Players agree to Cap

[SabreEleven]

http://sports.iwon.com/news/02152005/v8426.html?PG=home&SEC=news

NEW YORK (AP) - The NHL players' association agreed to accept a salary cap, but contract talks broke down early Tuesday over the amount that teams would pay.

Even while the negotiations were going on, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman had already planned to announce the cancellation of the season Wednesday, a source close to the negotiations told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday.

[Myers57]

Too bad this couldn't happen any sooner, I guess you have to remain optimistic until that press conference occurs...

[TheGhostofJimKelly]

I had just heard the cap they were accepting was $52 million. The NHL is offering like 40.

[buffalofan19]

WGR interviewed James Patrick this morning, and he thinks that there will be a season now. Unlike the previous proposals, it wasn't really the proposal that was rejected, just the numbers. In a nutshell, the NHL wanted a $40 million cap, the NHLPA wanted a $52 million with rollbacks, luxury taxes, etc. The question is not the proposal itself but the figures involved. When all is said and done, we will probably see a deal around $45-47 million. This is actually progress. And Jeremy White made a good point, it wasn't because they couldn't agree that they stopped short last night, it was getting late. They came out of the meeting at around midnight. There will probably be meetings between now and tomorrow to iron this thing out.