The realignment proposal seemed like it would be rubber-stamped. Shuffle some teams around, create some new conferences, make sure each team made a visit to each NHL city. Sounded promising.

In a surprise move, the players' association balked. They said there wasn't enough time to consider the issue. There were concerns about travel, a potential competitive disadvantage, and even talk of wanting an expanded postseason.

Radical realignment was tabled and the 2012-13 season will start with teams locked in to the same divisions and conferences as this season. It doesn't mean a new-look NHL won't happen, it just won't happen next year.

But around the league, the question lingered: Did the players have legitimate concerns about a realignment plan proposed with minimal input from the NHLPA, or was the veto the first step in a negotiating ploy with the NHL's Collective Bargaining Agreement set to expire after a seven-year run?

While the league wanted to celebrate All-Star weekend in Ottawa, the prospect of another tough round of labor negotiations loomed over the festivities. Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA Executive Director Don Fehr are on good terms, but that could mean little at the bargaining table.

Talking in Ottawa, Bettman hoped the strike against realignment did not mean players and owners are on a collision course for combative talks.

"I don't mean to put the onus on them. I would've preferred that the union approved it and we moved on," Bettman said. "That wasn't the case. So we took a step back and said we'll deal with this at a different time and in a different environment. So my hope is that we can reason together and that collective bargaining will be painless and quiet and quick.