention: He was a scorer, he really competed hard. It was his play without the puck that needed a lot of work." Murray praised Schenn, saying he is often one of the first forwards back in his own zone. He has readjusted his focus once in the defensive zone, too, making sure he's not caught below the circles trying to help his defensemen.

5 At the other end of the ice, Murray said, Schenn has established himself as a clutch player. Schenn has 11 points in his last seven games. The Phantoms are 4-3 in those games, which included a three-game winning streak. "He's the kind of 'big-game' player that coaches love," Murray said. "I can put him out on the ice in critical situations and know what I'm going to get out of him. He knows when he needs to step up; he knows the critical times and critical situations. Not all players recognize that. I've always believed the toughest thing in pro sports is to win when you're supposed to. "If the lockout lasts the entire year this year, that will really be a very impactful part of his game - to reinforce it, to be able to be a reliable player, to know you can go out and do what you need when you need it." Schenn has always been a consistent scorer in the AHL. He collected 12 points in seven games last fall before being called up for the remainder of the season with the Flyers. After a fractured foot and concussion, Schenn was one of the Flyers' top players in the playoffs with nine points in 11 games. He thinks he'll be even better whenever he is finally reunited with his older brother. You know, anytime now. "I know he will help me a lot," Schenn said. "We know each other so well. If my confidence is down or I need a kick in the butt, it will be good to have your brother who you respect a lot and know real well to get you going. It will be nice to have him around." 4. Philadelphia Daily News - Sports in Brief: Wild goalie Harding has multiple sclerosis Staff and Wire Reports Minnesota Wild goalie Josh Harding has multiple sclerosis. The Wild confirmed the diagnosis and said that Harding is undergoing treatment for the disease, which attacks the body's immune system and affects the central nervous system. General manager Chuck Fletcher said he knows the "competitive fire" Harding has used in his hockey career will help him fight this challenge. AUTO RACING: Dale Earnhardt Jr. has tied Bill Elliott's record of 10 straight wins as NASCAR's most popular driver. The award is presented annually by the National Motorsports Press Association. Fans vote from February through September on the 10 most popular drivers. The field was then reset and fans voted again through the final 10 weeks of the season.

6 More than 934,000 votes were cast and Earnhardt beat Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, and Tony Stewart. TENNIS: Serena Williams has been named the WTA's player of the year after winning major titles at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open and claiming gold at the London Olympics. Williams, who has won 15 Grand Slam singles titles and four Olympic gold medals, was 48-2 over the final seven months. GOLF: Nick Watney made birdie for the first time ever on the 14th hole at Sherwood during a strong back nine that carried him to a 5-under 67 and a 2-shot lead in the World Challenge in Thousand Oaks, Calif. He leads Jim Furyk, Keegan Bradley, and Graeme McDowell. Tiger Woods, the tournament host, had a number of good par saves for a CSNPhilly.com - Mediators fail to help in NHL labor fight Tim Panaccio After two days of federal mediation in the 75-day NHL lockout, both sides appear to have thrown their hands into the air. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed to CSNPhilly.com an ESPN.com report that the league has asked the NHLPA for a meeting involving just owners and players without the four principles involved in an effort to avoid losing the season, which has now become a genuine possibility. We want to find a way to get to a deal, Daly told TSN, regarding NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman s idea. Nothing else has worked. The Commissioner felt that we might as well propose something different. We will see how they respond. Late Thursday, a union spokesman responded to the league's player/owner meeting suggestion saying, We will be discussing all matters regarding the last two days of mediation, as well as potential next steps with the Executive Board and Negotiating Committee. NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr did not immediately comment on the players/owners meeting suggestion but said in a statement, Today, players and NHLPA staff, along with representatives of the league, concluded a second day of mediation under the auspices of the FMCS. This afternoon, the mediators informed the parties that they did not think it was productive to continue the discussions further today. The mediators indicated that they would stay in contact with the league and the NHLPA, and would call the parties back together when they thought the time was right.

7 The two sides met with federal mediators Scot L. Beckenbaugh and John Sweeney on Thursday in North Jersey. After spending several hours with both sides over two days, the presiding mediators concluded that the parties remained far apart, and that no progress toward a resolution could be made through further mediation at this point in time, Daly said. We are disappointed that the mediation process was not successful. Next Wednesday, the league s Board of Governors is expected to meet at the Proskauer Rose law offices in Manhattan. The BOG will likely entertain a discussion of whether to cancel the season or at least authorize Bettman to do such as some point in the near future. No professional sports league has ever had two seasons cancelled within eight years, but the NHL is close to becoming the first to do so twice under the same commissioner. Meanwhile, Fehr needs to determine whether his next legal maneuver is to decertify the union, which could take months, or perhaps file a disclaimer of interest, as has been suggested, which would accomplish the same thing, albeit in a quicker manner. Either way, Fehr would no longer represent the players and they would be free to file anti-trust litigation, among other legal resources, against the owners. In other words, total chaos. Heading into mediation, which began on Wednesday, the two sides were $182 million apart on a five-year CBA, which actually breaks down to $1.2 million annual for each of the NHL s 30 clubs -- virtually nothing given the hundreds of millions already lost during the lockout. Even if that was agreed upon, however, the two sides remained very far apart on player contractual issues, which Fehr said were as important, if not more so, than the owners making whole and honoring existing contracts. 6. CSNPhilly.com - NHL Notes: Stoner accepts deal overseas CSNPhilly.com Staff Add Minnesota Wild defenseman Clayton Stoner to the list of NHLers fleeing overseas. Stoner agreed to a lockout deal with HC Banska Bystrica in Slovak Extraliga, according to the team's website (via ProHockeyTalk).

8 The 27-year-old played in 51 games last season for the Wild. In , he played in 57 games and compiled nine points and seven assists with Minnesota. In May, the Wild re-signed Stoner to a two-year, $2.1 million extension. Injury forces Galiardi back to U.S. While many players are heading overseas, San Jose Shark T.J. Galiardi must come home to the U.S. after suffering a knee injury while playing in Germany, according to CSNBayArea.com (via ProHockeyTalk). The injury is not believed to be serious. Galiardi played for both the Sharks and Avalanche last season, scoring nine goals and tallying 15 points. He is scheduled to be a restricted free agent this summer. Lockout preparing Langenbrunner for retirement Jamie Langenbrunner, a 17-year veteran, isn't retiring just yet. But if there's one positive to the lockout, it's helped the St. Louis Blue prepare for it. I think this time also prepares you for it, Langenbrunner told the St. Louis Post- Dispatch (via ProHockeyTalk). I ve gotten involved in coaching the kids teams and quite frankly, I ve gotten to enjoy that aspect of it." 7. Camden Courier Post - Roenick's quick fix for NHL: Fewer teams Randy Miller PENNSAUKEN Never bashful about speaking his mind, former Flyers star Jeremy Roenick says he d have an interesting plan to fix a broken NHL if he took over for commissioner Gary Bettman. After strongly urging owners to take the union s offer to split revenues and end this season-long lockout, the 500-goal scorer says he d do everything in his power to eliminate a couple small-market teams. There are 30 teams and there are some places that can t hold teams, Roenick said Thursday during an appearance at the Pennsauken Skate Zone in which he coached Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation players and signed copies of his new autobiography. That kind of weakens the economy of the whole National Hockey League. Maybe diluting a couple of the teams and diluting a little of the talent would make it an even stronger league.

9 Told the union would never go for that, Roenick said, Of course not. It s easy for me to say as a star player. That would never happen, but it would be better for the game. Roenick believes whenever players and owners agree to a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, the league will be better off. He s on the players side in this dispute, but maintains that owners needed to go through with this lockout even though players point out that the league has produced record revenues returning from its lockout, which canceled an entire season. The owners did need to do this to make a more level playing field with the revenue, but I think there s a deal there that they should be biting on and that frustrates me, said Roenick, who retired after playing the season with the San Jose Sharks and now is a hockey commentator for NBC. I think the players have really done a pretty phenomenal job in giving a lot back to the owners. The owners do need to do this. Roenick was hopeful that federal mediators meeting with owners and players this week would lead to a quick resolution, but that notion died Thursday night with NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly issuing a statement saying, After spending several hours with both sides over two days, the presiding mediators concluded that the parties remained far apart, and that no progress toward a resolution could be made through further mediation at this point in time. I m disappointed like everybody else, Roenick said. Roenick, who lives in Scottsdale, Ariz., is excited about returning to the South Jersey/Philadelphia area this week. He played just three of his 20 seasons with the Flyers, scoring 67 goals and 173 points over 216 games from , but says this NHL stop was special. Going over the Ben Franklin Bridge this afternoon, I got all giddy, he said. I feel really good and comfortable when I come into this city. I had the most unbelievable time in a Flyers uniform. Flyers fans and me, we meshed. We jelled. I think we were meant to be together. I was proud to be able to play three years. I wish it would have been longer. It was a match made in heaven. Roenick s new book J.R., My Life as the Most Outspoken, Fearless and Hard-Hitting Man in Hockey (with USA Today hockey writer Kevin Allen) already has ruffled some feathers. Former Sharks teammate Patrick Marleau wasn t happy reading where Roenick wrote that he was earning $6.9 million per season and I just didn t believe he brought the superstar effort. It s outspoken, hard-hitting, Roenick said of his book. I think if anyone is going to write a book, I m the perfect guy... not only because of the things I said and the things I did, but how I played out on the ice. I tried to take people behind the scenes, bring them into the locker room and the life of a professional hockey player my life, because it was pretty radical for sure.

10 8. The Saratogian - AHL: Phantoms showing resiliency after losses Michael Cignoli GLENS FALLS - Generally, losing ranks somewhere between going through airport security and getting audited on the list of things professional hockey players like. The Adirondack Phantoms really hate losing. Just look at the team s results over the past month. The Phantoms (9-9) have lost six games since Oct. 27, including Wednesday night s 3-2 loss to St. John s. Players have responded by going 4-1 in games immediately following those defeats. They have outscored opponents in the potential bounce-back games, including posting a trio of three-or-more-goal wins. That bodes well for Friday night s game against Binghamton, set to face-off at 7 p.m. at the Civic Center. "You always want to respond after a loss," goalie Scott Munroe said. "I think you can get complacent after wins and not bring the same effort the same night. After a loss you want to right the ship." Adirondack s ship is definitely in calmer waters than it was at this point last month. The Phantoms suffered back-to-back losses twice in the first six games of their season, opening 2-4. Since then, they ve done it just once - a pair of 5-2 losses at Binghamton and Syracuse two weekends ago. And those losses touched off their season-high three-game win streak. They have yet to lose three straight. "You have to learn how to lose and hate to lose," Munroe said. "For me, I almost hate to lose more than I like to win. That s what almost drives me more. It s a learning process. We play so many games, you re going to have losses but the idea is to limit the slides and bounce back." That s an acquired skill, Phantoms coach Terry Murray said, but one the youthful team is starting to learn.

11 "Some of these young guys have come through their junior careers wherever they have played and they ve gone on long winning streaks," he said. "They were top players on top teams in the games they were playing. You don t go through this maybe enough times to figure it out in how to respond the right way, knowing you have to come back and do the same thing over and over and over again day after day. The fundamentals of the game will push you to the top. We re learning that. We re learning how to do it right." The Phantoms have to keep building on that success, but also learn how to keep stringing wins together. Before their recently-snapped three-game win streak, which started when the Phantoms returned to the Civic Center after playing 10 of 14 on the road, they had gone 1-5 in games immediately following wins. They bounced back from losses, but couldn t sustain any of the momentum until lately. "We weren t consistent," wing Tyler Brown said. "We didn t come to play in the first period and usually if you don t come to play in the first, the other team capitalizes on your mistakes. Lately we ve been playing pretty well. We ve come out hard, we stick to our game plan and I think that s why we ve been winning." The Senators, though, represent one of the tougher tests Adirondack will face on its sixgame homestand. With Calder Cup champion Robin Lehner and American Hockey League all-star Ben Bishop in net, the Senators are allowing just 2.38 goals per game. That s the fourthlowest total in the 30-team AHL. Binghamton has won six in a row, outscoring opponents 23-10, to improve to "The game plan basically stays the same," winger Shane Harper said. "Maybe it s in the back of your head after a loss. Something you don t really talk about, but it s kind of mental. You bear down a little bit more and know that you can t lose two in a row. It s not a huge talking point. We just worry about ourselves." NHL Articles 1. NHL.com CBA mediation with League, Union unsuccessful NHL.com Representatives from the National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players' Association concluded two days of meetings with federal mediators Thursday without making any progress toward a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The second session of meetings finished late Thursday afternoon. No further meetings with the mediators are planned, according to NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly.

12 "Today, we concluded two days of mediation with FMCS mediators and representatives of the NHL Players' Association," Daly said in a statement. "After spending several hours with both sides over two days, the presiding mediators concluded that the parties remained far apart, and that no progress toward a resolution could be made through further mediation at this point in time. We are disappointed that the mediation process was not successful." Donald Fehr, Executive Director of the NHLPA, said, "Today, players and NHLPA staff, along with representatives of the League, concluded a second day of mediation under the auspices of the FMCS. This afternoon, the mediators informed the parties that they did not think it was productive to continue the discussions further today. The mediators indicated that they would stay in contact with the League and the NHLPA, and would call the parties back together when they thought the time was right." Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services Deputy Director Scot L. Beckenbaugh and Director of Mediation Services John Sweeney served as the mediators during the meetings. They were appointed by FMCS Director George H. Cohen. The NHL and NHLPA haven't held a formal negotiating session without mediators since Nov. 21. Additional meetings between the NHL and Union are not scheduled at this time, but the League offered on Thursday the possibility of a meeting between owners and players without the presence of League or Union negotiators. The Union has yet to respond to the offer. Without an existing CBA, the NHL has cancelled games through Dec. 14 as well as the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic and All-Star Weekend. 2. NHL.com Boston College coach York on the verge of history Tal Pinchevsky Two years after becoming head coach at Boston College, Jerry York attended a university function at Fenway Park's 400 Club. More than a decade past winning the 1984 NCAA title with Bowling Green, he was rebuilding a program in the midst of six straight losing seasons that had gone almost half a century since its last national championship. Rival Boston University, on the other hand, had recently won a historic fourth national title. So when the Boston Bruins were considering giving their vacant head coaching job to BU boss Jack Parker, a BC alum asked York if he was eager to see Parker leave college hockey. "Jerry, in a very respectful way said, No, I want him to stay. I want to see if we can measure up to BU,'" said Mike Cavanaugh, York's assistant coach at BC since "At the time, they were the program to emulate. And they happened to be our rival."

13 So it seems all-too appropriate that, roughly 15 years since that Fenway function, York has a chance to make hockey history against Parker and Boston University. With four national championships and nine Hockey East tournaments since 1999, York enters this weekend's home-and-home matchup against the Terriers just one win shy of the legendary Ron Mason's all-time collegiate mark of 924 victories. And in typical York style, he's only thinking about his team. "We haven't discussed it [the record] all week. We're focused on our archrival at BU," York told NHL.com. "It's a great rivalry." While the two programs have combined for five titles since 2001, the rivalry was decidedly one-sided when York started at BC in His first BC team won just 11 games and it would take time for his first recruiting class to flourish. Through it all, York showed blind faith in his program. "When he first got to school, I remember him saying, We're going to create a beachhead at the Frozen Four every year. We're going to be there every year.' We were freshmen and I remember thinking we weren't very good. And here he is saying we're going to be a national power, not just every few years, but every year," said Chris Masters, a center who was part of York's first few seasons. "Some of us left the meeting thinking, What the hell is a beachhead?' But we understood what he meant." Sure to York's word, those first recruiting classes overcame their initial growing pains and in York's fourth season at BC, the Bulldogs won the Hockey East title before losing to Red Berenson's Michigan Wolverines in the NCAA tournament final. York hasn't looked back, winning six of the last nine Hockey East tourneys and three of the last five national titles. As his name has climbed the all-time wins list, York's been happy to ignore personal accomplishments in favor of team glory. "He won his 800th game in the NCAA tournament against Minnesota and nobody really made a big deal of that. 850 was the national championship game when we beat Wisconsin, so nobody made a big deal about 850. When he wins 924, I just know he's going to say, Let's go get 925.' That's how he's always been," Cavanaugh said. "If you look at all the success BC has had in the last 15 years, we've only had one Hobey Baker winner. The only way you can be effective in preaching team goals is if you really believe it yourself. The team wouldn't buy into it if they thought he was after all the accolades. He's clearly not, and they know that." That team ethic doesn't end when players leave BC, whether it's to continue their hockey careers or join the real world. When Wayne Wilson, a member of York's national championship squad at Bowling Green, wanted to give coaching a try, York hired him as an assistant, launching a career that would see Wilson become the all-time wins leader at R.I.T. When Wilson's son Stu,

14 a freshman forward at Yale, recently scored a big goal against Denver, York sent a congratulatory text. "He literally cared about everyone and was very inclusive of everyone. He wouldn't just talk to the bus driver, he would want to know about him. How is your family? How are your kids?' That was with everyone," Wilson said. "He's very accessible. We would be talking in the office, and fans would just drop by the office and he would make time for them." York's balance between order and tenderness has been a trademark for more than 40 years. He asks that his players refrain from wearing jewelry and growing their hair long -- not to enforce his will, but to maintain focus on the team. And on the verge of hockey history, potentially against another all-time great, he's happy to admit that his players have occasionally taught him something, too. "Nathan Gerbe taught me how to . You have to stay current," York said. "The players haven't changed much over the decades. They want to play on winning teams. We talk at BC about when you leave, you want to have a diploma in one hand and a ring in the other." The 67-year-old York even joined the Twitterverse last week. Just don't expect any celebratory tweets when he breaks college hockey's all-time wins mark. "We're just looking forward to a good game," he said. 3. NHL.com Kings PA announcer David Courtney dies, 56 NHL.com David Courtney, public address announcer for the Los Angeles Kings, passed away Thursday, the team announced. "David was tremendously passionate about the Kings, our fans and the game of hockey," Kings president of business operations Luc Robitaille said in a statement. "His time with the Kings dates back to the mid-1970s both in our PR office as our public relations director and also with work he did in our video department before he took over full-time public announcing duties at the Forum and Staples Center. "In the arena he was an institution -- he was the voice of the Kings -- and his work added so much to the live, in-game experience for our fans as it did for the Clippers and Angels as well. Next season would have been David s 35th year with our franchise, and on behalf of the entire Kings organization and AEG we are incredibly saddened by this news and we send our deepest condolences to his wife Janet and the rest of the Courtney family."

15 Courtney, 56, also served as PA announcer for the Los Angeles Clippers of the NBA and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Major League Baseball. The Los Angeles Times reports Courtney started with the Kings in 1971 as a 14-year-old public relations assistant. He began announcing for the Kings in Courtney, born in New York City, also worked for the NFL's Los Angeles Rams, NBA's Houston Rockets, MLB's Houston Astros and USFL's Houston Gamblers, the newspaper said. 4. TSN.ca NHL, NHLPA make no progress after talks with mediators The Canadian Press After arriving at another dead end in negotiations, the NHL and NHL Players' Association emerged from two days of mediation with a new direction to consider. Commissioner Gary Bettman proposed Thursday that the leadership from both sides step aside for the next bargaining session, leaving a group of owners and players to try and break the stalemate. The specific parameters of the meeting weren't set out and the NHLPA said it would take the offer to its executive board and negotiating committee for consideration. Bettman's proposal came with the sides unable to bridge a gap in collective bargaining negotiations despite sitting through a series of sessions with U.S. federal mediators Scot L. Beckenbaugh and John Sweeney in Woodbridge, N.J., this week. "After spending several hours with both sides over two days, the presiding mediators concluded that the parties remained far apart, and that no progress toward a resolution could be made through further mediation at this point in time," deputy commissioner Bill Daly said Thursday in a statement. "We are disappointed that the mediation process was not successful." Mediation was also used on a couple occasions during the NHL's labour dispute in and didn't produce any discernable progress. According to NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr, the sides may sit down with representatives from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service again in the future. "The mediators informed the parties that they did not think it was productive to continue the discussions further today," said Fehr. "The mediators indicated that they would stay in contact with the league and the NHLPA, and would call the parties back together when they thought the time was right." Progress has remained elusive for the league and union despite a variety of different negotiation settings over the last several months. They've tried everything from large

16 groups to the Big Four (Bettman, Daly, Donald Fehr and NHLPA special counsel Steve Fehr) to a private 1-on-1 session between the deputies without success. There was a brief hint of optimism last week when the union tabled a new offer that Donald Fehr felt brought the sides within $182 million over five years. However, a series of player contract issues remain unresolved and the terms of negotiations are bound to change the longer the lockout drags out. On Thursday evening, Daly confirmed that the league's Nov. 8 offer remained on the table. The sides have each proposed a split of revenues, but remain separated on payments to be made outside the system to help ease the transition from a deal that saw players receive 57 per cent. The NHL has offered $211 million in deferred compensation while the union has asked for $393 million. With the lockout approaching its 12th week, some veteran NHLers have started drawing parallels between the current work stoppage and the one that wiped out the season. "It seems bleak for having any sort of season," Hurricanes defenceman Joe Corvo told the Raleigh News & Observer. "It feels like ( ) again. It seems like we're getting nowhere." With no end to the standoff in sight and players set to miss their fourth paycheque on Friday, speculation is expected to grow about the possibility of the union decertifying or disclaiming interest. Disbanding the union would allow NHL players to challenge the lockout under antitrust laws and eliminate the need for a CBA, potentially making each of them independent contractors. The strategy was used by NFL and NBA players in recent labour disputes and has been discussed on internal NHLPA conference calls in recent weeks. Considerable damage has been done to the NHL's business by the lockout. The league has cancelled 422 regular-season games through Dec. 14, plus the Jan. 1 Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium and Jan. 27 all-star game in Columbus. 5. TSN.ca Former NHLPA president Linden weighs in on current lockout The Canadian Press VANCOUVER -- This time, Trevor Linden is just an interested observer. But the former NHL Players Association president does not like what he sees as another lockout rolls on.

17 "It's disappointing to see the game not being where it should be -- and that's on the ice," he said Thursday. "I follow (the dispute), but it's not my issue anymore. So I'm happy to be on the sidelines." Linden made his comments around the same time league and NHLPA officials emerged from a second day of unsuccessful mediation efforts and commissioner Gary Bettman proposed that leaders from both sides step aside from the talks and be replaced by owners and players. The former Vancouver Canucks' captain led the players union during the lockout that resulted in an entire season being scrapped for the first time in NHL history. He was active in the negotiations then and, in the following summer, helped negotiate an end to the dispute that led to the collective bargaining agreement that expired Sept. 15. Linden, who retired in 2008 following 19 seasons with the Canucks, New York Islanders and Montreal Canadians, was reluctant to discuss the current lockout in detail, but shares the feeling of many fans. He faced heavy criticism from owners and players in as the standoff divided the NHLPA and led to the departure of union head Bob Goodenow. "At that point, (the scrapping of the season) didn't shock me," Linden said. "It was a massive philosophical divide. It was a huge philosophical divide on the economics of the game.... This isn't." The core of the dispute then was a proposed salary cap which has since been implemented and helped the NHL reap a record $3.3 billion in revenues last season. The current impasse relates to a disagreement over revenue sharing between owners, the guaranteeing of contracts signed under the previous collective bargaining agreement and other issues. The NHLPA, now led by Donald Fehr, no longer has a player who serves as president. The organization has been restructured and, from the players' perspective, is led by a negotiation committee that consists of representatives from all teams. But if Linden had to reprise his role in negotiations, he would. "It's one of those things, if I had it to do over again, I'd definitely be involved," he said. "As hard as it was, I enjoyed being part of it and understanding the business of hockey. "It was a difficult time, but I enjoyed being part of the process." Linden made his comments following a Vancouver Giants news conference at the Pacific Coliseum, where he toiled with the Canucks for many seasons before they moved to the downtown facility now known as Rogers Arena. The Giants, who now call the Coliseum home, will honour Linden during their game Saturday against the Tri-City Americans in tribute to his glory years at the arena, where he helped the Canucks qualify for the 1994 Stanley Cup final against the New York Rangers.

18 Since his retirement, Linden has stayed outside the game, pursuing business interests that include a chain of fitness centres and real estate development while also taking part in public-speaking engagements and many charitable activities. He enjoys the opportunity to create his own schedule and take a long weekend off, but does not rule out a return to hockey in some capacity. "The game has been with me for a long time," said the 42-year-old Medicine Hat, Alta., native who lives in Vancouver and is still revered by Canuck fans. "If the right opportunity came about, you never know." 6. TSN.ca As NHL lockout drags on, stars descend on desert for camp Associated Press SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Phoenix Coyotes goalie Mike Smith lowered into a crouch as the odd-man rush developed in front of him. The puck went to the left wing and he followed, lodging his skate against the post. A onetouch pass sent the puck across the front of Smith's crease and he slid over in a flash, whipping his right leg out for a sprawling pad save, setting off a collective 'Oh!' from fans lining the glass behind him. NHL players on the ice, competing hard, fans cheering them on -- it almost felt like a real game. Of course, it was only a scrimmage in front of a couple hundred people at the Coyotes' practice facility, but as the NHL lockout drags on, fans -- and the players -- will take anything they can get. "This is awesome," said Jane Pittet of Scottsdale, who left work to catch Thursday's workout at the Ice Den. "I wish it were the real thing, but this is fun to watch." The Phoenix Coyotes have been holding informal workouts at their practice rink since the NHL lockout started and this week were joined by more than a dozen players from around the league for what amounts to a lockout minicamp. Pittsburgh star Sidney Crosby, San Jose forward Patrick Marleau, Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller and Dallas forward Brendan Morrow are among the players who have made the desert the hockey destination this week by skating with the Coyotes. Players from teams across the country have gotten together for workouts in their home cities, but this week is a chance to face a step up in competition and play against someone other than their teammates, not to mention feel at least a little pressure playing with people watching.

19 "It was fun to be out there and, OK, I've actually go to stop this puck," Miller said. "I kind of tried to pretend I was back in front of the home crowd and had to make a stop, so it was good." The Coyotes have had good turnout for their player-organized workouts, skating with a dozen or so players who haven't gone to play overseas or for minor league teams, while a handful of players from other teams have occasionally joined in. Crosby, trying to work his way back from a series of concussions, helped organize a couple of gatherings in Dallas and Vail, Colo., and the group headed to Arizona this week to join the Coyotes. Phoenix captain Shane Doan sent word that there would be a mini camp of sorts this week, luring more players to Scottsdale. About 30 players have participated in the workouts this week, separating onto two rinks for drills before coming together for 40 minutes to an hour of scrimmaging. There isn't any hard checking or an overwhelming intensity to the workouts, but it is a chance for the players to get out and play at close to game speed. "We've had a pretty good group here the whole time and we added about 15 guys, so that made it to where you can play a full game," Doan said. "That makes it so it's 5-on-5 and there's a little bit of a break, not every other shift. Gives you a chance to really play. It just picks up the competitiveness and everyone wants to prove that they're capable of playing and it's a lot of fun." For now, camps like this and informal workouts with teammates are all the players have. The NHL lockout reached 75 days on Thursday and had already led to the cancellation of more than 400 games, including the New Year's Day Winter Classic and All-Star weekend. Federal mediators joined the talks between the NHL and players this week, but the sides appear to still be far apart. "I thought I knew what to expect, but here we are, it's almost December and we're talking in Phoenix," said Miller, who lives in Los Angeles and has been working out with Kings and Ducks players. "It's very frustrating that we can't have a true partnership in the sense that the game was doing well. If it needed a tweak or two, we were more than willing to listen, but it seems everyone's on guard and no one trusts the other party. It's been going like that for years. It's tough." Camps like the one this week will help them vent some of the frustration, but it's just not the same as playing in games that matter.

20 7. ESPN.com Mediation yields no progress Katie Strang NEW YORK -- It appears the mediation route will not spell the end of the lockout. The NHL and NHL Players' Association met for the second straight day Thursday but gained no traction in brokering a new collective bargaining agreement through the use of a federal mediator. "After spending several hours with both sides over two days, the presiding mediators concluded the parties remained far apart, and that no progress toward a resolution could be made through further mediation at this point in time. We are disappointed that the mediation process was not successful," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said. The league and union accepted an invitation from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services earlier this week to try to resolve the differences dividing the two sides, but they remain too far apart on the key issues. Thursday's session, which a source confirmed was held in Woodbridge, N.J., broke off around 4 p.m. ET. "This afternoon, the mediators informed the parties that they did not think it was productive to continue the discussions further today," Fehr said in a statement. "The mediators indicated that they would stay in contact with the league and the NHLPA, and would call the parties back together when they thought the time was right." There are no more mediation sessions scheduled and the two sides are unlikely to continue exploring this option for future negotiations, two sources said. However, the two sides may be entertaining a different option. Multiple sources told ESPNNewYork.com that commissioner Gary Bettman proposed to Fehr a meeting between owners and players only, with no league or NHLPA staff present. Fehr is believed to be considering the option but has yet to respond to the league. "We want to find a way to get to a deal," Daly said. "Nothing else has worked. The commissioner felt that we might as well propose something different. We will see how they respond." The bottom line is that, 75 days into the owners' lockout of players, there is no end in sight. The lockout has already forced the cancellation of games through Dec. 14, the New Year's Day Winter Classic, and the All-Star weekend in January. The next sure thing on the hockey calendar is the NHL board of governors, scheduled next Wednesday in New York. Meanwhile, the players could seek to decertify the union and challenge the lockout in court.

21 Either way, the sides are getting close to losing another season to labor strife. The NHL is already the only major North American sports league to cancel a season because of such a dispute -- when the schedule was wiped out. Mediation didn't work back then, either, though the collective bargaining agreement that recently expired was ultimately hammered out. Mediators were summoned in February, shortly before the season was canceled. 8. ESPN.com Where do CBA talks go as mediation fails? Pierre LeBrun Well, let s be real, few of us thought mediation was going to work anyway. The real question now is where the NHL and NHL Players Association go from here after mediation sessions in Woodbridge, N.J., were unable to unglue entrenched positions. Well, Gary Bettman's offering to bench himself is some kind of curveball, eh? The news wasn t 90 minutes old that mediation had failed to bring any progress in NHL labor talks when word surfaced that the NHL commissioner offered Thursday to NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr to have owners and players only in the next bargaining session (whenever that is) -- no league or union brass or staff. I ll say this for the commissioner, this one caught everyone off guard. "We want to find a way to get to a deal," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told ESPN.com via Thursday evening, explaining the surprise offer. "Nothing else has worked. The commissioner felt that we might as well propose something different. We will see how they respond." An NHLPA source confirmed the union was contemplating the offer, which should not be confused with definitely accepting it. So if you re the PA, what do you do here? On the one hand, players have long ago and predictably tired of Bettman -- name-calling and all -- so the opportunity to see him removed from the bargaining room seems like an offer too good to resist. On the flip side, some people were quick to argue on Twitter on Thursday night that the NHL has always wanted to find a way to split Fehr away from the players, so perhaps this was a chance to do it?

22 I m not sure I buy that, but certainly you can make the case the NHL has long been concerned in this process that it hasn t been able to properly get its message directly across to the rank and file players. So this would certainly present that chance. If I m in the NHLPA, as my ESPN colleague Katie Strang suggested Thursday night, I'd agree on doing this only if all 30 owners are invited to join if they so choose. I d go further. I d request that Jeremy Jacobs also join Bettman on the bench. Whether or not the kind of vitriol the players have for the Boston Bruins' owner is justified on all levels, the fact remains that he has come to represent all that is wrong with NHL ownership in the eyes of players. Get him out of the room. Let s get some fresh voices with a fresh approach. At this point, the process requires it. In the meantime, now that mediation has been checked off the list, you have to believe union decertification (or disclaimer of interest) is becoming more and more a possibility for the players, even if they know they risk just as much as the owners with that nuclear option. Still, despite the possible pitfalls of decertification, it s the kind of thing that seemed to push a deal through in the NBA labor impasse a year ago. Thing is, you have to understand that if the NHL calls your bluff, you also have to be ready to go all the way with it. Not an easy decision. And no, for all those on Twitter who asked me Thursday evening if I ve finally lost my optimism for a season, I have not totally lost it. I m less confident of it, but I still can t fathom both sides allowing whatever existing differences that remain to force an entire season to get canceled for the second time in eight years. Which is otherwise known as industry suicide. I still can t see it happening. But I m less sure of it than I was before -FLYERS-