Players watch as the National Hockey League Players Association executive director Donald Fehr speaks at a news conference regarding in New York. For the second time in less than a decade the NHL is closing its doors after failing to reach an agreement during negotiations with the Players Association.
NEW YORK (AP) — With the clock ticking down to the start of the season, the NHL and its locked-out players are talking again.
They even agreed on some minor issues Friday before breaking for lunch. The sides are to return to bargaining at league headquarters in the late afternoon.
[PHOTOS NHL Player Lockout: Hockey Season in Danger.]
These are the first talks since the lockout was put in place and they come a day after the league canceled the remaining preseason games. The regular season is to start Oct. 11.
The players said Friday's agreements concerned player safety and drug testing, although no details were given. The core issue separating the sides is the division of more than $3 billion in annual revenue.
The negotiations are expected to last through the weekend.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Reader Comments (