In hindsight, the NHL wasted more than a month of everybody’s time in labor negotiations. On July 13, the NHL submitted its first proposal to the NHLPA — one, it’s now clear, that was a downright insult. The proposal included components such as reducing the player share of hockey-related revenue to 43 percent; requiring 10 years of service before players are eligible for unrestricted free agency; and five-year limits on contracts. The NHLPA needed more than a month to study the proposal and counter it. On Tuesday, the NHL filed its second proposal, which should have been its initial offer. “The owners’ initial proposal was way out of whack,” (player agent Paul) Krepelka said. “It didn’t serve any purpose whatsoever. It was ridiculous and detrimental to the process. It set a bad tone to the negotiations.”

-Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe where you can read more hockey notes.