from Chris Johnston of the CP at MetroNews,

Essentially, the NHL is back where it started when the current CBA was signed in July 2005. That six-year deal — extended through a seventh because of an option held by the NHL Players’ Association — ended a lockout that saw the league become the first in North America to ever have an entire season wiped out by a work stoppage.

The union is planning its largest gathering since that deal was ratified with more than 200 players expected to attend meetings Wednesday and Thursday. A number of stars, Sidney Crosby among them, are expected to take part in the show of strength.

“We want to brief the broadest possible group of players and it’s always better to do it in person,” said Donald Fehr, the NHLPA’s executive director. “Whenever you’re facing the possibility of a lockout what you need to do is make it as easy as possible for the maximum number of your constituents to hear it directly.

“We’re going to have a very large number of players it looks like and you know how fast information travels through locker-rooms, so it won’t be a problem getting it out to everyone else.”

His phone has already been ringing off the hook. With very little progress to report during negotiations, a number of players have started looking around at other options.

Once a lockout is enacted, they’ll be free to sign with other pro teams — and the union is actively advising them on their rights.

“We have to,” said Fehr. “We basically have to say ‘You have your contracts, you have the circumstances, this is what we think is likely to happen in negotiations. … If you’re going to consider playing elsewhere, here’s the things we think you need to think about."

more