Players reject NHL realignment plan

The NHL's plans for sweeping realignment will have to wait until 2013-14 after the Players Association declined to approve it. The NHL announced the union's decision to block realignment, which would have had four divisions of seven or eight teams and at least two games against every other team.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said it is too late to work out details for next season, forcing the league to abandon the plan and continue with the current division/conference alignment for 2012-13.

"We have now spent the better part of four weeks attempting to satisfy the NHLPA's purported concerns with the plan, with no success," Daly said in a statement. "Because we have already been forced to delay, and as a result are already late in beginning the process of preparing next season's schedule, we have no choice but to abandon our intention to implement the realignment plan and modified playoff format for next season."

The collective-bargaining agreement between the league and the Players Association expires Sept. 1. This could be viewed as the union, under first-year head Don Fehr, exercising its power.

A statement issued by Fehr Friday night said in part: "Two substantial player concerns emerged: whether the new structure would result in increased and more onerous travel; and the disparity in chances of making the playoffs between the smaller and larger divisions." Fehr said the league had not provided enough information to make a decision.

Daly also said the league might take legal action to force the union's hand on realignment. He added, "We believe the union acted unreasonably in violation of the league's rights."