Members of three Canadian-based teams are attempting to use provincial law to contest the legality of a potential lockout by the National Hockey League owners.
The National Hockey League Players' Association believes that laws in the provinces of both Alberta and Quebec would make the potential lockout unlawful.
"The filings are intended to interfere with the broader labor negotiating process," NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said Monday. "They will have absolutely zero impact on the broader negotiation, or on the deal we ultimately agree on."
According to the NHLPA, the fact that the Union is not recognized by the Quebec Labor Board makes it unlawful for the Montreal Canadiens to lock out the team's players.
The NHLPA is also contesting the potential lock out of players from the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames.
The Union believes Alberta law states a mediator must be used before an employer can lock out its employees.
A hearing on that matter scheduled for Tuesday was cancelled Monday night, according to reports.
The current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires Sept. 15.
Montreal defenseman Josh Gorges said Monday during a conference call that a favorable ruling for the players from the Quebec Labor Board would allow the players to receive a paycheck and use the team's facilities during a work stoppage.
During a lockout, players do not receive a salary and are barred from using team facilities.
"This is an opportunity to show that we want to play and, from the players' standpoint, we want to do everything we can to show the owners and the fans that we want to play," Gorges said. "This is a tactic for us to use to push the owners to allow us to play."
Follow Dan Rosen on Twitter at: @drosennhl
NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup, the Stanley Cup Playoffs logo, the Stanley Cup Final logo, Center Ice name and logo, NHL Conference logos, NHL Winter Classic name, and The Biggest Assist Happens Off The Ice are registered trademarks and Vintage Hockey word mark and logo, The Game Lives Where You Do, NHL Winter Classic logo, NHL Heritage Classic name and logo, NHL Stadium Series name and logo, NHL All-Star logo, NHL Face-Off name and logo, NHL. TV, NHL Premium, NHL After Dark, NHL GameCenter, NHL GameCenter LIVE, NHL Network name and logo, NHL Tonight name and logo, On The Fly, NHL Awards name and logo, NHL Draft name and logo, Hockey Fights Cancer, Because It's The Cup, NHL Green name and logo, NHL Vault, Hockey Is For Everyone, NHL Thanksgiving Showdown name and logo, NHL Centennial Classic name and logo, NHL Centennial Season logo, NHL100 Classic name and logo, NHL Global Series name and logo, NHL China Games name and logo, and Don't Miss A Moment are trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. © NHL 2018. All Rights Reserved. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. The Zamboni word mark and configuration of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. © Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. 2018. All Rights Reserved. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.