The threat of another bitter labor dispute was left hanging over the start of the Stanley Cup finals when NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced on Wednesday that negotiations on a new deal with the players should begin in the next few weeks.

In his 'State of the League' address ahead of Game 1 of the finals between the New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings, Bettman downplayed the possibility of another lost season like the 2004-2005 campaign.

But with National Hockey League players association (NHLPA) chief Donald Fehr looking on, the atmosphere inside the Prudential Center was cool and businesslike with neither side willing to reveal its hand.

"My guess is that within the next few weeks we will begin, in small groups or larger groups, to set the table about what we each might want to talk about," Bettman said.

"We look forward, finally, to beginning meetings with the players association.

"The goal obviously is to reach a collective bargaining agreement that can take the game and the business to even higher levels than have been reached over the past seven seasons.

"It remains my hope that constructive negotiations can begin soon and culminate quickly."

Bettman painted a rosy picture of the NHL as a business and boasted the league had played to 96 percent of capacity during the regular season, pulling in close to 21.5 million fans and generating a record $3.3 billion in revenue.

With players currently receiving 57 percent of that revenue, owners are expected to seek a bigger slice in the next deal to move closer to a 50-50 split.

The current collective bargaining agreement is set to expire on Sept 15.

Reuters

(China Daily 06/01/2012 page23)