TORONTO (CP) - The NHL Players' Association delivered a strong offer as promised Thursday, enough for the NHL to agree to meet again next Tuesday.
Sources indicate the union's offer was significant and addressed some of the league's concerns but still didn't include a link between player costs and league revenues - a salary cap, in other words.
Among the major points in today's proposal, the NHLPA has offered a 24% rollback on salaries and 20 cent tax on payroll over $45 million. The tax rises to 50 cents on the dollar over $50 million and 60 cents on the dollar over $60 million. The owners would also gain on entry level contracts with a cap on bonuses as well as arbitration rights.
"Significant, significant changes,'' said NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow.
The NHLPA says their proposal could save the league up to $600 million in salaries, but sources contacted by TSN said that the offer does not include any kind of mechanism to ensure that the salary giveback remains permanent.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman called one of the aspects of the players' proposal "significant", and said that the two sides will sit down and meet again next Tuesday, at which time the league is expected to present a counter offer.
''I think it's fair to say that this proposal touched more topics,'' said Bettman. ''Which is again a reason that I can't respond to it until we've been able to digest everything that's in there.''
While there was cautious optimism because the offer was enough to warrant another meeting, that could be wiped out in a hurry next week if the NHL comes back with a counter-proposal that includes the link between player costs and league revenues.
Bill Daly, the NHL's executive vice-president and chief legal officer, said the league was taking the new offer seriously.
''They made a serious proposal, which I would suggest was the first one in this process,'' he said. ''But it is a serious proposal and certainly they showed a recognition of the economic problems that the game is facing and certainly we're appreciative of that. We now need to work together with them on systemic elements to make sure the economics of the game stay in-synch going forward.''
Thursday's meeting, which came three months to the day of the last negotiating session Sept. 9, began at 11:23 a.m. and ended around 3:20 p.m., with both sides squeezing in a lunch break at 1:45.
It was the first official meeting between the sides since Sept. 9. The lockout, which reached its 85th day Thursday, has forced cancellation of 382 regular-season games plus the 2005 all-star game.
The NHL says it lost $1.8 billion US over the 10-year run of the last collective bargaining agreement, including $273 million for the 2002-03 season and $224 million last season. The players dispute those figures.
The new NHLPA proposal is touted to save owners well over $200 million next season.