Fehr "Surprised," "Disappointed" At Seemingly Inevitable NHL Lockout

NHLPA Exec Dir Donald Fehr discussed the inevitability of a lockout this afternoon at a press conference at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in N.Y. With 283 NHL players in attendance, Fehr voiced displeasure with the owners' expected decision to lock out the players if a new CBA is not reached by 11:59pm ET Saturday. Fehr said the players would like to play while negotiations continued. On the subject of revenue sharing, which the league says it does enough of and the players insist there should be more, Fehr said the owners' stance made him, "A little bit surprised, a lot disappointed."

The players in attendance for two days of meetings were united behind Fehr. Wild LW Zach Parise said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman "sure likes his lockouts." Penguins C Sidney Crosby said of the owners, "A lockout is kind of what they're looking for."