"Signs Of Progress" Made In Talks Of NHL's Olympic Involvement

Negotiations between NHL, NHLPA, IOC and IIHF officials regarding the league sending its players to the '14 Sochi Games concluded on Friday with "signs of progress toward a resolution." NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and IIHF President Rene Fasel "met for about 2½ hours after a 90-minute get-together" Thursday night. NHLPA Exec Dir Don Fehr also "joined the discussion by phone from Toronto." No new talks were "scheduled, but the sides are expected to meet again" as a decision "will have to be made soon" (AP, 2/15). NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly called the talks "productive," writing, "We hope to be able to pursue those discussions on a more detailed level over the next several weeks to see if we can all get to a comfortable place" (WASHINGTON POST, 2/17).