NEW YORK – The clandestine meetings aimed at reaching a settlement in the NHL lockout reached a pivotal moment Thursday evening in New York while the clock on the 2004-05 season ticked louder with each passing minute.
According to a source, the league presented a new proposal Thursday with the hope of meeting some of the players association’s concerns while also achieving the “cost certainty” it has been seeking.
Rumors swirled about the content of the proposal. Sources talked of a compromise deal that would include a luxury tax triggered by a soft salary cap, a salary minimum per team and a hard-cap ceiling.
TSN in Canada reported a plan that would feature a $6 million individual salary limit – i.e. no player could earn more than $6 million per season – plus a luxury tax on the team’s total payroll. But such a system might be viewed by the union as another attempt to split the lower-paid players from the higher-paid ones.
The players’ reaction to the offer was not immediately available. Before the meeting, the sides had tentatively planned to meet Friday, but now no new talks were scheduled.
Thursday’s meeting lasted four hours, breaking up at 8:30 p.m. As with Wednesday’s meeting in Toronto, the location was not disclosed.
Once again, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow did not take part in Thursday’s meeting. Although Bettman refuses to issue a drop-dead date, it is believed a deal would have to be struck before the end of the month to play this season.
It was reported that the sides made little progress during Wednesday’s 5-hour meeting in Toronto, but they have picked up their pace considerably in the last week and a half. Friday’s meeting will be their fifth in 10 days after the sides sat down only twice during the previous four months.
The NHL was again represented Thursday by executive vice president Bill Daly, Board of Governors chairman Harley Hotchkiss of the Calgary Flames, Devils president and general manager Lou Lamoriello and outside counsel Bob Batterman. Back on the union’s side of the table were senior director Ted Saskin, president Trevor Linden of the Vancouver Canucks and outside counsel John McCambridge.
Lamoriello joined the negotiations Wednesday after not taking part in last week’s sitdowns in Chicago and Toronto.
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