Optimism Reaches New Highs after 8-Hour Players-Owners Meeting -NHL Lockout Update
The National Hockey League (NHL) 2012-2013 regular season just may come into play really, very soon, as team owners and players have reached a new level of optimism after what is termed as an incredibly encouraging feeling following their eight-hour long meeting on Tuesday.
Meeting on Tuesday for the very first time since the lockout came into play with the previous collective bargaining agreement coming to an end on September 15th, players and franchise owners that it may get hectic and that this was a last resort type of situation to get some sort of labour deal back on the cards.
The league, under the leadership of Commissioner Gary Bettman, and NHL Players’ Association, headed by executive director Donald Fehr, failed to work something out as the work stoppage closes in on being nearly three months long.
"I appreciate the efforts of the players, in particular we had 18 players in there [Tuesday] and six of our owners," National Hockey League Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said after the meeting adjourned shortly after midnight. "I think everybody is working hard. I think everybody wants to get a deal done, so I think that's encouraging.”
Bill Daly, deputy commissioner of the NHL, was representing the league and Steve Fehr stepped in for the labour union’s side in order to keep Bettman and Donald Fehr out of the scene, making the confrontation a bit more candid.
"I thought it was a constructive day, we had a good dialogue," NHLPA Special Counsel Steve Fehr said. "In some ways I'd say it might be the best day we've had, which isn't to paint too overly optimistic of a picture.”
Announcements in that regard are yet to be made as fans await what could be going on in the upcoming days as Pittsburgh Penguins’ Ron Burkle, Winnipeg Jets’ Mark Chipman, Calgary Flames’ Murray Edwards, Boston Bruins’ Jeremy Jacobs, Toronto Maple Leafs’ Larry Tanenbaum and Tampa Bay Lightning’s Jeff Vinik took part to talk with a number of players.
A number of players like David Backes, Sidney Crosby, Shane Doan, Brad Richards, Ryan Miller and a many others were also present and are said to have let all frustrations out.
Updates should be expected within the next 24 hours.
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