The NHL’s peculiar approach to collective bargaining yielded predicable results yesterday when the league neither met collectively with the NHLPA nor bargained with the union.
A second straight day of mediation, this one featuring executive director Don Fehr and counsel Steve Fehr for the NHLPA and Proskauer Rose counsel Bob Batterman for the NHL, ended in continued stalemate when the league insisted last week’s already rejected offer was take-it-or-leave- it.
An individual with knowledge of the day’s events told The Post the union was informed the league would be willing to discuss transition issues only if the NHLPA agreed in full to the NHL proposal presented after two days of player-owner meetings.
While there are players who would accept that offer in order to save the 2012-13 season, there are at least an equal percentage of team executives appalled by Canceler-in-Chief Gary Bettman’s refusal to attempt to bridge what is a narrow gap on the outstanding issues of CBA length and contract term limits.
The league has proposed a 10-year CBA with an eight-year out clause for the players while the PA has proposed an eight-year deal with a six-year out clause.
The NHL has proposed a five-year contract term limit that would increase to seven years for free agents (restricted and unrestricted) signing with their own teams. The NHLPA has proposed an eight-year limit across the board. There is also a difference on allowable annual salary variance within a contract.
Bettman has indicated he believes a schedule of 48 games would constitute a season of integrity, thereby leaving the commissioner approximately a month before canceling the season for the second time in the last eight years.
The NHLPA was scheduled to provide an update to its executive board consisting of the 30 player reps last night via conference call. It is unknown when the league and union will next convene.
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The 31,000-member National Hockey League Fans’ Association released the results of a poll yesterday to which 1,305 Americans and 739 Canadians responded.
According to the poll, 15 percent of US respondents believe the NHL has taken the more reasonable course in negotiations while 30 percent of Canadians believe that to be the case. Thirty-nine percent of the Americans believe the NHLPA has been more reasonable, as opposed to 26 percent of Canadians. Forty percent of fans from both countries do not believe either side has been reasonable.