League, Players Association Agree on Key Aspects, Final Touches remain -NHL Lockout Update
It could not have been a better start to the New Year for millions of hockey fans around the world as the National Hockey League (NHL) commissioner Gary Bettman and executive director for the NHL Players’ Association Donald Fehr, collectively announced that
a regular season was back in play.
After the previous collective bargaining agreement expired on September 15th, 2012, both sides failed to make any significant progress, up until now that is. The lockout went on for over a 100 days and resulted in millions of dollars being lost,
the Winter Classic, All-Star Game and many more key events being cancelled out, but it seems like hockey is now here to stay for a while.
The tentative agreement, which both stakeholders announced to agree upon side-by-side this past Sunday, is reportedly a 10-year deal with a mutual opt-out clause which will come into effect after eight year. Contract term limits are now believed to be for
a maximum of seven years and eight for those re-signing with the same teams.
It was not hard to see the excitement on the players and team owners faces after the mutual announcement was made following a 16-hour long meeting marathon during the previous weekend in Manhattan.
"I am happy deal has been reached and excited to get back to playing hockey," Penguins star Sidney Crosby said in an email to ESPNNewYork.com.
"You knew you were in that position, and I think as a union we got the best deal we could possibly get, and you're happy," Phoenix Coyotes’ captain, Shane Doan, said. "You're just excited to play hockey again and do what you really enjoy and have a passion
for."
There is just a few more legalities that both sides need to complete before a deal is made official as lawyers from both sides are now working on doing that. It is not confirmed at the moment whether the season will be a 50 or 48-game one, but will be known
in the upcoming days.
Updates should be expected in the upcoming days as both sides continue working on finishing up the new collective bargaining agreement.
Tags: