On Friday we wrote with some hope that talks between the NHL and the NHL Players Association on a new contract would keep moving. Wrong. As the September 15 lock-out deadline approaches, the NHLPA came to the table Friday and from most accounts did not deliver a significant counter-proposal of any measure to the NHL's last proposal. The Players Association apparently didn't move off its percentage division of the revenue split that it had presented in its previous offer. The parties recessed after 90 minutes with both sides blaming the other for the recess.

ESPN reports it in this way:

Donald Fehr, NHLPA Executive Director: “The response that was made to us was that if the players are not prepared to make an automatic reset on their aggregate salary levels -- that is to say, as we understand it, a meaningful, absolute reduction in dollar terms for next year as compared to last year -- that they see no point in discussing or responding to the proposals we put forward at the meeting today.”

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman accused the union of "stonewalling" and said he was disappointed by Friday's events. He also questioned whether the NHLPA was concerned with the narrowing window of time with which the sides can work. "There seems to be no rush by the union to make a deal," Bettman said.