NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman says no NHL season will take place without a new collective bargaining agreement in place, reports CTV, darkening fortunes before the lockout deadline of midnight on Saturday. Following a two-hour meeting with the NHL's board of governors, Bettman made clear his position:
"We've had seven years of incredible competitive balance...the game on the ice has never been better. But I'm not going to apologize for saying we need to adjust (the current system)."
Donald Fehr, head of the NHL Players' Association, sounded a bit more optimistic, saying "The players want to find a way to make an agreement. They want to negotiate until we do."
The two sides have recently come to agree on what constitutes hockey-related revenue, but an agreement about how to split that revenue is still not in sight. Under the expired deal, the players received 57 percent of revenue, but proposals from owners for a new deal have ranged from 43 to 49 percent.
Stick with this StoryStream for more developments as the lockout deadline approaches. For all things Blackhawks, head over to Blackhawks blog Second City Hockey. For coverage from across the NHL, visit SB Nation's hockey hub.
