from Dave Feschuk of the Toronto Star,

To Walsh, the truth behind the lockout goes like this:

“It’s clear to most people that the NHL has been planning this lockout for a long time. It’s clear, with the way the NBC deal was negotiated and the $200 million payment whether games are played or not, that the NHL has been laying the groundwork for this lockout for a significant period of time. Based on the best offer on the table before Sept. 15, it’s clear the NHL never made a serious attempt to make a deal before declaring a lockout,” Walsh says. “The powers that be in the NHL feel they will get a much better deal from the players once the players are softened up and locked out over a period of time. And there was no serious interest on the league’s side to make a deal.”

How will it end?

“I have no idea,” he says.

It’s here that Walsh points out that when he tweets or speaks, he’s not doing so in the name of his players or the players’ union. He’s giving his opinion, sharing what he feels is pertinent information. He says that, judging from the responses he gets on Twitter, some fans erroneously consider him a spokesman for the NHLPA.

read more on the once deputy district attorney Allan Walsh...