The silence continues as we creep towards the mid-January deadline to save the season.
The expectation is that the CBA talks will not resume this weekend, according to Sportsnet’s John Shannon. The negotiations have been essientally stalled since the dramatic collapse of the players-owners meetings on Dec. 6.
Federal mediators were brought in, but their presence failed to jump start the process. Instead, the biggest news on the CBA front is that the players have overwhelmingly voted to authorize the union’s executive board to file a disclaimer of interest. The NHLPA reportedly has until Jan. 2 to make such a filing, if they chose to do so at all.
Such a move could put pressure on the league to offer a new compromise, although NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly previously argued that it “can’t be helpful to the process in such a short time frame.”
But hey, if you need a silver lining, the NHLPA has expressed a willingness to work through the holidays. So, there’s that...