On Sunday, the NHL Lockout will begin its 5th week.
There is no end in sight, either.
The only "crumb" of hope to offer fans came today when the union said that both sides would meet on Tuesday to resume CBA talks.
Where the talks will take place and what will be discussed remain unknown. That will be announced on Monday I was told.
I spoke to NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly and NHLPA special counsel Steve Fehr on Friday. Their comments will appear in m Sunday NHL NOtebook on CSNPhilly.com.
I can tell you up front that fans won't like what both have to say or how I interpret what is ahead.
This much I know for a fact in speaking to people on both sides of the ice rink here. When The Commish, Gary Bettman, locked the players out, there was a feeling that a month and perhaps 6 weeks would be lost.
Over the summer, clubs were told unofficially to be prepared to lose October. What changed, however, was that both sides assumed there will would be talks all through the month of October.
That hasn't happened. And that has the owners worried. Incredibly, both sides have been saying they won't stand on ceremony. Yet that is exactly what they've been doing for a month.
Neither side is willing to blink and both feel whoever moves next exhibits a sign of weakness.
Since the NHL pulled its last offer off the table as of Sept. 16, I feel it's the union's job now to present something new.
I know there are players who feel this way and there are players who feel the opposite - that the owners need to shown them some sort of concession.
There is hope that on Tuesday, the players will give the league a new offer. but I'm not entirely sure that will be the case.
As I said to Steve Fehr on Friday night, what's the worst that can happen? The league rejects it.
Yet I don't think Bettman is going to outright reject ANY proposal the players make right now without sitting down with them and saying, 'let's talk.'
Bettman's tactic of outright rejection of the last union offer backfired because it made both sides dig their heels in and we have not had a single, meaningful discussion on core economics since.
There is a genuine chance the season will be lost unless both sides lay down arms and try to find some common ground.
So Tuesday's meeting could become a watershed moment.
Or it could be just another in a long line of disappointments.
Right now, however, there are some very nervous NHL owners out there who are fearful the entire season could go up in flames.
One thing has to change. The league has to back off from it's objective of trying to beat the players into submission and "win" again at the table.
That worked in 2005 but I don't see it working now.
And likewise, I think the union has to get real here and forget about it "looks" to be the one making a new offer.
Just do it.
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