2/17/2005

Veteran NHL star Steve Yzerman is still holding out hope for the 2004-2005 season, which was cancelled Wednesday by commissioner Gary Bettman after CBA talks failed to solve the lockout.

"I don't know if it's necessarily tonight, tomorrow morning, Friday night or Saturday. I know the season has been cancelled, but it's not too late to uncancel it," Yzerman told The Hockey News.

Would a reversal be possible? When The Hockey News asked NHL chief legal officer Bill Daly if the league would be open to meetings that could lead to the cancellation of the season being reversed, Daly responded, "I would love to have that problem."

There has been considerable buzz in hockey cirlces about the possibility of saving a season that had already fallen over the brink. There have been reports of big-name players and owners putting the heat on the union executive to get a deal done. The Hockey News is even reporting that Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky got involved in rallying the troops. Lemieux's role has not been confirmed by TSN, but Gretzky said he hasn't done much talking.

"The only person I've spoken with on the players' side since the season was cancelled is (Phoenix player rep) Shane Doan," Gretzky told TSN. "I'm not involved in any discussions with anyone."

Gretzky told The Fan 590 in Toronto that he had spoken informally to Lemieux, but not about anything more than generalities regarding the lockout.

Colorado Avalanche captain Joe Sakic says he has not heard anything, but hopes negotiations in some form will continue.

"Hopefully it will be behind the scenes because every time it goes public, it gets ruined," Sakic told The Hockey News. "I think this year is finished, but it would be best for everybody if we keep negotiating.

"There's upset people on both sides. We did a lot of damage in the last couple of days. We've got to find a way to get it done so we can start next year."