In case you didn’t catch it yesterday, the 2004-2005 hockey season was officially cancelled, making the NHL the first major professional sport in North America to give up an entire season due to labor negotiations. Most fans aren’t surprised, we saw the writing on the wall long ago. Basically the dispute boils down to the salary cap. In the most recent round of negotiations this month, the “cap gap” came down to a $6.5 million divide, with the League throwing out its “final offer” at $42.5 million and then negotiations broke down…again.

And so no hockey. What does this mean for next year? NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman says there will be a season and many agree that if the League wants it done, it will get done. Perhaps the bigger question here is if the fans will come back. The owners may have considered this season’s loss a savings in comparison to agreeing to the salary cap demands on the table, but we think that no hockey ever probably defeats the whole strategy. If they hire replacements, perhaps we will get another Keanu Reeves movie out of the deal.

The good news for the D.C. area was Arlington County’s December approval of a training facility for the Washington Capitals at the top of the Ballston Common Mall parking garage. This facility will offer 8,100 of skate hours annually, which should be a boon to the area’s hockey fan base as high-school kids and rec leagues get into the act.

DCist is turning toward March Madness and the newly begun baseball season to clear away our lack-of-hockey blues. How are you coping?