NHL Players, Owners Fail to Meet or Schedule Talks

Chances of the NHL labor dispute being resolved this week were virtually erased Monday, when the NHL Players Assn. called meetings among its members and did not schedule negotiations with the league.

That ensures that the lockout will continue into next week and seriously jeopardizes the chances of completing a 50-game schedule and full complement of best-of-seven playoff series by July 1, the cutoff date established last week by the NHL’s Board of Governors.

Commissioner Gary Bettman said last week that a settlement would have to be reached by about Dec. 22 to carry out the governors’ mandate. Since then, however, negotiations have been limited to three sessions involving two representatives from each side. No full-scale talks have been conducted and none are scheduled.

A league source said Bettman, although concerned that time is growing short, would not use his power to cancel the season if there is no agreement by the end of the week. Another source said the governors have set Jan. 11 as the latest possible date for starting the season. That would make a settlement next week imperative to fit in a 10-day training camp before the opener.

Player representatives will meet today in Toronto, and a general membership meeting will be held Wednesday. It is believed Bob Goodenow, NHLPA executive director, will try to marshal opposition to New Jersey forward Stephane Richer, who said last week players would vote to start the season immediately, even if the league insisted on imposing a payroll tax.

Goodenow opposes the tax, which remains the primary difference in the dispute. In the last discussions, the league introduced a plan that included a 2% tax on every payroll dollar of clubs whose payrolls exceed $23 million.

In another development, Rich Winter, a player agent in Edmonton, said he has invited operators of 38 major arenas to a meeting Jan. 9 to discuss the formation of a new hockey league.