from Elliotte Friedman of CBC,

With several players apparently flying into Toronto for Thursday's NHL/NHLPA talks, here's what shouldn't matter to them:

• Gary Bettman's overseen three lockouts in 18 years
• The league's opening offer was as legitimate as my "offer" to date Kate Upton
• The NHL hired a bare-knuckles public relations fighter to change its public perception
• Bettman is not the most publicly warm or cuddly personality

Here's what should matter to them:

For the first time in this process, Bettman is ready to negotiate.

Over the past few months, players launched a blitzkrieg of negative tweets and quotes about the NHL commissioner. Their feelings are pretty clear. Fine. They don't have to like him. But, barring an Amin-like coup from within the NHL, they have to do a deal with him.

No one's saying the players have to take the league's proposal as is. But, it is in their own best interests to sit at the table and make a serious effort at seeing where the next week or two will take them.

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