Hockey labor talks will resume Friday

Gary Bettman and Bob Goodenow are expected at the table.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Negotiators from the NHL and the players' association sat five seats apart at a table Wednesday, but weren't quite ready to start bargaining again.
Those talks would have to wait only a few more days. Labor negotiations will resume on Friday at an undisclosed location, a source with knowledge of the discussions told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
NHL chief legal officer Bill Daly and players' association senior director Ted Saskin took part in a labor-related panel at the World Congress of Sports on Wednesday, but they talked more at each other than to one another.
They will, however, be back at the bargaining table soon, along with their bosses -- commissioner Gary Bettman and union executive director Bob Goodenow.
No agenda yet
Daly and Saskin answered questions separately, and stated and debated their respective positions. What they will talk about on Friday is still very much unknown. The sides haven't met since Feb. 19, three days after Bettman canceled the season.
"I'm not prepared to give you an agenda, but a lot of it will be determined once we get in the room," Daly said. "I think in terms of re-engaging, I think there's a lot of uncertainty as to what the position of the union will be and whether they have an interest in doing a deal."
The NHL invited the players' association back to the table last week and a meeting was set up shortly after.
The league has taken more of an interest in restarting talks sooner rather than later because it would like to have a deal in place to hold the June draft on time and get its relaunch plan under way.
Players wanted to take more of a break before negotiating again. They have less of an incentive to get back to the table now since they are not due to be paid again until next season.
Off the table
No proposals are expected to be exchanged Friday. All previous offers are off the table, including the league's decision to drop its demand for cost certainty and the union's willingness to accept a salary cap in return.
"At this point in time, when we're just coming off the cancellation of the season, it would not be appropriate to just get in and start firing proposals," Saskin said before flying home to Toronto. "Certainly a lot has been learned over the last few years and I think people understand the hot buttons, they understand the issues that might lead to progress and might not."
Bettman also took part in the World Congress of Sports, but in a one-on-one interview format.
He reiterated that the league is committed to starting next season on time and with a collective bargaining agreement with the players' association. But if that doesn't come to pass, he will consider using replacement players as a way to make sure there is hockey in the fall.
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