Still a lot remaining in Labour Talks according to Players -NHL Lockout Update
While the National Hockey League (NHL) may have made a significant proposal earlier this week and failed to take into consideration any counter deals made by the labour union on Thursday, October 18, 2012, there is still much to do according to players.
There are still many things, according to some players, before a final agreement is reached and betting on one day to hold the key would be stupidity at its peak. Getting a long term deal in play is not something that can happen over night.
"I think it's definitely a positive, you can't look at it any other way," Flames defenceman Mark Giordano - one of several NHL players skating in Calgary - told TSN's Jermain Franklin on Wednesday. "Obviously we're not going to like every part of it."
For fans, Thursday was the day they were hoping to have a mutual press conference by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Players’ Association executive director, Donald Fehr, that the lockout has ended, but players warn of having too high of expectations.
"You don't want to get too excited or say something that's going to be twisted around the wrong way," Calgary Flames defenseman Jay Bouwmeester said. "It's good that they're talking and hopefully something can come out of it."
Three offers were made to counter the league’s on Thursday, during their meeting which lasted a little over an offer, but they were knocked off the table in a matter of minutes. It certainly may be disappointing for fans, but it is the process of negotiations
and focusing too much on any single day of talks would be a mistake in all regards.
It has now been over a month since the previous labour deal came to an end on September 15, 2012, and still, it seems like the league and Players’ Association are still first base and are yet to go to the second or hit a home run.
Updates and developments should be expected in the upcoming days as both sides will keep contact under the radar and slowly make progress to hold another meeting maybe sometime next week.
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