Owners mull latest union offer to end NHL lockout

NEW YORK (AFP) –

National Hockey League owners were reviewing the latest offer from the players’ union, but both sides remain far apart as they attempt to end the two month long lockout. The NHL Players Association made the new offer Wednesday morning as the two sides met in New York.

National Hockey League owners were reviewing the latest offer from the players’ union, but both sides remain far apart as they attempt to end the two month long lockout.

The NHL Players Association made the new offer Wednesday morning as the two sides met in New York. The owners said they would review it.

Despite two meetings this week, there was little progress as the negotiating teams head into the US Thanksgiving holiday.

“We’re still far apart,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said. “But hopefully there’s some momentum so we can bring this process to a successful conclusion.”

Bettman said that the league business is losing between $18 million to $20 million per day, while players are losing between $8 million to $10 million per day.

“On the big things there was as of today no reciprocity in any meaningful sense, no movement on the players’ share, no movement on salary-arbitration eligibility, no movement on free agency eligibility, no agreement on a pension plan,” NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr said.

Regular season games through the end of November have been wiped off the schedule, while the league also canceled the outdoor Winter Classic contest that was to be held on New Year’s Day in Detroit between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Red Wings.

The two sides have been without a contract since the last one expired on September 15.