At this point, the numbers seem beside the point. But, for the record, the NHL lockout has now reached day 112. But could there (finally, really) be an end in sight?
The reports are flying in fast and furious at this point, so we’ll just try and recap it. With the prospect of a season that would be entirely lost as of this coming Thursday, the NHL and the players’ association appeared to have finally made some serious inroads to an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement.
On Friday, the two sides returned to federal mediation, with Scot L. Beckenbaugh spending 12 hours walking between the two rooms the opposing sides occupied. However, that led to the planning of a face-to-face meeting between the sides over the weekend. And, according to The New York Times, Donald Fehr and Gary Bettman did indeed meet on Saturday.
However, there are still roadblocks to a deal, and until pen is put to paper, nothing is for sure. The two sides still appear at least $5 million apart on a salary cap, and the NHLPA is expected to vote on a measure that would allow Fehr to disclaim interest in the union — effectively breaking it up — if talks break down again.
So while talks certainly seem to be progressing toward a deal, there are still plenty of reasons to be nervous as a Thursday deadline to save an NHL season swiftly approaches. What do you think will happen?
