NHLPA To Begin Voting On Whether To Extend Or Terminate CBA

Kelly To Discuss Termination  Of CBA With NHLers

NHLPA Exec Dir Paul Kelly in October will start his tour of the NHL’s 30 clubs, and the CBA’s termination clause “will be front and center in the meetings,” according to Kevin Paul Dupont of the BOSTON GLOBE. All players will be “asked to fill out a confidential ballot, whether to strike the deal dead or extend it three more seasons.” The “final tally will be forwarded to the NHLPA’s executive board.” Kelly: “They’re not bound by the vote, per se, but if the numbers are significant one way or the other, it certainly would be an important factor in the minds of the board members.” If it decided to terminate the CBA, the NHLPA “must notify the league of that intention by May 18, 2009.” The NHLPA “plans to inform the league whether it will opt out” on or about January 1. However, Dupont writes opting out “would bring, at the very least, equal devastation and bludgeon fan confidence and excitement that rebounded faster than anyone could have reasonably expected” after the '04-05 lockout (BOSTON GLOBE, 8/24).