Proving they don’t reflexively dispute that the sun rises in the East, the NHL and its Players Association found common ground, and even agreement, on subjects that included drug testing and medical care yesterday.
Optimists will grasp such grapes in the hope the owners’ lockout will end next month.
But the key issue threatening the 2012-13 season, the players’ share of hockey revenue, is likely to remain undiscussed again today and tomorrow after being a planned non-topic yesterday in midtown.
Yesterday’s meetings, split into morning and afternoon sessions, were the first that included full negotiating teams since Sept. 12, when the league rejected the union’s counterproposal and responded with an adjustment to their plan later in the day.
The league is demanding the players’ 57 percent share of hockey revenue be reduced to 49 percent this season, and trimmed to 47 percent over a six-year collective bargaining agreement. The players have offered to limit their increase in revenue share to finite figures, their pot rising from its current $1.87 billion to $2.1 billion over three years.
* Islanders center John Tavares has signed with Bern, a Swiss hockey club, for the duration of the lockout.
Tavares will be a teammate of fellow Islander Marc Streit, who was born in Switzerland.
With AP.