Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, October 6, 1994 TAG: 9410060040
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: NEW YORK LENGTH: Medium
The league and the union spent six hours bargaining Wednesday, the second day of contract negotiations since commissioner Gary Bettman postponed the start of the season for at least two weeks.
After turning down two offers from the owners, the players said they would come back with a counter-proposal ``in a day or two.''
``We're going to put together a proposal that will be responsive to the owners' needs,'' said Kelly Miller, player representative of the Washington Capitals. ``Hopefully, they'll take it seriously.''
Bob Goodenow, head of the players' union, said he would stay in New York to draft the new proposal. Bettman said he expected the parties to return to negotiations ``in the next day or two.''
The season was to have started Saturday, and through Wednesday, 26 games had been postponed. Bettman had said he hoped to begin the season Oct.15, provided there was sufficient progress toward a labor agreement. But none of the owners held out any hope for reaching a new collective bargaining agreement before that deadline.
``I don't think we're going to be able to reach an agreement,'' said John McMullen, owner of the New Jersey Devils. ``It's over.''
``The lines are hardening,'' said Howard Baldwin, owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins. ``I'm very disappointed, very frustrated. I'm not optimistic at all.''
Harry Sinden, president and general manager of the Boston Bruins, said he expected exactly what he got from Goodenow - ``hopelessness.''
``We will never capitulate because of the tactics he is using on the league,'' Sinden said. ``All my fears are realized. I had hoped we would be able to work out a deal. He has no intention of doing anything to help us.''
Goodenow, speaking at a news conference following the bargaining session, said the two sides still had fundamental differences.
``After studying and reviewing the owners' proposal, we rejected it,'' he said. ``Further in the day's events, they came back with a different proposal on the same thing. We rejected that also and said we will be getting back to you with a proposal of our own.''
Goodenow said the negotiations were basically stuck on one major issue - ``revenue re-allocation,'' a system to divide income to help the league's small-market teams.''
by CNB