NHL & NHLPA Have Held Behind-the-Scene Meetings Since Tuesday

According to Peter Adler of the Edmonton Journal, the supposed recess of talks between the NHL and NHL Players' Association ended early Tuesday morning and both sides have had a dialogue ever since.

From Adler's article:

"

Now that NHLPA executive director Don Fehr announced to all and sundry last Friday that talks with the NHL regarding a new collective bargaining agreement have been recessed, what do you think is going to happen?

How long the recess?

Here’s the answer: it’s over. Has been since Tuesday first thing in the morning, at least.

"

This would be incredible news if this is accurate, considering how grim things looked after the NHLPA rejected the NHL's latest proposal last Friday, which had several different financial recalculations.

Still, commissioner Gary Bettman has called for a September 13 meeting with the Board of Governors to have them vote to approve a lockout.

There was a report floating around today by Ron MacLean of CBC Sports stating he felt there would be no lockout at all. His main point was things are much different than they were last time around. In 2004-05, there was no system in place and salaries were ridiculously out of control.

Fast-forward seven years, the owners still feel the same regarding salaries, but the rate of growth over the next seven years may not be as great as the last seven (MacLean calls this "a smaller percentage of a shrinking pie").

Adler's revelation that both sides have been talking almost secretly points to some sort of progress being made, even if it may not be the main economic issues, ahead of the September 15 deadline.

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