NEW YORK — With only two days left to avoid another damaging NHL lockout, players and owners huddled in separate circles to discuss what now seems inevitable. One day after the NHL and the players' association swapped proposals each hoped would result in a new collective bargaining agreement, the sides held internal meetings and gave no indication that a deal was anywhere close. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman stuck to his vow that players will be locked out late Saturday if a new CBA isn't hammered out before then. In case anyone doubted his resolve, Bettman said he received unanimous support from the board of governors Thursday to shut down the league for the second time in eight years. “We have been clear that the collective bargaining agreement, upon its expiration, needs to have a successful agreement for us to move forward,” Bettman said Thursday. “The league is not in a position, not willing to move forward with another season under the status quo.” The players turned out in force just a few blocks away at another midtown Manhattan hotel. Solidarity was evident, but optimism wasn't. Late Thursday, the sides hadn't been in contact since talks broke off Wednesday, and no new negotiations were scheduled. The last labor stoppage caused the cancellation of the entire 2004-05 season, a lockout that ended only when players accepted a salary cap and a 24 percent rollback of salaries. “Right now it's not looking great,” said Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby, who was just 17 when the last lockout ended, “but things can change pretty quickly.” Following lockouts last year by NBA and NFL owners, Bettman says NHL management is determined to come away with economic gains, even if it forces the league's fourth work stoppage since 1992. “Two other leagues — the NBA and the NFL — their players have recognized that in these economic times there is a need to retrench,” Bettman said after a two-hour owners' meeting. Training camps are scheduled to open next Friday and the season is slated to start on Oct. 11. Damage from a lockout will occur almost immediately, and there is no telling how jilted fans and sponsors will react to another shutdown. “One of the questions that needs to be asked is, if indeed they lock out, if indeed they do do that, (whether) that is reasonably calculated to make a deal more likely or less likely?” union head Donald Fehr said. “I think you can figure out the answer.” Players currently receive 57 percent of league-related revenue, and the owners want to bring that number down as far as perhaps 47 percent — which is an increase from their original offer of 43 percent. The union offered a deal based on actual dollars, seeking a guarantee of the $1.8 billion players received last season. Annual industry revenue has grown from $2.1 billion to $3.3 billion under the expiring deal. Owners asked players to cut their share of league-related revenue during a six-year proposal. Players are concerned management hasn't addressed the league's problems by re-examining the teams' revenue-sharing formula. Having made several big concessions to make a deal in 2005, the union doesn't think it should have to make more this time after a period of record financial growth. The average player salary also jumped from $1.45 million to $2.55 million over the course of the current agreement. — AP
