UPDATE 10:18 PM EST

Just spoke w/ source regarding the NHLPA's counter: "The NHLPA tweaked some big issues but didn't introduce anything new. Still some negotiating to do.... Meeting tomorrow"

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UPDATE 6 PM EST

Today's meetings are over.

Thankfully, the earlier rumors of the NHLPA asking for a re-definition of hockey-related revenue in their counter-offer appear to have been false.

Shane Doan has arrived in New York, which is a very good sign towards a resolution.

The NHL is looking over the counter-proposal from the NHLPA. Meetings are being planned for tomorrow morning, but not expected to last particularly long.

Gary Bettman officially confirmed a drop-dead date of January 19th for regular season games to begin.


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UPDATE 2 PM EST

The NHLPA negotiating team has arrived. Rumor has it that the NHLPA will introduce a clause to include relocation and expansion fees into hockey-related revenue.

It is purely a tactic designed to throw off the owners -- a clause no one thinks would ever fly. It's too late in the game to tinker with the HRR definition. The time to do that passed months ago. Fehr does this sort of stuff to try and get the NHL to fold on other issues.

That said, it is very important that the NHL not freak out if the PA proposal, in fact, attempts to tinker with the HRR definition.


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Getting a very good feeling about today and a possible NHL season. Of course, anything CAN, and likely will happen. But the answer to the most common question I am asked ("Do you think there will be a season?") is a stronger yes today than at any point since the early December meltdown. That's not to say there isn't some roller coaster ride left in this process.

As we await the counter proposal from the NHLPA, it is always a good sign when the parties care more about what each other thinks than what we think. There is still some negotiation left to be done, but I feel the sides are definitely honing in a final resolution.

The CBA meeting will begin around 2pm today (per Darren Dreger, Kevin Allen and John Shannon). Stay tuned! I will be back later with the 2013 installment of my annual predictions blog.

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