TORONTO — Union chief Donald Fehr is sticking to his story that a deal with the NHL to end the long lockout was close before talks suddenly broke off this week. The NHL Players' Association executive director repeated earlier remarks that an agreement appeared to be within reach Thursday night when the league rejected the union's latest proposal and rescinded its own. “My comments from a couple of days ago stand on their own. I think we were very close,” Fehr told reporters Saturday — the 84th day if the lockout — after addressing a Canadian Auto Workers council meeting. Fehr's comments run contrary to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, who said angrily Thursday he didn't think the owners and players were close to a deal and didn't know why Fehr claimed otherwise. Fehr said he hasn't spoken directly with Bettman or deputy commissioner Bill Daly since talks crumbled, adding there has been some minor chatter between the sides, but that no future meetings have been scheduled. “So far they have not indicated a willingness to continue discussions,” Fehr said. Daly told The Associated Press in an email Friday night that he didn't have any thoughts how to restart the process. “I have no reason, nor any intention, of reaching out to the union right now,” he wrote. “I have no new ideas. Maybe they do. We are happy to listen.” Fehr declined Saturday to comment directly on remarks by Bettman that questioned Fehr's motives for saying a deal was close, saying only he was disappointed with how things turned out. Fehr even urged those listening to his speech to deliver any suggestions on how to make a deal to him. “I'm always disappointed when you're involved in a process and people want to call a halt to it,” Fehr said. “The one thing we know for certain is that you can't make agreements if you're not talking about it.” The sides will have to renew negotiations soon if the remainder of the NHL season is to be saved. The lockout has resulted in the cancellation of 422 regular-season games through Dec. 14, along with the New Year's Day Winter Classic and the All-Star game. “I was in the room the whole time, every time,” said Los Angeles Kings forward Kevin Westgarth, a member of the union negotiating team who played in a charity hockey game featuring 36 NHL players Saturday night in Windsor, Ontario. “We made a ton of progress. That was obvious. It's a shame things turned out the way they did. At this point, though, nothing surprises me. They get everybody's expectations up and then dash them. It's unfortunate. It's a shame we're not playing this game at the Joe or anywhere else in the NHL.” Edmonton Oilers captain Shawn Horcoff, who also took part in this week's negotiations in New York, agreed with Fehr and Westgarth that the sides definitely took steps toward a deal. “We're closer,” Horcoff said during the second intermission of Saturday night's game. — AP
