Report: Players authorize NHLPA board to file disclaimer of interest

The NHLPA has wrapped up voting to authorize the union’s executive board to file a disclaimer of interest should it so choose.

While the union refused to publicly disclose the results, Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press reports the players “overwhelmingly” gave their authorization to the board (as was expected).

If a disclaimer of interest is ultimately filed (the board reportedly has until Jan. 2 to decide), it’s unclear how it may affect the stalled CBA negotiations.

According to NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly, it won’t help.

“It makes it more difficult,” Daly told the Ottawa Sun yesterday. “It changes the dynamic pretty significantly and, quite frankly, will have to change the focus short-term to a more adversarial focus than a bargaining focus. That can’t be helpful to the process in such a short time frame.”

On the contrary, the players are hoping the threat of dissolving the union, or actually dissolving it, will pressure the league to move off some of its positions in order to get a deal done.

The league has already canceled games through Jan. 14, and there are indications the next cancellation could be the season in its entirety.