An amendment to the CBA and the fate of Ilya Kovalchuk's contract are tied together, so it's conceivable, the NHL will postpone its decision, or flat out reject the Devils latest offer until a more concise framework of what teams, players and player agents can and cannot do is agreed on.
The NHL and the NHLPA had productive discussions on Thursday regarding potential changes to the rules that govern players contracts, however, at this point, it seems unlikely the two sides will reach a settlement, complete with a vote from the PA's 30 player board in time for todays 5pm deadline to determine the validity of Kovalchuk's proposed contract with the New Jersey Devils.
The two sides will continue to negotiate throughout the day in an effort to reach a settlement.
