Hockey

New talks might rekindle NHL season

Just days after hockey canceled its season, the league and union agree to meet today in an attempt to play after all.

By TOM JONES
Published February 19, 2005

Game on?

In a stunning development late Friday, the NHL and its players' union agreed to meet today in what appears to be an attempt to save the season.

Today's meeting comes three days after NHL commissioner Gary Bettman called off the season after a 154-day owners' lockout.

According to a two-sentence release by the union, the league requested the meeting Thursday night. The union accepted and the sides are scheduled to meet today in New York.

The NHL had no comment.

It isn't known if Bettman and union chief Bob Goodenow will be a part of the talks, but NHL chief legal officer Bill Daly and NHLPA senior director Ted Saskin will be involved.

In addition, hockey legends and part-owners Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux will be included. The union's executive committee also has reported to New York.

Today's talks come just days after the sides appeared to be on the brink of an agreement only to have negotiations end abruptly. Each side made major concessions. The union finally agreed to accept a salary cap, while the owners backed off their need to link payrolls to revenues. In their final offers, the league proposed a $42.5-million cap, while the union offered a $49-million cap.

But the sides could move no closer and the season was canceled. Both sides said all previous offers were off the table.

Since then, it's believed owners and players have been talking behind the scenes in hopes of getting a deal done soon enough to salvage this season. The ground swell to get a deal down now reportedly started when Gretzky, part-owner of the Phoenix Coyotes, held conversations with Coyotes player Shane Doan and union president Trevor Linden. Gretzky also began working with Lemieux, CEO of the Penguins.

The deal, obviously, hinges on whether the sides can bridge the gap. Lightning player representative Tim Taylor said logic dictates that a compromise could be reached at $45-million.

"I think both sides took a step back the next day and realized we were close," Calgary Flames star Jarome Iginla said Friday night from Edmonton. "And I think both sides realized that for the big hit hockey would take, maybe we needed to take another crack at it."

Rumors began circulating even as Bettman was canceling the season that it was not dead. During his news conference Wednesday, Bettman floated the cap number of $45-million. He said he didn't know if the owners would accept it, but he said if the union had offered $45-million, it could've extended the talks.

"I know the season has been canceled, but it's not too late to uncancel it," Red Wings star Steve Yzerman told the Hockey News.

It is possible, however, the sides have given up this season and are trying to reach a deal for next season.

"I think it might not be for this season," Taylor said. "I think there are too many guys unsigned and there is too much to do. The feeling I get is everyone wants to get a deal done so they can have a draft."

The NHL draft is scheduled for June, but cannot be held if there is not a collective-bargaining agreement in place.

Several owners reportedly are against playing this season. Many are upset that Bettman came off the hard-line stance of tying payrolls to revenues. On the other side, many players were stunned to learn Goodenow agreed to a salary cap, something the union said for years it would never accept.

Still, the sides will talk.

"I've said all along that the most important thing is coming to an agreement," Devils CEO and general manager Lou Lamoriello said Friday night from his New Jersey office. "Even after the season was canceled it was just so important to get together as soon as possible."

In the end, the talks might not produce an agreement - for this season or next.

"A lot of players, owners, managers saw how close the two (sides) got to a deal and I think people are just exploring if that can be explored any more," agent Pat Morris said. "I don't know if it'll have a successful conclusion."

Information from other news organizations was used in the report.

[Last modified February 19, 2005, 00:57:17]