This break giving Gill time to heal
Instead of preparing to face the Avalanche tonight in Colorado in their second game of the season, the Bruins remain spread over the four corners of the world, with no end in sight to the labor strife between owners and players. Defenseman Hal Gill, who is the union player representative for Boston, would be on the sidelines if the season were under way, as he's still recovering from a broken foot suffered during the World Cup tournament.
Even though he wouldn't be suiting up, Gill said it still seems bizarre for the club not to be playing, but it didn't exactly come as a shock. The shock would've been if the sides had settled their vast differences.
"There hasn't been much back and forth," he said. "It's basically a stalemate. They want a cap and we're willing to negotiate anything but a cap. We're talking on two different topics, so it's not easy to talk about right now.
"It's a frustrating thing, but unfortunately the only way to negotiate on either side is to wait. The only power we have right now is that we're not playing. As the baseball playoffs wind down and as football season winds down, I think people are going to miss hockey more and more, and that's when the pressure will be on the owners to get something done. Hopefully, then they'll negotiate with us."
Gill had a busy summer, which brought him to both the highest high and the lowest low. His wife, Anne, delivered the couple's first child -- daughter Isabel -- on July 26, but two weeks later, Anne's father died. The family dealt with its grief by doting on the baby, who Gill said has lifted all of their spirits.
"She sleeps well and she's fun, so I have no complaints," he said.
If there are any complaints in his life, it's those of the fans who are less than thrilled at the absence of hockey. It's likely muted, though, because of the focus on the baseball playoffs and the Patriots' ongoing success.
"It hasn't been too bad," said Gill. "Everyone is asking, `Are we going to play hockey or what?' and all I can say is I hope so. Obviously the Red Sox are all the city talks about right now, and then with the Patriots [winning], of course, but I've had a lot of people come up to me who still want to see hockey games and still want a season to go on. There's not much I can say to them. I feel bad, but it's out of our hands right now."
The issue remains the same: The owners won't settle for anything less than a salary cap, and the players won't accept one.
"I don't think it's an easy thing for people to understand, but the average Joe would understand that you should get paid what you're worth," he said. "That's our only stance. If we're not worth the money you've been paying us, then don't pay us that. That's as simple as it gets. I think most fans can understand that. People I talk to just want to see hockey, salaries aside."
Every sport that has gone through a work stoppage has experienced a backlash once it ends. Gill said he knows the NHL and the Players Association are risking that. But he believes the passion of the fans will override any hard feelings.
"I myself and a lot of other people think that hockey is the best game on earth," he said. "If you have the 700 best players playing the game, that's going to bring people out to watch it. It isn't good for the league right now, but I think hockey is always going to be a game that people love to watch and want to be a part of."
For now, Gill will concentrate on his rehabilitation and hope that some of the 2004-05 campaign can be salvaged.
"I skated last week and I had some sharp pains in it, so I'm taking some more time to make sure it heals the right way and doesn't get rebroken," he said. "I'm going to the rink to work out with [strength coach] John Whitesides and [trainer] Don DelNegro, and it hurts not to have other people there. I guess that's what you have to deal with.
"Right now we should be getting into the swing of things and the season starts to roll. Of course I miss that, but at the same time, it's what we have to do."
Chris meets bob
Veteran defenseman Chris Chelios has turned his attention from hockey to bobsledding. The 42-year-old is taking lessons in the sport from US Olympians Jean Racine and Vonetta Flowers in hopes of competing for the Greek team in the 2006 Olympics in Turin, Italy . . . Left wing Magnus Arvedson, who turns 33 next month, has decided to retire because of chronic injuries. The talented forward played for the Ottawa Senators for six years before suiting up for the Vancouver Canucks last season . . . Former Bruins coach Butch Goring was named head coach of the DEG Metro Stars of the German Elite League last week . . . The NHL has effectively eviscerated its staff because of the lockout, and some teams have had layoffs, as well. The Bruins have said they won't make any such decisions until the new calendar year. Ditto for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Majority owner John H. McConnell said he'll reassess the situation in January. "Mr. Mac likes this group, and that's why he's trying to keep it together," said team president and general manager Doug MacLean. MacLean said the climate during this lockout is a far cry from 1994. "The lockout in '94 isn't even close," said MacLean. "Back then, it was almost day to day as to when we were going to start. This is really different because they're not even meeting. We've already canceled games through Nov. 11, which is almost a month into the season. It'll just keep rolling on a daily basis." . . . Count Wayne Gretzky among those worried that the NHL could lose the entire season if something doesn't change, and soon. "The only thing that scares me, to be quite honest with you, is that at this point in time, if we're not even talking right now, who's to think we're going to be talking in three months?" said Gretzky, the Coyotes' managing partner. "A lot of the players sort of hint that we'll probably be back in January and play a 48-game schedule, but I really don't see that. If we're not communicating, how's that going to happen? I don't understand how that's going to transpire." . . . There are plenty of people feeling the pinch of missed paychecks during the lockout, not the least of whom are the on-ice officials. Stephen Walkom, president of the NHL Officials Association, has been spending his time in suburban Pittsburgh as coach of his 10-year-old daughter's team. Unlike some of the players, the NHL officials have decided not to accept jobs in the American Hockey League so as not to take jobs away from AHL officials. Walkom said the officials are not taking a stand one way or the other with regard to the labor issues. "We're a neutral party when we work and when we're not working," he said. Bill McCreary, widely regarded as one of the top officials in the game, is installing kitchen cabinets while he waits in Guelph, Ontario. "I haven't worked this hard since I was a young guy 25 years ago," said McCreary, 48. "I enjoy the long days and I enjoy the work. However, I would certainly rather be officiating."
Family plan
Red Wings right wing Darren McCarty isn't among the 200-plus players who have headed to Europe. Instead, he's a volunteer assistant coach for his 8-year-old son's team. McCarty said he's trying to mine the positives from the time off. "I'm grateful," he said. "Grateful for the opportunity I have to spend time with my son and his hockey." It turns out the leaf doesn't fall far from the tree. Young Griffin is turning out to be a power wing, too. "He does the dirty work and has a lot of assists," said his proud papa. "He skates just like his dad, which we are trying to correct." . . . Bruins coach Mike Sullivan will hold a live chat on BostonBruins.com Wednesday at noon . . . The Bruins are running a contest in connection with Ray Bourque's Hall of Fame induction festivities in Toronto next month. Fans can register on BostonBruins.com through Oct. 25. The grand prize is round-trip airfare for two, a meet-and-greet with Bourque, two tickets to the induction ceremony, two tickets to the Legends Classic game, and three nights' hotel accommodation. Only Massachusetts residents 18 and older are eligible. Limit one entry per e-mail address . . . The ridiculous labor impasse wouldn't be complete without the latest obligatory quotes from each side. So instead of letting you know how many days there are to the All-Star Game, here goes: NHLPA senior director Ted Saskin says, "We are not interested in a cap," and Bill Daly, the NHL's executive vice president and senior counsel, says, "We're 100 percent committed to negotiating a fair deal." Remember the old "Peanuts" TV specials, when the teacher's voice was always the equivalent of "blah, blah, blah, blah, blah"? Sounds just like it, doesn't it?
Material from personal interviews, wire services, other beat writers, and league and team sources was used in this report.
