The NHL negotiations for a new CBA have been an ongoing battle for months and the roller coaster ride that fans have endured during this time has tempered positive attitudes and created a strong sense of impatience. However, the stakes have been raised and the two sides will finally reveal themselves over the next few weeks as the infamous point of no return has finally been revealed.
According to CBS Sports, Deputy Commissioner Billy Daly stated that the point of no return, or the cancellation of the entire 2012-13 season, will be in mid-January. Daly did not specify a date for this deadline, but it clearly indicates that the league is fed up with the process and wants results soon from the NHLPA. In 2004-05, the NHL cancelled its entire season over CBA disputes, but the deadline was not until February 16.
Talks broke last week when the NHL, NHLPA, and Federal mediators were unable to come to an agreement. The Union threatened to disclaim or decertify and the league resorted to filing a pair of lawsuits to validate its lockout and make players' contracts void if they were to decertify or disclaim. The decision to announce a deadline of January is likely the league's attempt to get the players to make concession and force them into the next move. Daly has stated that the league has already made sufficient concessions and that the union must be willing to make sacrifices of its own. Neither side has announced any desire to talk since the league filed its lawsuit over the weekend so this news seems like a necessary step to try and get back to negotiating.
Commissioner Gary Bettman has openly stated that a 48 game season is the bare minimum and to meet that requirement the season would need to start in January. The lockout has now reached 95 days and the deadline to save the season is now less than a month away.
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