The NHL reviewed the latest information from the NHLPA, and meetings have resumed on Wednesday evening in New York.
TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun of ESPN.com reports that the Players' executive board and negotiating committee began a conference call at 6pm et in order to get updated. They will have another call later tonight, most likely after the meeting with NHL to determine how to proceed with the disclaimer decision.
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger tweeted that entering the day on Wednesday, the NHLPA wanted the NHL to share the pension cost. He says that the bigger issue may be the teams' ongoing liability to pay the pension after the collective bargaining agreement expires.
Dreger explains that overall, the pension debate evolves around some complex differences.
LeBrun also reports that the pension issue needs to be resolved for any deal to get done. LeBrun tweeted that the NHL and the NHLPA had a small group meeting on the pension issue on Wednesday morning.
LeBrun also notes that no owners are in New York to attend the bargaining in person.
Day 109 of the NHL lockout is an important one as the deadline arrives for the NHLPA to file a disclaimer of interest.
Prior to Christmas, the players voted to allow their 30-member executive board the power to file the disclaimer by a deadline of Jan. 2. Such a move would effectively dissolve the NHL Players' Association and allow the players to file individual anti-trust lawsuits against the league.
However, with negotiations progressing this week and offers being exchanged between the two sides, the players may choose not to file before the midnight deadline.
Dreger reports the NHLPA executive board is expected to have a conference call on Wednesday to make a decision.
The NHL made the original CBA proposal that kick-started the latest round of talks on Dec. 27. The NHLPA made a counter-offer on Monday, and the league sent back another counter-proposal Tuesday night.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has said that a new collective bargaining agreement needs to be in place by Jan. 11 in order to open training camps and allow for a 48-game season to begin by Jan. 19.
