Union Works Up Counteroffer : Hockey: No talks set today, but salary restrictions still trouble players.

Bob Goodenow, executive director of the NHL Players Assn., packed his calculator and returned to Toronto, where he was preparing a counterproposal to the two plans he had rejected Wednesday.

No negotiations were held Thursday, Day 6 of the delay ordered by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, and no talks were scheduled for today. Negotiators instead added up numbers to promote the merits of their plans.

It is believed the NHLPA’s new proposal would impose levies of 6% on the gate receipts of the top 16 revenue-earning clubs and 6% on every payroll dollar paid by clubs. That’s an increase of half a percent in each rate from its previous proposal, which it said would generate $40 million. NHL officials have said the proceeds would not be near that amount.

The last plan presented by the NHL included a 3% levy on the gate receipts of the top 16 revenue-earning clubs, the first time it had offered to put a levy on gate receipts. In addition, a levy of half a percent would be imposed per million dollars of payroll, up to $14 million. After that, the levy would be 5% per $325,000.

Theoretically the levy could reach 125%, but Jeff Pash, the NHL’s vice president and general counsel, said no payroll last season was high enough to trigger that penalty. He said the plan would generate $20 million-$25 million.

According to Pash, the Kings--whose payroll last season was $16.208 million according to the Hockey News--would have been assessed $2 million under this plan. Under the union’s last proposal, they would have paid $2.237 million.

Concerns about possible restrictions on salaries still troubled players after seeing the last two NHL proposals.

“They’ve reshuffled it a bit, but I still see it as a salary cap,” said Kelly Miller of the Washington Capitals.

Pash said a union proposal of two 6% levies wouldn’t be approved.

“I would not think it was designed to move things forward,” he said. “We’ve worked very hard to try and address their objections. They said it was critical that there be sharing of revenue and gate receipts, and we have. That’s revolutionary for this league. It’s never been done before.”

Asked if the NHL still has room for compromise, he said, “Yes, there’s flexibility. Yes, we’re willing to negotiate.”

King General Manager Sam McMaster said, “The players’ association has in mind they just want to continue the status quo and they don’t want to do anything about the issues surrounding the league. I want to play hockey, but I want owners to be able to pay the bills.”