At the risk of instigating a healthy amount of optimism regarding a potential end to the NHL lockout, which has dragged on for more than 100 days, signs are appearing to point toward an agreement being reached and a shortened NHL season getting underway.
Puck Daddy is reporting that a memo has been sent out to off-ice personnel relaying information about technical changes implemented for “the upcoming season.” The memo stresses that the NHL and NHLPA are working toward a resolution and that arena personnel should be ready to go when an agreement is reached.
Citing an anonymous source, the article claims that this memo was the first such received by off-ice personnel all year from the league. The source cites that a similar memo was sent out during the last lockout-shortened season in 1994-95 telling personnel that the NHL would be “playing games in less than two weeks.”
Reports are circulating stating that the owners have told NHL commissioner Gary Bettman that missing another NHL season due to a labor dispute is not an option, which coincides with the NHL’s latest proposal that seems to be the most player-friendly of any of their proposals to date.
Granted, this type of chatter circulated weeks ago when the players and owners appeared to be close to reaching an agreement, which ultimately saw talks fall by the wayside. The two sides have not talked much since those talks fell apart in epic fashion and the recent proposal from the NHL is the first real movement by either side since then.
make it happen. the deal isnt going to get much sweeter than this.
Agreed. The players would be dumb to hold out for much more movement on many of the key issues. I’m sure there will be some negotiations and this won’t be the final resolution that we see, but it should definitely serve as the framework to get the deal done.