It’s been tough to find real optimistic talk about the season possibly happening from those on either side of the lockout. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly changed that up today.
On an appearance with Hockey Night in Canada radio this afternoon, CBC’s Elliotte Friedman laid it out simply for Daly:
Friedman: “‘I hope so’ is not allowed to be an answer to this question or ‘I want to believe so’ is not an answer to this question. Yes or no: Do we have a season?”
Daly: “Yes.”
Put on the spot? Sure, but the question was qualified pretty clearly and, let’s face it, the league isn’t one to make statements like that all willy-nilly.
Then again... If you’re put on the spot like that and know full well the fans, players, arena workers, and everyone else who’s sweating this lockout out are holding out hope games will be played, are you going to answer “No!” to that question? Not likely.
With a mid-January “drop dead” date now in the picture, here’s to hoping Daly is right about this.