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Sportsnet has learned the NHL and NHLPA will be meeting in New York on Saturday
Sportsnet.ca -- Just days after the official cancellation of the NHL campaign, efforts appear to have been renewed to save the season.
Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux will attend Saturday's meeting in hopes of bridging the gap between the NHL and NHLPA, Sportsnet has learned.
Saturday's meeting will involve all constituents from both sides, led by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow. The PA's executive committee is also expected to be in New York City.
A league executive told Sportsnet Friday, "While nothing is written in stone yet, we expect the PA in New York by the weekend, possibly as early as tonight (Friday)."
On Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET, Bettman announced the cancellation of the season due to failed labour negotioations.
The NHL became the first of the four major professional sports in North America to cancel an entire season from beginning to end.
The Stanley Cup will not be awarded for the first time since the Spanish flu halted the 1919 final between Montreal and Seattle.
Before Wednesday, the league was offering a $42.5-million US salary cap, while the union offered $49-million cap.
"We weren't as close as people were speculating . . . We were still very far apart," Bettman stressed, noting that $6.5-million multiplied by 30 teams is close to $200-million.
And Bettman showed a hint of an edge when asked again why the league had not reached out to the union to broach the salary cap disparity.
"There's only so many times you can beat your head against the wall," he said with steel in his voice. "If they wanted $45-million, I'm not saying we would have gone there, but they sure should have told us."
Said Goodenow: "I don't think it serves any purpose to be speculating on what ifs, because the what ifs aren't for real."
The two sides stayed mum after the final offer Tuesday night. There was no contact following the exchange of letters that ended around 12:30 a.m. ET.
With files from Canadian Press
Sportsnet.ca -- Just days after the official cancellation of the NHL campaign, efforts appear to have been renewed to save the season.
Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux will attend Saturday's meeting in hopes of bridging the gap between the NHL and NHLPA, Sportsnet has learned.
Saturday's meeting will involve all constituents from both sides, led by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow. The PA's executive committee is also expected to be in New York City.
A league executive told Sportsnet Friday, "While nothing is written in stone yet, we expect the PA in New York by the weekend, possibly as early as tonight (Friday)."
On Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET, Bettman announced the cancellation of the season due to failed labour negotioations.
The NHL became the first of the four major professional sports in North America to cancel an entire season from beginning to end.
The Stanley Cup will not be awarded for the first time since the Spanish flu halted the 1919 final between Montreal and Seattle.
Before Wednesday, the league was offering a $42.5-million US salary cap, while the union offered $49-million cap.
"We weren't as close as people were speculating . . . We were still very far apart," Bettman stressed, noting that $6.5-million multiplied by 30 teams is close to $200-million.
And Bettman showed a hint of an edge when asked again why the league had not reached out to the union to broach the salary cap disparity.
"There's only so many times you can beat your head against the wall," he said with steel in his voice. "If they wanted $45-million, I'm not saying we would have gone there, but they sure should have told us."
Said Goodenow: "I don't think it serves any purpose to be speculating on what ifs, because the what ifs aren't for real."
The two sides stayed mum after the final offer Tuesday night. There was no contact following the exchange of letters that ended around 12:30 a.m. ET.
With files from Canadian Press
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