New York ? Day 155 of the NHL lockout suddenly was Day 1 of the offseason.

In becoming the first major sports league in North America to lose an entire season to a labor dispute Wednesday, the NHL finally got the national attention it always has craved.

But it was for all the wrong reasons.

Now the fear is the fight for a new deal between owners and players will start over from scratch. Everything offered has been pulled back, any softening of the positions has been lost.

One canceled season easily could become two if cooler heads don’t prevail.

“I was expecting to hear there wasn’t a season for the past six weeks,” Rangers forward Bobby Holik said. “I hope the people in these negotiations realize they’re not that far apart. Let’s not blame one or the other. The blame is collective, and let’s get working on a new day.”

Late Thursday, rumors swirled that maybe there was still a chance to save the season.

“I hear some rumblings … that owners and players are trying to make an attempt to get back to the bargaining table, but it’s got to occur today, tomorrow, or the next day,” agent Pat Brisson told the Associated Press.

Both sides said there have been no talks since commissioner Gary Bettman and players’ association executive director Bob Goodenow traded proposals Tuesday.

“We have heard a lot of the rumors that are out there, but we have had absolutely no contact with the union since Bob’s final letter,” NHL chief legal officer Bill Daly told the AP. “Unless or until we hear from the union, the rumors are meaningless.”

The Hockey News cited sources that said Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux are trying to work together to get a deal done. Gretzky downplayed the report during a radio interview with the Fan 590 in Toronto.

“To say Mario and I had a conversation to stir up the conversations and talks again, that’s just not true,” Gretzky said.

And it appears that no other scenarios could un-cancel the season, either.

“The players we’ve spoken to understand the basis upon which Gary canceled the season, and as a result there’s no expectation among our membership that there would be any further negotiations,” NHLPA senior director Ted Saskin told the Associated Press.

There was no progress made through the first five months of the lockout, but breakthroughs were achieved just days before the season was lost.