TORONTO - Let the real negotiations begin.
After watching 34 days pass without a new offer being tabled in collective bargaining talks, the NHL delivered a proposal to the union on Tuesday morning that should at least kickstart serious discussions.
It called for a 50-50 split of revenues between owners and players and addressed the union's concern that a reduction from the current level of 57 per cent would result in higher escrow payments, according to commissioner Gary Bettman. The deal was made with an eye on starting a full 82-game regular season on Nov. 2.
"We have about nine or 10 days to get this all put to bed, signed, sealed and delivered, in order for this offer to be effective and for us to move forward," said Bettman.
The NHL Players' Association had received no indication the offer was coming. Donald Fehr, the NHLPA's executive director, acknowledged that the proposal was stronger than the previous ones the union had received, but declined further comment until he had more time to review the document.
However, it appeared as though he had something encouraging to take the union's executive board and negotiating committee during an afternoon conference call.
"I would like to believe that it will be an excellent starting point and we can go forward and see if there is a deal to be made," said Fehr.
It wasn't clear how willing the league would be to negotiate off the latest offer. The NHL had previously proposed seeing the players' share in revenue fall to 47 per cent and tabled a number of more restrictive rules governing contracts.
According to a source, the only one that remained in Tuesday's proposal was a maximum contract length of five years. The new league offer also called for unrestricted free agency to come into effect at age 28 or after eight years of service — one year later than the last CBA — and kept entry-level deals at three years.
Neither side had made a formal proposal since Sept. 12, and this one came with a heightened sense of urgency from Bettman. The league estimated that Nov. 2 is the latest it could start an 82-game regular season that would see the Stanley Cup awarded before the end of June.
"If we didn't do it now, if we didn't put an offer on the table that we thought was fair and could get us playing hockey ... then it probably wasn't going to happen for a while," said Bettman. "It's done in the spirit of getting a full season in."
The NHL's third lockout in 18 years has lasted 31 days and already forced the league to push the season back two weeks from its scheduled start of Oct. 11. Deputy commissioner Bill Daly estimated last week that it had cost about US$250 million in lost revenue.
The new league offer came one day after Deadspin revealed the NHL had hired market research firm Luntz Global to conduct a focus group to help shape its message during the lockout. The company's founder, Frank Luntz, said in a statement that he was trying to gauge how fans felt about the work stoppage.
Clearly, the best public relations for all involved would come from making a deal.
With a new proposal finally on the table, for the first time in weeks it seemed as though there was reason to believe it could be coming sooner than later.
"What our hope is is that after we review this that there will be a feeling on the players' side that this is a proposal from which we can negotiate and try and reach a conclusion," said Fehr.
