from Craig Custance of ESPN,

It wasn’t an entirely unexpected legal move, but it’s interesting nonetheless. Examining the lawsuit filed Friday by the NHL answers some of the questions raised during decertification speculation in recent weeks. The lawsuit seeks a declaration that the lockout does not violate antitrust laws, but that’s just the beginning.

Perhaps most interesting is a request made by the NHL that says if the judgment rules that a disclaimer of interest or decertification by the NHLPA is ultimately found to be valid, then all standard player contracts signed under the previous CBA would be void and unenforceable.

“In the absence of a valid CBA or collective bargaining relationship, the provisions of the NHL SPCs will no longer have any force of effect,” the lawsuit reads.

So, basically, everybody becomes a free agent in that scenario. Sure, it might lead to two or three years of court fights but the idea is a wild one to consider.

continued and if you wish to read the lawsuit, Sportsnet has it in a .pdf.

added 10:54am,

If you are like me and have difficulty reading through all the legal jargon, Sportsnet did a video report on what these legal proceedings mean.

You can watch the video below...