Winnipeg Jets Defenseman Ron Hainsey suggests another Players, Team Owners Meeting -NHL Lockout Update
There is nothing scheduled between the National Hockey League (NHL) and team owners up until this point on what their future plan in regards to bringing the lockout to an end is, but Winnipeg Jets’ defenseman, Ron Hainsey, is suggesting another meeting between
the players and team owners.
Both sides are eccentric about getting back to negotiations but so far, nothing new is to be reported in that regard since all other options have been exhausted and only going to court remains to be done.
Hainsey has been productive in labour talks from the Winnipeg Jets and knows the inside details about the two coming together, but according to him, only another candid meeting between team owners and players can get something to come around.
"We've said it a number of times, but it's worth repeating: It's obviously very difficult to make a deal if you're not meeting or negotiating," Hainsey told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Tuesday. "I've yet to see a way we can do it without
sitting down across a table from each other."
Owners of the Boston Bruins, Winnipeg Jets, Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning and Pittsburgh Penguins took part in the first meeting, which was held earlier in December and definitely did bring the two sides much closer before their
representatives completely failed to follow up.
"Both [sides] were very respectful of each other," Hainsey added. "They were good meetings, they were productive, we did make progress. We were very appreciative of the way we were treated in the meetings by the owners. ... Maybe it's something that is worth
revisiting and worthwhile and could possibly bring us closer to a deal."
Hainsey is a 31-year-old native of Bolton, United States, and was picked up by the Montreal Canadiens using their 13th overall pick back in round-one of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. He has had experience playing for not only Montreal, but Columbus
Blue Jackets, Atlanta Thrashers and Winnipeg Jets as well.
Currently, the veteran defender is on a five-year contract, worth a total of $22.5 million and will make him an unrestricted free agent by the end of 2012-2013.
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