from Elliotte Friedman of CBC,

The NHL badly wants an 82-game season starting on November 2. That would mean agreeing on the hockey-related revenue split, a formula for paying players what they are owed on their current contracts, and all the contract/salary arbitration/free agency issues. Both sides ratify the deal (unless they somehow decide to play while working on it), everyone overseas returns for a quick training camp, and teams make whatever moves they've been waiting on.

Do you see all that getting done in 11 days? Me neither. The only way it happens is if Bettman and Donald Fehr prove they've been wasting everyone's time by "suddenly" pulling proposals from their briefcases the other side might agree on.

So, how much time do they really have to play 82 games?

With the help of our baby's Fisher-Price counting toy, it looks like there is a tiny bit of wiggle room.

read on plus 30 thoughts...