Bettman and Fehr address media, don’t provide much hope for “world’s greatest fans”

The NHL and NHLPA sat down for around 90 minutes of CBA negotiations this morning in Toronto. League commissioner Gary Bettman addressed the media shortly thereafter, followed by union head Donald Fehr.

As reported on Twitter by journalists in Toronto, here’s Bettman:

Gary Bettman:"we believe that we are paying the players more that we should be."

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Renaud P Lavoie (@RenLavoieRDS) August 23, 2012

Gary Bettman says owners and Union have to agree on the core economic issues before tackling revenue sharing and player contract issues.

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Dan Rosen (@drosennhl) August 23, 2012

Gary Bettman: "its difficult to make progress when you don't know what are the fundamentals."

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Renaud P Lavoie (@RenLavoieRDS) August 23, 2012

Bettman on damage lockout could do: 'We recovered last time bc we have the world's greatest fans'

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Mark Masters (@markhmasters) August 23, 2012

Bettman can't understand why there's so much focus on revenue sharing; says gulf bt sides not wide on that issue

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Mark Masters (@markhmasters) August 23, 2012

NHLPA rounded out its proposal today as it pertains to contract rules. Bettman says sides are far apart on that issue as well.

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Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) August 23, 2012

And now Fehr:

Donald Fehr reiterates that if there's a lockout Sept. 15 it will be the "choice" of owners.

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Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) August 23, 2012

Fehr: 'We have a lot to do. I have always believed there's enough time.'

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Mark Masters (@markhmasters) August 23, 2012

Don Fehr: "we want more flexibility and the league don't want that."

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Renaud P Lavoie (@RenLavoieRDS) August 23, 2012

Don Fehr: "we remind the nhl that the only league that works (no stoppage) has no cap, and that is the mlb."

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Renaud P Lavoie (@RenLavoieRDS) August 23, 2012

And that’s about enough rhetoric for today.

Bettman, Fehr, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly, and union No. 2 Steve Fehr will reportedly hold another small meeting Tuesday in hopes of finding some common ground on the core economic issues.

PS — If there was a money quote from today, it was the one from Bettman about the NHL recovering from the last lockout thanks to the fans. That’s some serious media fodder right there.

Yeah, keep testing them. RT @markhmasters Bettman on damage lockout could do: 'We recovered last time bc we have the world's greatest fans'

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Jesse Spector (@jessespector) August 23, 2012