Carrie Underwood is quietly thrilled the upcoming ice hockey season has been stalled - because she gets to spend more time with her husband.

The National Hockey League season has been put on hold as team owners and players battle over new contracts - and the Jesus Take the Wheel singer isn't exactly glum.

She tells The Tennessean newspaper, "Is it wrong for me to be a little happy...? It's great for me."

But she insists husband Mike Fisher is still hard at work getting in tip-top shape for when the season gets underway.

"He's (Fisher) such a disciplined guy that he has to train and make sure he's ready regardless of what's going on. He's got so much to do on his end, and I certainly don't want to be the cause of him not being able to give it his all."