@JSportsnet: From what I've been told, the NHL is on stand-by to meet with the Mediators...and maybe Players. No decisions yet.

Again, highly encouraging. If they meet, the deal gets done. Bettman will not meet unless he sees the final road map to a conclusion.

Bettman will not do a drop dead date. He is refusing to negotiate until terms and transition is agreed upon through the mediator. If you take Fehr at his word economic issues are essentially settled. It is entirely up to the players this morning. What do they want on term? Bettman will not discuss transition if Fehr wants to use it to wedge open other economic issues.
- spatso

OK, so Bettman won't do a drop-dead date and Fehr still wants to discuss other items that Bettman has claimed are non-negotiable. Where exactly is the pressure here on Fehr to get a deal done? It's not "the players will miss another paycheck" because they've missed 4 (will be 5) of those, and they're on pace to miss a 6th at the end of the year - and that hasn't been enough to force them to move. And again, every previous time Bettman has said "we're not giving anything more" he proceeded to give up a little more on something.

So ... why would Fehr hand over his cards and settle now?

@JSportsnet: From what I've been told, the NHL is on stand-by to meet with the Mediators...and maybe Players. No decisions yet.

Again, highly encouraging. If they meet, the deal gets done. Bettman will not meet unless he sees the final road map to a conclusion.
- spatso

Encouraging? I dont know if that would be the right word here

OK, so Bettman won't do a drop-dead date and Fehr still wants to discuss other items that Bettman has claimed are non-negotiable. Where exactly is the pressure here on Fehr to get a deal done? It's not "the players will miss another paycheck" because they've missed 4 (will be 5) of those, and they're on pace to miss a 6th at the end of the year - and that hasn't been enough to force them to move. And again, every previous time Bettman has said "we're not giving anything more" he proceeded to give up a little more on something.

So ... why would Fehr hand over his cards and settle now?
- Irish Blues

The players!

I hope both sides realize that the majority of fans don't care about either side and who looks good/bad--all we want is hockey to be played.

Not that hard to understand.

we can all stop worrying about the lockout now. Ek has put all his cards on the table with his new blog. Players and owners can now see where the other side is coming from and a resolution will be made! Yeah!

The players!
- spatso

The same players who are (for the most part) solidly behind Fehr and have followed him like a good pack of lemmings toward the edge of the cliff?

OK, so Bettman won't do a drop-dead date and Fehr still wants to discuss other items that Bettman has claimed are non-negotiable. Where exactly is the pressure here on Fehr to get a deal done? It's not "the players will miss another paycheck" because they've missed 4 (will be 5) of those, and they're on pace to miss a 6th at the end of the year - and that hasn't been enough to force them to move. And again, every previous time Bettman has said "we're not giving anything more" he proceeded to give up a little more on something.

So ... why would Fehr hand over his cards and settle now?
- Irish Blues

He shouldn't and he probably won't.

Meh

Meh
- Flyskippy

p much

Meh
- Flyskippy

Nicely stated.

Nicely stated.
- tangent_man

I've moved onto CHL & college hockey and EPL football. The pomposity of the NHL to assume that we'll all just come back like nothing happened and somehow grow the game even more astounds me. The fans are taken for granted and I've had it. The season tickets our family has will be used. Concessions will be bought to support the workers, but we're not going out of our way to buy anything NHL-related. We are thinking about cancelling the Flyers tickets - when just a few months ago we were talking about increasing from two tickets to four.

I bought my wife a CHL team jersey, personalized. That could have been an NHL one, but that will probably never happen again. I am certain these dopes will be locking out the players again when this CBA-to-be is expired in 5 - 10 years.

Enough's enough. I'll watch other things or do other things that don't take me and my fellow fans for granted.

@DarrenDreger: Well, one side says there was a meeting this am and now the other side says there wasn't. Somewhat humorous.

Becoming priceless.

This really is over. Both sides are just trying to sort out the final PR.

I assume it is the PA trying to show its members that it is close to having a deal (same as Fehr presser of last Thursday) and the league saying they need more agreement on final principles before they will make nice.

I think the break through comes later today.
- spatso

You were also pretty sure we were getting Shea Weber right?

You were also pretty sure we were getting Shea Weber right?
- eayost

He was right. The Flyers did have Weber ..... for about 6 days.

He was right. The Flyers did have Weber ..... for about 6 days.
- Irish Blues

No. He was never Philadelphia's property unless Nashville did not match.

But please, let's split hairs more.

No. He was never Philadelphia's property unless Nashville did not match.

But please, let's split hairs more.
- Flyskippy

I really don't feel like getting into an extensive argument over this (especially since my comment was intended to be much more tongue-in-cheek), but from the moment Weber's signed offer sheet was approved by Central Registry, he was on the Flyers Reserve List and counted against their cap until Nashville's intent-to-match was approved by Central Registry; however, during that period in betwee, Nashville retained the right to match and could not trade it or Weber's rights to another team.

Split hairs over whether Weber was in fact Philadelphia's property or not as you see fit from there. I'll just stick with my original tongue-in-cheek comment.

No. He was never Philadelphia's property unless Nashville did not match.

But please, let's split hairs more.
- Flyskippy

Were you thinking 57/43 split or 50/50?

You were also pretty sure we were getting Shea Weber right?
- eayost

I was sure that getting Weber was the right move. I also thought the Flyers were the one team that could have put a package together that would have made it happen. I was disappointed for both sides when it did not happen.

we can all stop worrying about the lockout now. Ek has put all his cards on the table with his new blog. Players and owners can now see where the other side is coming from and a resolution will be made! Yeah!
- Dkos

I really don't feel like getting into an extensive argument over this (especially since my comment was intended to be much more tongue-in-cheek), but from the moment Weber's signed offer sheet was approved by Central Registry, he was on the Flyers Reserve List and counted against their cap until Nashville's intent-to-match was approved by Central Registry; however, during that period in betwee, Nashville retained the right to match and could not trade it or Weber's rights to another team.

Split hairs over whether Weber was in fact Philadelphia's property or not as you see fit from there. I'll just stick with my original tongue-in-cheek comment.
- Irish Blues

Irish Blues dont you have another place to Troll??

Word on the street is Holmstrom blew his knee out today.

Word on the street is Holmstrom blew his knee out today.
- PLindbergh31

Per Holmgren, he's to have surgery. ASF says it's scheduled for 12/20.

Irish Blues dont you have another place to Troll??
- Flyers_1488

You should probably go re-learn the definition of trolling. That said, knowing you're getting riled up reading whatever I say makes sticking around any thread you're reading more than worth it.

I don't think there is any doubt that the impasse will end at some point. But I seriously doubt that it's today.
- MJL

They are going to soon run out of time to even fit in 48 games.

They are going to soon run out of time to even fit in 48 games.
- ob18

They have a couple of weeks. I think the destiny of this thing the entire time was for it to be agreed to in the final hour, at the last minute of that final hour.