(SB Nation) — The NHL Players’ Association presented their alternative CBA proposal to the league on Tuesday in Toronto, but it’s unlikely that we learn the owners’ position on that proposal until Wednesday at the earliest.
The two sides are set to meet at NHLPA Headquarters in Toronto again on Wednesday and Thursday as they continue to work out their differences, hopefully culminating in a new collective bargaining agreement before a potential work stoppage begins Sept. 15.
Commissioner Gary Bettman spoke with the media after the meetings, implying that the offer from the union is a complex one.
“It’s clear to me they didn’t put it together in an hour or two,” Bettman said, according to the Canadian Press.
Even still, one day seems like a limited amount of time to pour over what’s clearly a complicated proposal. If the league truly is prepared to respond in less than 24 hours, it’s likely that the NHLPA’s points were at least somewhat predictable.
Several big stars were on hand for the meetings, including Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, Steven Stamkos and several others. 27 total players joined the negotiations Tuesday, a much larger number than we’ve seen in the past and an indication that talks are getting much more in-depth.
Before speaking, Bettman made sure the blue NHLPA backdrop in the media staging area was removed from view.
