NHL Labor Talks - NHL, NHLPA agree on 10-year CBA term

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NHL makes new offer; lockout enters critical stage - Yahoo! Sports

NEW YORK (AP) -- The NHL's latest offer to the players' association was enough for the sides to make plans to meet this weekend.

Deputy commissioner Bill Daly said Friday the league presented its proposal Thursday. The sides haven't met in person since a second round of talks with a federal mediator broke down Dec. 13.

The NHL and the players' association are expected to talk via conference call on Saturday, and have tentative plans to meet Sunday in New York.

The league's comprehensive new offer, that is several hundred pages in length, was still being reviewed by the union Friday night. The players' association's executive board and negotiating committee went over the proposal during an internal conference call.

''We delivered to the union a new, comprehensive proposal for a successor CBA,'' Daly said in a statement Friday. ''We are not prepared to discuss the details of our proposal at this time. We are hopeful that once the union's staff and negotiating committee have had an opportunity to thoroughly review and consider our new proposal, they will share it with the players. We want to be back on the ice as soon as possible.''

The league would like to have a deal in place by Jan. 11, begin training camps the following day and start the regular season by Jan. 19.

The lockout has reached its 104th day, and the NHL said it doesn't want a season of less than 48 games. That means a deal would need to be reached mid-January.

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NHL, union spend day on conference calls - Yahoo! Sports

NEW YORK (AP) -- Lots of questions, but still no answers in the NHL labor fight.

The league and the players' association spent much of Saturday talking to each other via conference call. The conversations were strictly for the purpose of sharing information regarding the new contract offer the NHL made to the union late Thursday.

The initial thought was that the sides would get together Sunday in New York to hold official negotiations for the first time in weeks, but those weren't scheduled before discussions ended Saturday.

Staff level calls were expected to resume Sunday, which could include face-to-face talks at some point, but no actual bargaining meetings have been set.

''Some more informational sessions in the morning,'' NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told The Associated Press regarding Sunday. ''Nothing planned beyond that.''

The union pored over the latest NHL proposal aimed at ending the lockout that reached its 105th day Saturday and saving the delayed hockey season. The league would like to reach a deal no later than Jan. 11, which would allow training camps to start the following day, and a 48-game season to begin Jan. 19.

Saturday's conference calls were scheduled Friday night so the union could ask league officials questions about the nearly 300-page proposal. Whether enough progress will be made to lead to face-to-face talks remains to be seen.

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NHL, union likely to return to table Monday - Yahoo! Sports

NEW YORK (AP) -- The NHL and the players' association are ready to get back to the bargaining table.

There were no formal negotiations Sunday, but all signs pointed to talks on Monday in an effort to end the lockout and save the season.

''There will be no further face-to-face meetings today,'' the union said in a statement Sunday. ''The plan is for the sides to meet tomorrow.''

Those would be the first negotiations since the sides met with a federal mediator Dec. 13.

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No full talks in NHL labor fight - Yahoo! Sports

NEW YORK (AP) -- Any momentum gained from a long night of negotiations between the NHL and the players' association seemed to have been lost Thursday when the sides remained mostly apart.

A meeting that Commissioner Gary Bettman said would begin at 10 a.m. EST didn't start until several hours later, and then ended quickly.

That one hour of talks centered on the reporting of hockey-related revenues by teams, and both sides signing off on the figures at the end of the fiscal year. The problem was resolved.

An NHL spokesman announced shortly before 9 p.m. that federal mediator Scot Beckenbaugh was still working with the sides, but they would not get back to the bargaining table before Friday morning.

The players' association didn't immediately comment.

The key issues that are still threatening the hockey season weren't addressed early in the day, but a small group of players and other union staff returned to the NHL office shortly before 6 p.m., to hold another meeting regarding the contentious pension plan. That wrapped up about two hours later.

Union head Donald Fehr didn't take part in either of the two sessions Thursday.

The players' association held a conference call at 5 p.m. to discuss starting another vote among union membership that would give the executive board the power to invoke a disclaimer of interest and dissolve the union.

Members gave overwhelmingly approval last month, but the union declined to disclaim before a self-imposed deadline Wednesday night. It wasn't immediately known when a new authorization would expire. Players are expected to have 48 hours to vote, as opposed to the five days they were given the first time.

With the lockout in its 110th day, both sides understand the urgency to save a shortened season. They have several key issues to work out - pensions and salary cap limits, among them.

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NHL, NHLPA agree on 10-year CBA term, but lockout not done yet: Report | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports

The NHL and NHLPA continued to inch towards an end to the lockout on Saturday in New York City, with mediator Scot Beckenbaugh meeting with the sides individually and then bringing them together for a negotiating session.

According to Tom Gulitti of the Bergen Record, there’s been one bit of progress:

“It sounds like players have agreed to 10-year CBA with mutual out after Year 8. Were previously looking for the out after Year 7.”

The two sides had previously agreed on a 10-year CBA term earlier in the week, but the NHLPA wanted an opt-out after seven years, meaning we could go through this labor hell three times in 14 years.

Other CBA notes as of 7 p.m. ET:

• The NHLPA’s players completed their vote to authorize Donald Fehr to file a disclaimer of interest with the NHL. The players had previously authorized the move, which would be the first step in dissolving the union in a nuclear option, but Fehr decided not to use the option earlier in the week.

• Larry Brooks of the NY Post reports that the “league has indicated a willingness to come off $60 [million cap] for next year, maybe $63-64M.” It’s an expected concession, considering the NHLPA was seeking a $65 million cap.

• Multiple sources indicate that the NHL is seeking more than a 48-game season, potentially upwards of 52 games. Oh, non-conference games, please be included in this plan.

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NHL owners approve new labor deal; players to vote - Yahoo! Sports

NEW YORK (AP) -- NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman secured unanimous ownership support for the pending labor deal, then apologized to everyone hurt by the long lockout and said he isn't going anywhere.

The league's board of governors met in a Manhattan hotel Wednesday and overwhelmingly approved the agreement that was reached early Sunday on the 113th day of the lockout.

Bettman felt the full brunt of anger, especially from fans, during the four-month dispute that kept hockey off the ice. But he was contrite in announcing the latest step by the owners. He said he wants to look forward and not back at the mess created by the work stoppage.

''Most importantly to our fans, who love and have missed NHL hockey, I am sorry,'' Bettman said. ''I know that an explanation or an apology will not erase the hard feelings that have built up over the past few months, but I owe you an apology nevertheless.

''As commissioner of the National Hockey League it sometimes falls upon me to make tough decisions that disappoint and occasionally anger players and fans. This was a long and extremely difficult negotiation - one that took a lot longer than anybody wanted. I know it caused frustration, disappointment and even suffering to a lot of people who have supported the National Hockey League in many different ways.''

In his nearly 20 years as commissioner, Bettman has presided over three lockouts. One caused the cancellation of the 2004-05 season, another led to a 48-game season in 1995 - much like is expected for this season.