NEW YORK — The latest round of NHL labour talks ended with the two sides in different rooms.
The players’ association and league negotiators met separately Wednesday with federal mediators in suburban New Jersey, holding discussions that didn’t appear to have moved the sides any closer to a deal to save the hockey season.
There was hope going into Wednesday that negotiations could get back on track to the point they were last Thursday before talks fell apart.
When the NHL agreed last week to increase its make-whole offer of deferred payments from $211 million to $300 million it was part of a proposed package that required the union to agree on three nonnegotiable points. Instead, the players’ association accepted the raise in funds, but then made counterproposals on the issues the league stated had no wiggle room.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman then said that the offer was being pulled from the table. However, mediators asked the union on Wednesday, if that proposal was back in play, would the players take it or leave it?
“It wasn’t much of a decision,” said Brendan Morrison, one of 13 players to attend Wednesday’s talks. “I thought the gap would be closed much quicker, but it hasn’t come to fruition yet, so we have to keep working.”
The offer wasn’t actually resubmitted by the NHL. Neither side made any proposals Wednesday.
“There were discussions of the various issues involved and how far apart we are and where we go from here,” players’ association executive director Donald Fehr said. “I can’t tell you that any progress was made.”
All games through Dec. 30 have been cancelled, about 43 per cent of the season, along with the New Year’s Day Winter Classic, and the All-Star game. No new meetings have been scheduled. Mediators rejoined the process Wednesday, at the request of the players’ association, after they were unable to move the sides any closer to a deal during talks last month. Whether they will stay involved is uncertain.
“We did several different caucus meeting rooms, and really there’s nothing new to report,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said.