from Michael Grange of Sportsnet,

One source close to the bargaining process painted the purpose of today's meeting this way:

"If you're going off a cliff with someone, you want to take one last chance to make sure you understand each other."

League sources do expect the union to bring some kind of proposal forward although it's not clear how signficant it will be.

So officially: Do not get your hopes up.

But there is no doubt at this stage -- and there hasn't been since the two sides first met as part of a feeling out process in Los Angeles during the Stanley Cup final in June -- that Don Fehr and Gary Bettman understand each other's point of views vividly.

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