Fresh hope emerged for Canucks fans Saturday as negotiations between the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association stretched late into the night, but there is still no deal.
The two sides were behind closed doors Saturday in the third day of mediations, discussing major sticking points such as pension.
"I spoke to one player who says things are going well in that room this afternoon,” said TSN analyst Pierre LeBrun. “Other players have said we're cautiously optimistic."
While some are hanging onto that optimism and hoping for a deal within 24 hours, others are being more cautious.
"Until everything is agreed upon, the two sides have agreed on absolutely nothing,” said TSN legal analyst Eric Macramalla.
“There are so many issues here -- pension, cap, CBA length, player contract length. All these issues are tied and until everything has been decided, nothing has been decided," Macramalla said.
If a deal is reached before Friday’s deadline, the first game would take place within two weeks. The minimum-game season set by the league is 48 games, which would see playoffs stretching into late June.
With files from CTV British Columbia’s Penny Daflos
