NEW YORK -- The National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players' Association continued meeting with a federal mediator Friday after beginning that process throughout the day Thursday with a series of meetings.
The League and the Union never held a large-group negotiating session geared toward establishing a new Collective Bargaining Agreement on Thursday. There has been no decision on whether a large-group negotiating session will happen Friday.
However, in addition to meeting separately with Deputy Director Scot L. Beckenbaugh of the Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service on Thursday, representatives from the NHL and NHLPA did meet face-to-face Thursday for small-group discussions on the pension and hockey-related revenue issues.
The first small-group session was held in the early afternoon and the second was held in the evening. NHLPA Executive Director Donald Fehr did not attend either session.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has previously said that a 2013 regular season at least 48 games in length would have to begin Jan. 19. The NHL has already cancelled games from the original 2012-13 season through Jan. 14.