Tight-lipped Fehr hoping CBA negotiations produce progress

Donald Fehr met with the media prior to this afternoon’s CBA meetings in New York, though we’re not sure it was completely necessary. The NHLPA chief didn’t have much to tell reporters, other than confirming the talks will cover “the issues that divide us.”

We suppose that’s more likely to lead to a deal than spending time on the issues that don’t divide the two sides, but Fehr wouldn’t make any predictions.

“We hope this time it produces more progress than we have seen in the past and we can figure out a way to make an agreement and get the game back on the ice as soon as possible,” he said.

In a familiar refrain, Fehr added: “The players haven’t seen any need to go backwards given the history of the last negotiations and given the level of revenue increase since then, and player contracting rights are very important to them, obviously.”

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