NHL

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Dispirited Red Wings see gloom and doom

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 11/2/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

Enlarge Image

Johan Franzen

Enlarge Image

Taylor Hall

Enlarge Image

Peter Pocklington

TROY, Mich. -- Given the death knell imminent for the Winter Classic, several Detroit Red Wings players wonder if losing such a marquee event is an omen.

The outdoor game between the Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs at Michigan Stadium is expected to be canceled by today, the latest casualty of a lockout that began Sept. 16 when the NHL and the NHL Players' Association failed to agree on a new collective bargaining agreement.

While this week's lack of meaningful talks can be blamed partly on the superstorm that for two days shuttered New York, site of NHL headquarters, negotiations weren't scheduled anyway.

That has left some of the players skating at Troy with little optimism.

"It's fading," forward Johan Franzen said. "The longer it goes, the more likely it is there's not going to be a season."

Hall heading to AHL

EDMONTON Oilers winger Taylor Hall signed an American Hockey League contract on Thursday and will make his debut with the Oklahoma City Barons this weekend.

He had spent the final time of his recovery from shoulder surgery working out with the Oilers' affiliate. He was cleared to play on Tuesday.

Hall, who turns 21 this month, had suffered a concussion late last season and while he was out, the team decided to take care of his injured shoulder.

"With Taylor coming off his shoulder injury from last season, it is important for him to continue to play hockey as he is still in his prime development years," Barons general manager Bill Scott said.

Instead of his usual No. 4, Hall will wear 22 in Oklahoma City. There, he'll join fellow No. 1 overall pick Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and all-star Jordan Eberle. Those two were assigned to the Barons before the lockout began. Because of his injury, Hall could not be assigned at the time, but he received his NHL salary while recovering.

Hall, taken first in 2010, will be making his first appearance in the AHL. He made the Oilers out of training camp and had 42 points in 65 games as a rookie. Last year, he had 53 points, despite missing 21 games with injuries.

Puck's probation extended

RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- U.S. authorities in California say former Edmonton Oilers owner Peter Pocklington will serve three extra months of federal probation in a 2010 perjury case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Antoine Raphael said Thursday the probation was to end Oct. 26 but was extended at a hearing in a Riverside federal court Wednesday.

Raphael says authorities are looking into whether Pocklington may have withheld personal financial information from probation officials.

Prosecutors will use the extra months to determine if there was wrongdoing.

Pocklington's attorney, Brent Romney, did not return messages seeking comment.

Pocklington pleaded guilty to perjury in May 2010 after prosecutors alleged he concealed assets during bankruptcy proceedings.

-- from the news services

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 2, 2012 C5

Fact Check

Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.

* Required

In which story did you find the error? *
Please post the headline of the story or the title of the video with the error.
What was the error? *
Please post exactly what was wrong with the story.
What should we have written?
Please indicate your source for the correct information.
Who else should we interview to improve this story?
Please include any contact information you may have.
Can we contact you in the future for advice on stories about this topic?
Yes

No
First Name: *
Last Name: *
E–mail Address: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Phone: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Colour:
Are you blue? If you can see this, leave it blank and get some CSS support.
Enter the words that you see: * This is to prevent our forms from being filled out automatically.
You have failed to correctly identify the words in the box above. Please try again.

More NHL

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.