It is unclear whether the slightest progress was made yesterday toward ending the lockout, but the NHL and NHLPA will go back at it Friday following a five-hour session during which there was substantive exchange between the parties regarding revenue-share and make-whole.
Every single NHL proposal for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement has called for an immediate cut in the players’ share to no more than 50-percent beginning with 2012-13 while every single NHLPA proposal has outlined a structure under which the players would gradually reduce their share to no more and no less than 50-percent over the life of a new CBA.
That remained the case through Thursday’s third straight day of bargaining between the parties in Manhattan at the offices of the NHL’s law firm of Proskauer Rose, with the union seeking a “soft landing” that is critical to opening the league doors for a 2012-13 season.
Even allowing for make-whole that would cover existing contracts, an immediate dive to 50/50 would create a situation for 2013-14 under which there would be extremely limited cap space remaining to sign the approximately 250 players who are due to become free agents next summer. .
The Post has learned the NHLPA presented a proposal targeted to hard dollars under which the percentage would drop to approximately 51 percent of hockey-related revenue (HRR) in Year 3 and close to 50 percent in Year 4 depending upon the rate of annual revenue growth.
Sources have told The Post the Players’ Association has made it clear to the league the players will not accept a cut in pay as a result of their overall share dropping from last year’s 57-percent of HRR.
The NHL has rejected all previous union initiatives that were based on hard dollars and growth-rate projections rather than on straight percentages. The league did respond to the union’s latest proposal, though it is unclear what the counter-offer contained.
In addition to differences regarding players’ share and league revenue-sharing, the parties remain separated by a wide gulf regarding changes to systemic issues proposed by the league, most notably including salary arbitration and free agency eligibility.
“I’m not going to characterize except to say it’s always better meeting than when you’re not,” Players Association executive director Don Fehr told reporters after the session concluded.
Said commissioner Gary Bettman: “The fact is, we have a lot of work to do and we’re working hard.”
* Rangers’ left wing Carl Hagelin has left his team in Sweden to return to New York for rehab on his shoulder after sustaining an injury early last week while playing for his hometown Sodetalje club. The extent of the injury is unknown, though Hagelin does not require surgery. Under lockout rules, Hagelin is not permitted to be treated by the Rangers’ training staff, though he is permitted to schedule (and pay for) appointments with the doctors of his choice, including club physicians Andrew Feldman and Tony Maddalo.
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Because the NHL would play under a revised schedule should the lockout be settled, there are no inferences to be drawn from the fact the Garden announced yesterday it would play host to a “12-12-12”charity concert for the benefit of Hurricane Sandy victims on Dec. 12, a night that had previously been reserved for a Rangers-Montreal match. Clubs have submitted alternate dates to the league over the last couple of weeks.