About 40 NHL players were scrimmaging at a rink at the St. Louis Park Rec Center outside Minnesota on Tuesday -- at least they were until they were booted off the ice by a figure skating coach. According to Michael Russo of the Minnesota Star Tribune, players like Matt Cullen, Zach Parise, Niklas Backstrom and Mikko Koivu were scrimmaging on a fresh sheet of ice when a woman named Coach Marla strolled out to center ice and told the players that she had reserved the ice for a private figure skating lesson.
The players believed that Marla had reserved a different sheet of ice but relented and moved back to the chewed-up rink they had been skating on earlier in the morning. The locked-out players rent ice at the Rec Center four times a week as they stay in shape for an NHL season that could theoretically kick into gear at any time.
The NHL and NHLPA haven't negotiated seriously since Sept. 12 but will meet on Friday to discuss non-core issues.