NHL cancels games through November - 10-26-12

Professional hockey's slide into oblivion continues.

Having been able to unable to agree to a new collective bargaining agreement, the league announced it was canceling games through the end of November. At this rate, the earlier the NHL's season would begin would be Dec. 1.

In addition to missing all games in October, the Penguins have now missed out on the following games:

Nov. 2 - at Blue Jackets
Nov. 3 - at Devils
Nov. 5 - at Blackhawks
Nov. 7 - at Maple Leafs
Nov. 10 - vs. Oilers
Nov. 13 - vs. Avalanche
Nov. 15 - vs. Maple Leafs
Nov. 16 - at Senators
Nov. 19 - at Red Wings
Nov. 21 - vs. Devils
Nov. 23 - vs.  Hurricanes
Nov. 24 - at Bruins
Nov. 26 - vs. Wild
Nov. 29 - vs. Sharks

The league has not yet made a decision on canceling the Winter Classic, Jan. 1 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich. or the All-Star Game, Jan. 27, in Columbus.

To date, the NHL has canceled over a quarter (26.5 percent) of the season.

-EN Says: If the NHL is going to cancel games, this is the portion of the scheduled it doesn't mind losing. Most teams in most markets, particularly in southern markets, compete for entertainment dollars with pro and college football as well as baseball during the fall. Attendance tends to pick up after New Year's Day for many of those markets. The impact of canceling games in the fall is not as great as games later in the season.

Regardless, this is just another steaming heap of bad news.