from Katie Strang of ESPN New York,

The league's last full proposal Oct. 18 included several elements the NHLPA didn't like: long-term contract limits of five years; strict variance rules to avoid back-diving contracts; 28 years of age or eight professional years before free agency; two-year entry-level deals; and salary arbitration after five years of service.

And while several reports suggested the league was willing to bend on some of those -- although never the strict variance rules, believed to be of paramount importance to the owners -- that was not the message communicated across the table Sunday.

"The owners made it clear that there is no give with respect to any of their proposals," Fehr said. "That unless players are prepared to take -- and this is my phrase, not theirs -- down to the comma, that there's nothing to do.

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from Renoud Lavoie of RDS (tranlsated),

Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly sent me the list of items on the contractual aspects where the league is close requests from players.

We talk about the minimum wage will increase at the same pace as during the last collective agreement.Players will increase the bonus series. Rules on the ballot will be modified. It is likely that there will be a period of "interview" for the unrestricted free meet teams before the date on which the players have their complete autonomy. This is the case in basketball and it is therefore expected that this is no longer the July 1st free agent market will open, but later in the month. The NHLPA has also made inquiries about the money they have put in trust or escrow.

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