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NHL to pull latest proposal off table

Gary Bettman; Bill Daly; Bob Betterman

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, left, leaves the NHLPA offices with Assistant Commissioner Bill Daly (left) and NHL lawyer Bob Betterman following collective bargaining in Toronto on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Chris Young)

AP

Barring some sort of miracle, the NHL will withdraw its current offer to the players tomorrow.

“When we delivered the proposal last Tuesday, we told them it would be on the table through today,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told ESPN.com’s Pierre LeBrun Thursday. “Having not reached agreement through today, I expect that we’ll formally notify the union Friday that the proposal is no longer on the table. We’re going to take it back internally and figure out where we go from here.”

The move should come as no surprise as the offer to the NHLPA was made on the condition of a full 82-game season. The league has maintained a full season isn’t possible unless it starts by Nov. 2, one week from tomorrow.

According to LeBrun, the NHL will likely announce tomorrow that games are canceled through November. The Winter Classic (Jan. 1) and All-Star Game (Jan. 27) are expected to remain on the schedule, but possibly not for long.

Meanwhile, it’s back to the drawing board for ideas on how to reach a new CBA.

Related: “Lock them in a room until they reach a verdict,” says Lamoriello