December 7, 2012
The bleakest point of the NHL lockout arrives in New York

NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr speaks to the media after a day of labour negotiations with the NHL in New York, N.Y., Dec. 6, 2012. (LUCAS JACKSON/Reuters)

Donald Fehr was issued an ultimatum and tried to turn it into a negotiation.

As a result, it’s Day 84 of the lockout, the ninth straight Saturday there’ll be no Hockey Night in Canada and, perhaps, the bleakest point the NHL and NHL Players’ Association have reached in this negotiation.

While it looked like they were on the road to a deal after meeting Tuesday, the tables turned Wednesday and the process completely went off the rails Thursday when Fehr, the NHLPA’s executive director, submitted an unwanted offer.