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The day after: The season may be dead, but the rumor mill lives Thursday, February 17, 2005NHL commissioner Gary Bettman may have canceled the 2004-05 season, but that doesn't mean that everything associated with the league has come to a standstill. The rumor mill is still operating and it shifted into overdrive Thursday, even spitting out the suggestion that perhaps the fat lady didn't sing a season-ending tune on Wednesday. "I hear some rumblings ... that owners and players are trying to make an attempt to get back to the bargaining table, but it's got to occur today, tomorrow, or the next day," agent Pat Brisson told The Associated Press. Even NHL executive vice-president Bill Daly, the league's lead negotiator, has heard the rumors. But he hasn't heard anything from Bob Goodenow and the NHLPA. "We have heard a lot of the rumors that are out there, but we have had absolutely no contact with the union since Bob's final letter," Daly told the AP. "Unless or until we hear from the union, the rumors are meaningless." The Hockey News reported Thursday that Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux have entered the fray in an attempt to resuscitate the season. "I was told Gretzky and Lemieux got involved, to try to talk some sense into the (union) executive committee," an unidentified source told THN. "A lot of people who care about the game say they’re too close not to at least talk some more." Gretzky shot down the rumors. "I did talk to Mario today," Gretzky told The Fan 590 radio station in Toronto. "I had a brief conversation about pretty much what everyone else is talking about, can we believe we're in the situation we're in. Nobody understands why we're in this situation. Nobody has the answer to how we got here or how we're going to get out of here. To say Mario and I had a conversation to try to stir up the conversations and talks again, that's just not true." Gretzky had this to say to TSN: "The only person I've spoken with on the players' side since the season was cancelled is (Phoenix player rep) Shane Doan. I'm not involved in any discussions with anyone." The Hockey News also reported that a group of veteran players are involved in an effort to raise the season from the dead. A Detroit radio station reported that Red Wings forward Brendan Shanahan turned down an interview request because he was involved in meetings. Maybe secret meetings. Shanahan's agent said the Detroit forward simply declined to be interviewed. It had nothing to do with any meetings. "He got a call from a Detroit radio station and talked to an
intern and simply declined an invitation for an interview," agent Rick Curran
told the Canadian Press. "They fabricated the rest of it." "I've heard a number of rumours today about owners wanting to
continue negotiations which Gary ended with his last final proposal," Saskin
told the Canadian Press. "We've had no contact with the league office since our
correspondence on Tuesday." Don't tell that to Steve Yzerman, who had this to say to The Hockey News: "I know the season has been cancelled, but it’s not too late to uncancel it," The Hockey News asked Daly if the league would be open to talks that could lead to reversing the decision to cancel the season. Daly responded, "I would love to have that problem." But for now there are just a lot of rumors. And they are just that. Rumors. "Believe me, I think I would have heard something factual but I just hear what everyone else is hearing (rumors)," New Jersey Devils CEO and GM Lou Lamoriello told the CP. "After a while you start believing it because you hear it so much but then you pinch yourself and remind yourself that there's probably nothing to it."
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