The National Hockey League (NHL) and locked-out players appeared closer to a new labor deal that would salvage a partial season after Wednesday’s midnight deadline passed without the union filing a disclaimer of interest and dissolving.
With the lockout reaching its 110th day, negotiations began under an NHL Players Association (NHLPA) threat to decertify, freeing individual players to file anti-trust lawsuits against the league.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told reporters that the union never played the disclaimer card during any negotiations, and that both parties and a US mediator would be back at the bargaining table at 10am yesterday.
“The word ‘disclaimer’ has yet to be uttered to us by the players association,” Bettman said as he left meetings at the league’s Manhattan offices.
“When you disclaim interest as a union you notify the other side. We have not been notified. It has never been discussed, so there is no disclaimer,” he added.
While one deadline passed, another is looming large on the horizon, Bettman having set a Jan. 19 limit for the puck to drop on a shortened 48-game schedule.
With the clock ticking, both Bettman and NHLPA chief Donald Fehr could agree on one thing — that much work needs to be done if there is to be a season.
“If you have a river to cross you have to build a bridge or do something else if you are going to cross the river,” Fehr said. “We’ve moved closer on some issues, but work remains to be done.”
The two sides have spent three days in New York exchanging proposals and counter-proposals, and appeared to inching slowly towards a deal.
The back-and-forth diplomacy continued on Wednesday, with a long session that began at 8pm stretching into yesterday morning.
There have been indications that the two sides are close to agreement on major issues — such has how to split US$3.3 billion in revenue, contract lengths and revenue sharing, but they remain far apart on others.
Player pension plans and how they are funded has suddenly popped up as the hot topic along with where the salary cap ceiling should be set.
The league wants a cap locked in at US$60 million, while the players are believed to be seeking something in the US$65 million to US$67 million range.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two