I'm seeing a lot of optimism that a deal will be done very soon, and that is basically done with minimal things to wrap up. I must say I'm cautiously optimistic, but I see it happening, because just like the government with the fiscal cliff, people tend to wait until the last possible minute in negotiations like this.

Here are some of the tweets and news from players, insiders, reporters today:


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Bret Hedican ‏@BretHedican

I'm hearing that the #NHL #Lockout is over! Let's get back 2 watching the greatest gm on earth! & let's not allow this to ever happen again!

twitter.com/BretHedican/status/287657868931506176


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Jeff O'Neill ‏@odognine2

BREAKING- #NHLLOCKOUT is over. Camp opens Jan 12. 50 game season. #lockout

twitter.com/odognine2/status/287655775868948480



Michael Grange ‏@michaelgrange

Sources confirm that @odognine2 is just messing with people on twitter. He's good at it!

twitter.com/michaelgrange/status/287663786469507073


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Bret Hedican ‏@BretHedican

Nothing official yet that I've heard, but several sources have said it's done. Let's hope this is Official!

twitter.com/BretHedican/status/287659373680029696


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Darren Dreger ‏@DarrenDreger

PA hotel is buzzing in anticipation. Down to minimal issues...but, still not done. And definition of "minimal" may differ.

twitter.com/DarrenDreger/status/287624434066546688


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Bob McKenzie ‏@TSNBobMcKenzie

3 things to remember: 1. Until whole deal is done, none of it is done. 2. I'm cautiously, VERY cautiously, optimistic. 3. Re-read No. 1.

twitter.com/TSNBobMcKenzie/status/287677434818621440


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NHL, NHLPA back at the table with optimism in the air
Posted by: Michael Russo of The Star Tribune
Updated: January 5, 2013 - 2:23 PM



The NHL and NHLPA have been brought back to the table for a critical face-to-face meeting this afternoon in New York by federal mediator Scot Beckenbaugh.

Beckenbaugh has been shuttling back and forth the past two days between the NHL's offices and the NHLPA's hotel as he tries to bridge the gap. The process lasted 12 hours yesterday and began this morning until the mediator brought the two together at 1:15 ET.

This has caused an immense amount of optimism in the Twittersphere.

The New York Post's Larry Brooks just reported that he's told that the league is willing to move off its $60 million 2013-14 cap figure to somewhere in the middle of the NHLPA's $65 million desire.

There has been reports of progress with the complex pension issue. The league has previously been looking for six-year max deals (seven if you're re-signing your own player), the union wants eight. This doesn't seem too difficult to bridge.

Previously, it has been reported that they’ve both basically agreed on a 10-year CBA, the league will do the two 2013-14 per team compliance buyouts the union wants, the NHL has changed the variance from an original 5 percent wish to 30 percent, revenue sharing is agreed upon.

Looming large is that Executive Director will be able to dissolve the NHLPA by filing a disclaimer of interest as soon as 5 p.m. CT.

So while there have been early reports of traction and optimism, we've seen that before. Don't get your hopes too up until there's a deal in principle and a vote to ratify.

Is that coming? We will see.

More to come.

www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/185754141.html


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Nick Kypreos ‏@RealKyper

Source "tentative deal could be done within 24 hrs or #NHLPA could serve #NHL notice to disclaim early as 2day. Present meeting is huge.

twitter.com/RealKyper/status/287631039764000769


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How Scot Beckenbaugh is Ending the Lockout

Nick Vucic | January 5, 2013
The Hockey Writers

On a frosty Friday in New York City, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service’s Deputy Director, Scot Beckenbaugh, spent the majority of the day running between separate meetings with the NHL and the NHLPA in different buildings.

Many have questioned if this is even worthwhile, since the league and players are no longer sharing the same isolated room for hours on end trying to hammer out an agreement. If that wasn’t enough to cast doubt on the situation for many, the fact that mediation has failed to solve this lockout and the lockout that resulted in the cancellation of the 2004-2005 NHL season, remains present in the mind of many NHL fans.

Although the players and league did not meet to discuss a new CBA together on Friday, more real progress will have been made on this day than in any previous negotiation session, and it will result in the end of the NHL lockout.

Continue reading: thehockeywriters.com/how-scot-beckenbaug...-ending-the-lockout/


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Bruce Garrioch ‏@SunGarrioch

Talks are still continuing at this hour. The NHL wants a deal done asap because of the paperwork and logistics involved. Lots of work to do.

twitter.com/SunGarrioch/status/287663061647634432


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I'll post more as I hear, if you hear things please post them here so we can keep this up to date with everything we know.

From TSN this afternoon:

The National Hockey League and the Players' Association are meeting face-to-face along with a mediator in hopes of trying to end the 112 day lockout.

Federal mediator Scot Beckenbaugh, who resumed "shuttle mediation," between the two sides Saturday morning, is in the small group meeting.

"Well, if it's as close as we're sensing it could be a very 'good day' according to source," tweeted TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger on Saturday afternoon.

According to Dreger, issues still include what the salary cap would be in the 2013-14 season. The league has yet to come off their desire for $60 million, while the Players' Association is said to be pushing for $65 million. The length of a maximum contract and salary variance from year to year are also issues at large.

The NHLPA's second vote of players for a "disclaimer of interest" expires Saturday at 6pm et. If passed, which is it expected to, it would restore the NHLPA's executive board's ability to disclaim. The 30-member committee would then have the authority to dissolve the union, which would open the door for anti-trust lawsuits and bring even more uncertainty to the bargaining process.

The two sides spent Friday in separate rooms while Beckenbaugh went back and forth to each group searching for middle ground on the unresolved issues between the two sides.


www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=412844

OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH if this ends up being true, I will run outside and dance

I am very cautiously optimistic. But we all have to remember that, as fans, we really don't know how close the two sides are.

Last time something like this happened, we all were sure it was over. But then it went downhill VERY quickly. So don't get your hopes up for a deal today. There still might be one coming in the next few days.

Be careful not to believe anything said from non-verified and non-official sources.

The source seems to be Twitter yet the orginal poster is now said to have been joking. If a deal was really offical or near the NHL or NHLPA would have issued a press release by now. This seems to be rmor for now and nothing more. I wish it was true but twitter may have got us again.

Let's not jump the gun, People. Unless it's coming from BOTH Bettman and Fehr, standing at a podium TOGETHER, I'm not buying it. If you hear it from anyone else, I wouldn't take it as *Truth.

How true the NHL News Updates say the players agrred to a 10 year CBA! WHere are they getting this false info from, twitter again!

Personally I'm somewhat confident just because the timing makes so much sense. They'll wait until the last possible minute and try to squeeze everything they can out of one another and then make a deal, because the consequences of not doing so are so bad. Just like what happened last week with the fiscal cliff.




Helene St. James ‏@HeleneStJames
Journalist for the Detroit Free Press, covering the Red Wings

Pensions agreed upon. Sorting out '13-14 cap and variance over length of player contracts. But talks are really progressing. #NHLlockout

twitter.com/HeleneStJames/status/287662027479080960



Two funniest tweets I've seen....

Adam Proteau ‏@Proteautype

I won't believe the NHL lockout is over until the ink is dry on a ratified CBA. I'll still be skeptical even then, because disappearing ink.

Kevin DeLury ‏@TheNYRBlog

No way we could have USA gold at World Juniors and end of the NHL lockout in one day, can we? #wetdream

Let's hope so. Still they are worse then congress so I would not let my hopes up just yet.

Pierre LeBrun ‏@Real_ESPNLeBrun

Told this has potential to be marathon session tonight... We shall see

twitter.com/Real_ESPNLeBrun/status/287691863853527040

Let's not get started with the government. We're not out of the woods AT ALL as far as that goes. IMO, a room full of chimps with typewriters could make more progress than the gov or anyone involved in the NHL Lockout. I'm so disheartened.

So the truth is there is still tons of work to do yet?

I'm cautiously optimistic, both sides know how bad it would be to lose another full season and they seem to be compromising more

Please dear god let it happen. Just let the hawks come to Florida 1 time too.

By Greg Wyshynski | Puck Daddy – 7 hours ago


The NHL and NHLPA continued to inch towards an end to the lockout on Saturday in New York City, with mediator Scot Beckenbaugh meeting with the sides individually and then bringing them together for a negotiating session.

According to Tom Gulitti of the Bergen Record, there’s been one bit of progress:

“It sounds like players have agreed to 10-year CBA with mutual out after Year 8. Were previously looking for the out after Year 7.”

The two sides had previously agreed on a 10-year CBA term earlier in the week, but the NHLPA wanted an opt-out after seven years, meaning we could go through this labor hell three times in 14 years.

Other CBA notes as of 7 p.m. ET:

• The NHLPA’s players completed their vote to authorize Donald Fehr to file a disclaimer of interest with the NHL. The players had previously authorized the move, which would be the first step in dissolving the union in a nuclear option, but Fehr decided not to use the option earlier in the week.

• Larry Brooks of the NY Post reports that the “league has indicated a willingness to come off $60 [million cap] for next year, maybe $63-64M.” It’s an expected concession, considering the NHLPA was seeking a $65 million cap.

• Multiple sources indicate that the NHL is seeking more than a 48-game season, potentially upwards of 52 games. Oh, non-conference games, please be included in this plan.

Told you guys

Apparently the tweet that started this all of was a thumbs-up sign tweeted by Andrew Farence. I just want them to finish off the ramifications process and get back on the ice. But boycotting would probably be rather effective as the fans way of saying "you wrecked it for us, so lets briefly wreck it for you!" If anything, we might at least get free Center Ice out of it.

Meh, the only part I care about is getting the ECHL back to normal. Get all the NHL players out and get our roster back. I'm so not excited about the NHL. Bunch of babies on both sides. They screwed over the fans and the employees. Imagine if you worked at an NHL stadium and lost so much money just before the holidays.

Yeah, I'm bitter.