Mediators pull out of NHL negotiations

NEW YORK, NY (AP) - If the NHL and the players' association are going to make a deal to save the hockey season, they are likely going to have to do it by themselves.

A pair of federal mediators tried to help for two days, but even they couldn't bring the fighting sides closer to a compromise.

"After spending several hours with both sides over two days, the presiding mediators concluded that the parties remained far apart, and that no progress toward a resolution could be made through further mediation at this point in time," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement Thursday. "We are disappointed that the mediation process was not successful."

So far, nothing has been.

Two members from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service joined the discussions on Wednesday and Thursday and failed to make a breakthrough. Now the owners and players are back on their own to somehow find a compromise.

"The mediators informed the parties that they did not think it was productive to continue the discussions further today," players' association executive director Donald Fehr said in a statement Thursday. "The mediators indicated that they would stay in contact with the league and the NHLPA, and would call the parties back together when they thought the time was right."

The bottom line is that, 75 days into the owners' lockout of players, there is no end in sight. The lockout has already forced the cancellation of games through Dec. 14, the New Year's Day Winter Classic, and the All-Star weekend in January.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman offered the union a meeting that would consist of only owners and players — without the presence of leaders on both sides of the dispute — Daly told The Associated Press in an email. He added that the union was considering the proposal and would get back to the league.

"We will be discussing all matters regarding the last two days of mediation as well as potential next steps with the executive board and negotiating committee," NHLPA spokesman Jonathan Weatherdon said.

After agreeing to help from mediators Monday, the league and the union returned to the bargaining table Wednesday for their first face-to-face talks in a week. Those discussions lasted for about six hours.

They met again Thursday morning until late afternoon before breaking off.

The next sure thing on the hockey calendar is the NHL board of governors, scheduled next Wednesday in New York. Meanwhile, the players could seek to decertify the union and challenge the lockout in court.

Either way, the sides are getting close to losing another season to labor strife. The NHL is already the only major North American sports league to cancel a season because of such a dispute — when the 2004-05 schedule was wiped out.

Mediation didn't work back then, either, though the collective bargaining agreement that recently expired was ultimately hammered out. Mediators were summoned in February, shortly before the season was canceled.