Sunday, January 13, 2013

NHL lockout: Players' union approves labor deal; schedule awaits, camps will open

Game on! National Hockey League players on Saturday approved the collective bargaining agreement their union reached with commissioner Gary Bettman and team owners.

One step remains before the deal is done, the NHLPA said in a release. The CBA is ratified, and now sides must complete a Memorandum of Understanding consistent with what the players approved.

Approval by players was expected earlier Saturday at the conclusion of 36 hours of voting. The NHLPA and league reached compromised on Jan. 6, clearing the wait for a union vote, the opening of training camp and the start of an abbreviated schedule in which all teams will play 48 games before the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The voting results were 667 in favor, with 12 votes against ratifying the agreement, according to ESPN's Pierre LeBrun. Of the 763 players, 679 voted (89 percent), according to LeBrun.

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Hockey's imminent return has fans focused on the next major piece of information ? the schedule, which is to be released Saturday or Sunday. Bettman earlier this week promised the prompt announcement after the CBA was approved.

On Sunday, the league is expected to announce the opening of training camp. Players have been gathering since before word of a CBA deal and working out informally. Now, teams can open facilities to their players and training can begin under the guidance of coaches.

A union statement made it clear that a written memorandum of understanding consistent with what the players voted on must be completed before the CBA becomes final.

"While the players' vote ratifies the new CBA with the NHL owners, a written memorandum of understanding consistent with what the players voted on, must be completed before the agreement becomes final," a union statement said Saturday.

The NHLPA and the NHL continue their work to finalize the memorandum.

When completed, it will clear the way for training camps to open Sunday and a 48-game regular season to begin next Saturday.

The 36-hour electronic voting process for the 700-plus players ended this morning.

A tentative agreement was reached last Sunday on the 113th day of the lockout.

The two sides finally got a deal completed after a 16-hour negotiating session in New York and assistance from federal mediator Scot L. Beckenbaugh.

NHL team owners ratified the deal Wednesday. The new deal is for 10 years, but either side can opt out after eight. The previous collective bargaining agreement was in effect for seven seasons.

The lockout began in mid-September and forced the cancellation of 510 games, including the Winter Classic and all-star game.

Many NHL players have taken part in informal skates at practice rinks over the last week to prepare for the shortened camp and season.

? Contributing: Canadian Press

Source: http://aol.sportingnews.com/nhl/story/2013-01-12/nhl-lockout-players-union-approves-labor-deal-schedule-awaits-camps-will-open

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