The NHL and NHLPA will resume negotiations today, and are anticipated to continue through Thursday. It is also speculated that these will be small group meetings, aimed at addressing a myriad of issues.
Just based on the structure of these sessions and the recent history of this process, I wouldn't anticipate anything significant by the end of this week. When we start to hear reports about a large group meeting again, with Bettman and Goodenow present, then we can start to get excited about an announcement.
Bob McKenzie from TSN tries to read between the lines about what the parties say after these meetings. Bob looked at this particular statement from NHL VP Bill Daly after the latest sessions:
"The parties have agreed to continue the process with a series of meetings next week, at which time we hope to begin discussing a myriad of other CBA issues."
Bob suggests that maybe, just maybe, the phrase "other CBA issues" could mean "other than" financial and/or accounting issues. That, in turn, could mean that all the major areas have been addressed, and now it is time to move on to some of the smaller details.
The NHL GM's watched some hockey being played at the research and development camp that is testing potential rules changes. Some of them liked the Sinden System that I mentioned on Saturday. Al Strachan of the Toronto Sun writes that the larger nets could be a very real option for next year. I mean, a very real option whenever hockey resumes.
Spector asks a very important question that has been all but ignored during this entire lockout mess: What about the fans? He also wonders how the NHL will be able to turn around and market their players after spending a year painting them as greedy bad guys.
Whatever they decide to do, both sides will have to work very hard to win fans back. Some of us will be there no matter what. I am one of those people. But I better get some discounted beer or something.
HDH
Posted by Jim at June 07, 2005 10:16 AMeMail this entry!
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