The NHLPA has presented their response to the NHL's proposal given in mid-July. The CBA situation was detailed earlier here at SB Nation Minnesota, and with the PA's response, it seemed the negotiation process was set to begin and a deal was inevitable.
That is until every hockey fans favorite villain, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman exchanged barbs in the media with PA Director Donald Fehr. The exchange played out on Twitter accounts for media covering the respective press conferences, as was written over at Hockey Wilderness. Keep in mind, these quotes come from completely separate press conferences with neither having heard the quotes from the other.
The key quotes to keep at the top of your mind going forward are:
From Fehr:
Don Fehr's closing point to the media was players gave up a lot last time and aren't prepared to do so again.From Bettman:
'the sides are far apart and have different views of the world'Bettman also went on to draw parallels to the labor strife in the NFL and NBA. Interesting to note that both organizations lost or nearly lost playing time because of the labor conflict. This should not be a welcome sound to those hoping to see something done quickly in the NHL. The owners want huge concessions from the players, and the players sound like they are willing to go to the mat to prevent that from happening. We have gone from a labor negotiation to a game of chicken, with the fans caught in the middle once again. For what it's worth, the PA has a strong lead in the PR department, which likely leaves them with a handful of defective magic beans at the negotiating table. For more on the progress of the talks, continue to visit SB Nation Minnesota, Hockey Wilderness, or stop by SB Nation's dedicated NHL hub.