Daly: CBA negotiations could resume this week

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said Monday the League's owners are committed to starting the 2012-13 regular season on time and he is hopeful negotiations for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement will resume this week.

The National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players' Association last held a formal negotiating session Sept. 12 in New York.

Preseason games through Sept. 30 have been cancelled. Opening night of the 2012-13 NHL season is scheduled for Oct. 11.

"We're 100 percent focused on not missing any regular-season games and hopefully we can achieve that objective," Daly said from Toronto after meeting with Union representation to finalize the players' share of hockey-related revenue for the 2011-12 season. "Obviously, we've got to talk before you can get a deal, so I think it's important to get the talks going again. But you also have to have something to say. I think it's fair to say we feel like we need to hear from the Players' Association in a meaningful way because I don't think that they've really moved off their initial proposal, which was made more than a month ago now."

Daly said there are no CBA negotiations scheduled, but the sides have kept in close contact. He said the topic of resuming CBA negotiations was not discussed during the meeting Monday, which was also attended by NHLPA Special Counsel Steve Fehr.

However, Daly did suggest the topic could come up Monday night at the NHL Alumni Awards Gala Dinner. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Daly, NHLPA Executive Director Donald Fehr and Steve Fehr are expected to attend the event in Toronto.

Daly also confirmed the players will be getting back approximately 99 percent of their salary money that was withheld in escrow for the 2011-12 season.

Follow Dan Rosen on Twitter at: @drosennhl