ROBITAILLE: `WE WANTED TO PLAY' TEAMS SHARE DISAPPOINTMENT.Byline: A.J. Perez Staff Writer Count Kings veteran left wing Luc Robitaille This article has multiple issues: * Its neutrality is disputed. * It needs to be expanded. * It may need copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling. among those who thought there was a deal to be had. ``I'm really disappointed,'' Robitaille said hours after NHL commissioner The National Hockey League commissioner is the highest-ranking executive officer in the National Hockey League. The position was created in 1993 with Gary Bettman as the first commissioner. Gary Bettman Gary Bruce Bettman (born on June 2, 1952 in Queens, New York has served as commissioner of the National Hockey League since February 1, 1993. Prior to this, he was general counsel to the National Basketball Association, and a lawyer. called off the season at a news conference in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of on Wednesday. ``I really thought something would happen in the last few days. We stuck to our guns and said 'No cap,' and then we went back on that. The reaction (to agreeing to the cap) was 'Why?' The answer was that we wanted to play.'' And Kings coach Andy Murray wanted to coach it. ``Right now, I'm probably a lot like the fans, just saying 'What in the heck is going on? You can't get this done?' '' Murray said. That sentiment was a common one. It wasn't but 24 hours earlier that the players said they would accept a salary cap after years of saying they would do no such thing. But, in the end, some late maneuvering proved too little, too late. ``I'm sad like any hockey fan is right now,'' said Al Coates Al Coates may refer to the following persons:
Coates said he supports Bettman's single-minded approach to a salary cap even though the NHL NHL Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, see there became the first major North American North American named after North America. North American blastomycosis see North American blastomycosis. North American cattle tick see boophilusannulatus. sport to lose the season via a work stoppage. ``There is going to be some good to come out of this,'' Coates said. ``There will be some damage, but in some respects this is an investment in the sport. It's not something fans want, however. Some great investments don't see short-term dividends.'' Coates said Ducks season-ticket holders have a couple of options when it comes to their deposits. They can either have their deposits refunded or the money can be rolled over to next season in an interest-bearing account. Both Kings and Ducks officials reached out to their respective fans Wednesday in hopes a vast majority will return whenever the owners and players do come to an agreement. ``They have done nothing to bring this upon themselves, and we are putting ourselves in a situation where we are doing irrevocable damage to our fans and our sport,'' Kings president Tim Leiweke said. ``We understand that, and we apologize for that.'' Staff writer Rich Hammond contributed to this report. |
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