NHL and NHLPA continue to talk; discuss pensions, ice conditions, training camp
July 26, 2012 - 5:36 PM
TORONTO - A day after tabling the remaining elements of its opening contract offer, it was the NHL's turn to listen.
The NHL Players' Association made a number of presentations to owners today, including ones addressing player pensions, training camp and ice conditions.
Mathieu Schneider, special assistant to NHLPA executive director Don Fehr, says the two sides were involved in open discussion and also broke into smaller groups.
The former defenceman adds that benefits have not been updated since the 1990s, while training camp issues include the schedule, player testing and the amount of pre-season games in which veterans would be expected to participate.
On the issue of ice conditions, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says both sides want the "best ice possible."
The NHL and the NHLPA will resume negotiations on Monday in New York. The players say they are waiting for specific financial information from the owners before submitting a counter-proposal.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2012