NHL roundup: NHLPA, NHL offer proposals in labor negotiations
Hoping to stave off another lockout, the National Hockey League Player Association made a counter-proposal in the ongoing collective bargaining talks, NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr said Wednesday.
Fehr told reporters in New York that it was too early to characterize whether the proposal means talks are moving forward.
He described the counter-proposal as "responsive," but maintained that the NHLPA didn't see a need for a reduction in salaries based on revenue growth. He did say that players may be prepared for a smaller share of hockey-related revenues should they keep growing.
Asked whether the sides could strike an agreement before losing any games, Fehr said, "we can only make a deal when people are ready to make a deal."
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said that the league didn't see much difference from previous proposals.
"There wasn't much movement at all [from the new proposal], if any," Bettman told reporters after Fehr spoke. He told reporters that the league informed the NHLPA Wednesday that some elements of their latest counter-proposal will be off the table once the current CBA expires on Saturday night.
---The Washington Capitals have signed forward Troy Brouwer to a three-year, $11 million contract extension, the team announced Wednesday.
Brouwer will earn $3.6 million during the 2013-14 season, $3.65 million in 2014-15 and $3.75 million in 2015-16.
The 27-year-old Brouwer had 18 goals and 15 assists last year, playing in all 82 regular-season games. He added two goals with two assists in the playoffs.
---The Chicago Blackhawks have signed defenseman Michal Rozsival to a one-year, the team announced.
The team is worth about $2-million contract, a source told ESPN.com.
Rozsival, 34, collected 13 points and 34 penalty minutes in 54 regular-season games with the Phoenix Coyotes last season.
---An arbitrator has upheld the June trade in which defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky was obtained by the New York Islanders for a 2013 second-round draft pick, NHL.com reported.
Visnovsky had claimed his no-trade clause in his contract was still valid even though he had waived it in 2010 so he could be traded by the Edmonton Oilers to the Anaheim Ducks.
Visnovsky, 36, had six goals and 21 assists in 68 games for the Ducks last season.
---Goaltender Ben Scrivens signed a two-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday, and The Toronto Globe and Mail reports the deal calls for Scrivens to make $600,000 in the first year and $625,000 in the second.
Scrivens played 12 games for the Maple Leafs last year and had a 3.13 goals-against average.
---The Pittsburgh Penguins signed their two 2012 first-round picks -- defensemen Derrick Pouliot, who was selected eighth overall, and Olli Maatta.
Pouliot, the 22nd selection.
--- Hockey Hall of Famer Ron Francis has become a part owner of the Carolina Hurricanes. The team announced Francis and four other investor groups have joined Hurricanes Holdings LLC in ownership of the team.
