Donald Fehr didn’t outright say the lockout ball is in the National Hockey League’s court.
“I don’t characterize things that way,” the NHLPA boss said on Saturday. But he intimated the next move — when and how talks might resume — will be up to Gary Bettman and the league’s owners.
“It’s up to them. They’re the ones that called a halt to the process,” he told a group of reporters.
Fehr, speaking at a Canadian Auto Workers Union pow-wow at a downtown Toronto hotel, received full backing from the 800 or so people in attendance and was given standing ovations before and after his speech, which touched on the NHL labour talks, albeit in very general terms.
His appearance came on the heels of talks between the NHLPA and league owners on Thursday, which appeared extremely positive before ending in spontaneous combustion when the league turned down an offer by the players association.
Fehr refused to sling any mud when asked about the breakdown in New York ear
