Representatives for the NHL and NHLPA met informally on Friday night to discuss the league's CBA, which expires on Sept. 15. Minnesota Wild center Zenon Konopka attended the meetings, which he said were for "educational purposes."

"We're getting down to the nitty gritty here, and we're trying to understand the league's proposal to the best of our ability and we're trying to explain ours to them. We're trying to find some common ground and something to build off.

"It's a good sign that we're sitting down in the same room. That can be taken as a positive, I guess. We, as players, are trying to do everything we can to get a deal done."

(via TwinCities.com)

If the two sides don't reach an agreement by Sept. 15, the league will lock the players out for the second time in a decade. No progress was reported to have been made at Friday night's meeting.

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