NHL Games Lost to Labor Dispute : Lockout: League cancels four games for each team, requiring clubs to offer only minimal refunds to ticketholders.

Twenty-five days and 134 missed games into a labor dispute that shows no signs of a resolution, the NHL on Monday canceled four games on the schedule of each of its 26 teams. That means many clubs will be obligated to refund only minimal amounts of money immediately to ticket holders, while holding money paid for future games.

In a tersely worded news release, the league said the two home games and two road games to be lost by each team will not be announced until a starting date for the season can be determined. But a starting date cannot be determined until the league and its players come closer to agreeing on a new contract, and there is no indication that will be soon.

Commissioner Gary Bettman and Bob Goodenow, executive director of the players’ association, had a surprise meeting Monday in Chicago--their first of any substance in two weeks--but they made no progress toward an agreement. It was learned that each delegation consisted of only four or five people, significantly smaller groups than attended previous sessions. Club owners, whose criticism of Goodenow fueled acrimony in recent talks, were not present.

According to a spokesman for the NHL Players Assn., Goodenow said the meeting was a general discussion that mentioned future talks but made no commitment to convene again.

The lockout, which has already cost players one paycheck, has begun to hit home with front-office employees as well. The Calgary Flames will lay off 11 full-time staff members on Nov. 1, and all remaining full-time employees face 20% pay cuts effective that date.

Those to be laid off work principally in concessions and maintenance, including the operators of the Olympic Saddledome sound system and score clock. The Flames are the first club to take such drastic measures. The Winnipeg Jets previously laid off a secretary-receptionist and one of their trainers. Other clubs are expected to cut back as well.

Although Bettman and Goodenow left their plans on hold, players continued to look to other ways to play hockey during the lockout.

Center Alexei Yashin, who led the Ottawa Senators in scoring last season and was the runner-up in rookie-of-the-year voting, became the first NHL contract player to sign with an International Hockey League club when he agreed to a one-year deal with the Las Vegas Thunder. His contract, which includes a clause allowing him to return to Ottawa when the NHL season begins, is believed to be worth more than $200,000.

The flow of players heading for Europe also continued. Two Pittsburgh Penguins, right wing Jaromir Jagr and center Martin Straka, returned home to the Czech Republic to play for Kladno and Skoda Plzen, respectively. King center Robert Lang was also said to be seeking a place on a Czech team. Forward Dan Quinn of the Kings made his debut Sunday with Zug, of the Swiss Elite League.

“Like most of the players returning to their European teams, it hasn’t been for the sake of the economic benefits, it’s for the opportunity to train under game conditions as opposed to sitting and waiting for the labor dispute to end,” said Michael Barnett, Jagr’s agent.

Jari Kurri of the Kings has been in his native Finland since last week, playing for the Helsinki-based Jokerit team, and Penguin forward Shawn McEachern on Saturday became the first North American-born player to play in Europe during the lockout when he played for Kiekko-Espoo in Finland. Boston Bruin forward Ted Donato has reportedly agreed to play for TPS Turku in Finland.

It was also confirmed that center Patrik Carnback of the Mighty Ducks agreed to spend the entire season with Frolunda of the Swedish League after that league voted not to accept NHL players who intend to return to North America when the lockout ends.

“The reality is, he has a chance to play hockey and make a very nice living and I just don’t think the NHL and the NHLPA are about to kiss and make up,” said Neil Abbott, who represents Carnback.

It’s doubtful that Yashin’s contract will trigger a rush to the IHL, which continues to caution its clubs against signing locked-out NHL players. Las Vegas, which several weeks ago signed top NHL draft pick Radek Bonk away from Ottawa, is an independent club and has more financial resources than its rivals. IHL payrolls total about $1 million.

NHL players jumping to other leagues must also pay steep insurance costs or ask their new clubs to bear that burden. Toronto Maple Leaf defenseman Dave Ellett is said to be negotiating with Wichita of the Central Hockey League.

“Most of our teams have indicated they will not be pursuing those players,” IHL spokesman Tim Bryant said.

NHL spokesman Arthur Pincus would not say when further cancellations might be announced. Most NHL clubs have issued refund policies, which include returning money to holders of single-game tickets and crediting season-ticket accounts for canceled or rescheduled games and applying that credit to future tickets. Spokesmen for the Kings and Mighty Ducks said their previously announced policies had not been changed by Monday’s announcement.

The NHL said it could not specify which games will be canceled because when the season begins, the schedule will be redrawn to accommodate divisional and conference play. Some games might be rescheduled, rather than canceled, to create a balanced schedule. Under normal circumstances, each home game would net $250,000-$750,000.

Meanwhile, the league and the union are busy talking, but not to one another. The NHL is to meet today with off-ice officials, who are entitled to be paid through the first 45 days of a work stoppage. The union has called a meeting with player agents Thursday in Toronto.

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Times staff writers Lisa Dillman and Robyn Norwood contributed to this story.