NHL players ask Alberta Labour Relations Board to block lockout

The NHL and the players association will have to wait to find out if the lockout is deemed illegal in the eyes of Alberta labour laws. The two sides spent the entire day, Friday arguing at an Alberta Labour Relations Board Hearing.

The hearing got underway in Edmonton 9 am. Several professional hockey players from the Edmonton Oilers were in attendance the hearing, including Devan Dubnyk, Eric Belanger, Ryan Jones and Ryan Smyth.

"We've just said that we want to play, and the NHL seems to be in a pretty big rush to get the lockout going and we don't think they followed proper procedures. So we'd like to get a deal done and hopefully the ruling goes our way and it will push them to get a deal done quicker," said Dubnyk.

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly and members of the NHL Players Association are also in Edmonton for the hearing.

The National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA) is asking the board to declare the NHL lockout illegal in Alberta, because of provincial labour law.

"We're disappointed that we have to be here today," said Alexandra Dagg, director of operations for NHLPA, "arguing that Alberta labour law applies in this situation. We're going to be arguing that the lockout that's currently been initiated buy the NHL is not legal in the province of Alberta."

"The NHL's argument that only US law applies is really not appropriate, not relevant here in the province of Alberta," she adds.

Under Alberta law, a mediator must be appointed before an employer imposes a lockout. The NHLPA objected to the NHL's right to do so on the grounds it failed to take proper steps during the process and showed no willingness to work with the mediator.

Ultimately, the goal of the Alberta players is to get back on the ice.

"We can hope that the decision goes our way," said Dubnyk. "How the teams react after that, we can't really control. We'd certainly like to be at the rink, we'd like to be practicing and training and getting prepared for the season. ... If we get a good decision we'll certainly be ready to go to work."

"If we have the ability to come here and practice, and do our thing, I'm sure guys would much rather be doing that, you can ask anybody," said Dubnuk.

If the board does side with the players, don't expect a season of games between the Flames and the Oilers. The league says it has plenty of options to explore. For instance, it could choose to go back to mediation. If that fails, a two week cooling off period must pass, and then the league could lock out Flames and Oilers players, again.

The NHLPA also asked the Quebec Labour Relations Board the same thing a week ago, but were turned down.