The National Hockey League's labour talks wrapped up early yesterday, compared with recent sessions, with the focus on smaller issues, including an agenda for next week's bargaining, which will start Monday in Toronto.
Once again, the talks in New York involved small groups representing the NHL owners and the NHL Players' Association. According to a statement released by NHLPA director of business affairs Ted Saskin, the groups “spent the last four days in small group meetings continuing to review and negotiate various systemic and economic issues.”
NHL vice-president and chief legal officer Bill Daly was a little more upbeat, saying more progress was made this week. “There was healthy dialogue, and progress continued to be made on many operational issues relating to a new collective bargaining agreement,” Daly said.
Earlier this week, sources with ties to both the owners and players told The Globe and Mail that the two sides had agreed to a framework for a salary cap and salary floor linked to a percentage of team-by-team revenues.
With the biggest obstacle in the lockout now cleared, it is believed the talks have moved into other areas, any of which could unravel any previous progress toward a new collective agreement.
