TSN.ca Staff
7/13/2005 9:27:13 AM
The NHL's long awaited new CBA will be completed today, sources close to the talks told TSN Wednesday.
An extended session between the NHL and NHL Players' Association, which started at Noon et on Tuesday, is apparently continuing and should soon produce the agreement that would be the catalyst to ending the 301-day labour dispute, the longest in the history of North American professional sports.
It has become painfully evident that the two sides have had to do more than dot i's and cross t's and satisfy legal requirements in the last few days. Mind you, there has unquestionably been a lot of that to do. But there has also been back and forth negotiations on some final unresolved issues.
Sources say there's nothing left on the table that is likely significant enough to derail the entire process, which is now in its final hours, but more time is required to finish off these items to the satisfaction of the league and the union.
Today is the 10th consecutive day the two sides have been engaged in marathon talks and the appearance seems to be that they are now prepared to meet for as long as it takes to get an agreement.
The wait should be over before the end of the day.
Stay tuned.
All I can say is.....it's about damn time.
