On Tuesday, NHLPA player representatives and "moderate" team owners congregated in a Manhattan Westin and entered an intense series of negotiations without union leader Donald Fehr or NHL commissioner Gary Bettman present.
That development was, ironically, the brainchild of the oft-criticized Bettman, and arguably led to the most fruitful labor talks between the league and the union that we've seen throughout this entire process.
If you needed any more proof that Bettman isn't the "bad guy" in all of this, what has occurred over these last few days should be more than sufficient.
Given that the owners have taken everything "off the table," you might suggest that, not only were these talks unsuccessful, but they may very well lead to a cancellation of the entire hockey season.
However, to think that most of these items will remain off the table permanently would be foolish. Once the two sides resume these collective bargaining discussions, you'll be surprised at how quickly these elements come back ...
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Article written by Daniel Friedman