NHL: No Exhibition Hockey Through Sept. 30
NEW YORK (93-7 THE FAN) -- The National Hockey League announced today the cancellation of the 2012 preseason schedule through Sept. 30. This means, due to the lockout made official last Saturday, over 60 NHL exhibition contests will not come to fruition, including the first four the Penguins had planned.
As of Wednesday evening, the Pens were still slated to play in Detroit Wed., Oct. 3 at 7:30, followed by a 7:00 game against the Chicago Blackhawks Fri., Oct. 5 at CONSOL Energy Center, but with no new (formal) round of negotiations yet scheduled between the NHL and players' union, some speculate more cancellations are on the way.
A full refund for canceled games will be provided to season-ticket holders who request one in writing, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports, and requested refunds will be based on the number of games canceled each month and will be completed within 10 business days of the last day of each month.
Season-ticket holders who don't request a refund will have payments remain with the club and applied toward future regular-season/playoff games or season-ticket renewals.
Accounts paid in full will receive interest at an annual rate of 1.5 percent from the time of game cancellation until the last day of the month that the refund is owed.
Despite recent layoffs related to the lockout, along with the announcement the NHL will reduce its employees to a four-day work week until a new collective bargaining agreement is signed, the Penguins have not announced plans to conduct any layoffs of their own.
The Penguins were not forced to let go of any employees during the full-season 2004-05 work stoppage.
