The NHL said Friday it was cancelling games scheduled through Dec. 14 and also the NHL All-Star Weekend scheduled for Jan. 26-27 in Columbus, Ohio. The cancellations are necessary because of the absence of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NHL Players’ Association and the NHL.

 

A total of 422 regular-season games — 34.3 percent of the season — now have been cancelled.

 

“The reality of losing more regular-season games as well as the 2013 NHL All-Star Weekend in Columbus is extremely disappointing,” said NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly. “We feel badly for NHL fans and particularly those in Columbus, and we intend to work closely with the Blue Jackets organization to return the NHL All-Star events to Columbus and their fans as quickly as possible.”