NHL Lockout 2012: Sides Must Show More Urgency as Deadline for Full Season Looms

If the NHL and its Players' Association don't reach an agreement by Thursday the chances of playing a full 82-game season will seemingly evaporate. In the face of that type of deadline, it's time for the two sides to get serious about finalizing a deal.

As with any work stoppage, nobody expects the first offer to lead to an immediate conclusion. It's a process that takes time, as sports fans around the country have learned far too often in recent years. But the fans at least want to see some progress.

When the league's owners offered an even split of hockey-related revenue last week, it appeared on the surface like a major breakthrough in talks. Yet, the players' counteroffers were basically marked dead on arrival and a stalemate has ensued once again.

In reality, hockey fans don't really care what portion of the cash pie each side gets. Just the fact they are arguing over billions of dollars instead of playing games is enough to cause frustrations to soar, and the lack of urgency certainly doesn't help.

While it's not a guarantee that getting in a room together to talk about the core issues will lead to a new CBA by Thursday, it's better than the alternative of doing nothing but trying to win a public relations battle through the media.

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem any meaningful talks are imminent. Judging by comments made by NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly to the Canadian Press, fans better brace for the worst.

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"(I'm) not sure there is any reason to meet if there is nothing new to say," deputy commissioner Bill Daly told The Canadian Press in an email. "Our position was communicated to the union pretty clearly last Tuesday and then again on Thursday.

"If they have a desire to meet with regard to the proposal we have on the table, they know how to reach us."

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Those don't sound like comments coming from a side prepared to do much compromising. At the same time, it's impossible to find out if the sides are even meeting despite a countdown clock that's getting awfully close to zero.

Each side has the one major issue it's standing tall on. The players want current contracts honored and the owners want an even split of revenue. If agreements can be reached on those two things, everything else should fall into place.

If fans had their way, they would lock the two sides in a room and wouldn't open the door until they figured something out. That's not possible, of course, so everyone is left with charged comments like the ones from Daly.

Is it still possible for a deal to get reached by Thursday so the season can get underway early next month? Sure, but the chances diminish exponentially every hour that passes without the two sides working hard.

To use a boxing analogy, the bell has rung for the 12th and final round but neither fighter wants to come out of their corner. Convinced they will win if nothing else happens, they just sit there and stare off into space.

Meanwhile, fans are left to check Twitter every 20 minutes hoping for a miracle breakthrough that will lead to a full season.

Unless a sudden rush of urgency gets the two sides back to the negotiating table soon, those dreams are going to fade away on Thursday.