Here We Go Again: NHL and Players to Meet

Pessimism prevails, but the NHL and its Players' Association have agreed to meet Wednesday, with new personalities seeking a compromise to end to the current lockout.

TSN reports that the meeting was initiated by NHLPA president Trevor Linden, a 16-year NHL veteran. League commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow will not be involved.

Neither side will come to the table with a new proposal, and there is no indication that anyone is prepared to compromise. This meeting appears more of a last-ditch effort designed to leave everyone with a clear conscience when the season is cancelled. When it fails, all hands can go home and say, "We tried. We really did."

But give Linden credit for picking up the phone.

''To change the dynamic of that is not unusual, it's happened in Major League Baseball, it's happened in previous negotiations that we've had, so I felt like it was an opportunity to open up the dialogue,'' he says.

Besides Linden, the NHPA will be represented by senior director Ted Saskin and outside counsel John McCambridge. The league will send executive vice-president Bill Daly, outside counsel Bob Batterman, and Harley Hotchkiss, part-owner of the Calgary Flames. Hotchkiss is also chairman of the NHL Board of Governors, the group that effectively acts as Bettman's boss.

The NHL lockout is in its 124th day, with 650 games cancelled so far.