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Biron cautions against getting too excited ahead of today’s CBA talks

Martin Biron

New York Rangers goaltender Martin Biron looks down during a break in play during second period NHL hockey action against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Toronto on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Pawel Dwulit)

AP

There’s been a renewed sense of optimism about our chances of getting a 2012-13 NHL season since Saturday’s marathon negotiating session. The talks will resume today, but Biron, who is part of the NHLPA’s negotiating committee, isn’t getting overly excited just yet.

“I think every time there is a layoff where there’s no talks and then talks resume, there’s always optimism in the air,” Biron told ESPN. “Obviously, everybody is cautiously optimistic with some of the exchanges that Steve and Bill had, even though it was more brainstorming than anything concrete. But to be able to schedule some meetings and get larger groups involved again is going to be a good thing. Still, as with every case in the last little while when people got too optimistic, it’s just part of the process and we’ll see where it goes.”

One of the things that triggered the latest round of optimism was the NHL’s concession on the “Make Whole” provision, but Biron warned that “it’s still more of a concept right now, more than anything.”

On top of that, Biron said that Make Whole isn’t the only significant issue that remains.

“There are a lot of things like player contracting rights that are still there to be discussed and are still big items on the table,” Biron said.

So there’s still plenty of work that needs to be done. At the same time, there’s also time left to save the 2012-13 campaign if the NHL and union work together.

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