NHL Entry Draft Cancelled

The National Hockey League announced on Thursday the cancellation of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. The draft had been scheduled to be hosted by the Ottawa Senators on June 25-26.

Without a collective bargaining agreement in place, the league cannot legally hold a draft. With no end to the league’s lockout of the players in site, the hotel rooms required for draft attendees could no longer be held.

“If you’re going to continue to block off those rooms, it’s going to cost our business partners just too many business dollars,” Ottawa Senators president and CEO Roy Mlakar said.

The draft could still be held in the form of a teleconference if a CBA is put in place in time for the 2005-06 season.