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With the NHL including an option for teams to buyout contracts to comply with a proposed drop in the salary cap, Craig Custance examines some likely candidates in the Eastern Conference.

Blog | Conversation | December 31, 2012

The NHL and NHLPA exchanged "proposals" to potentially end the lockout Wednesday following the previous day's marathon session, multiple sources confirmed to ESPNNewYork.com.

Negotiations between hockey owners and players are going so well that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman says he's "pleased with the process" -- even if he has been left outside the latest rounds of discussions.

While bargaining talks proceed at snail's pace, Craig Custance offers up six new voices that could offer some fresh perspective and help breakthrough the seemingly endless debate between the league and the NHLPA.

Blog | Conversation | November 20, 2012

While there is new hope in the NHL CBA negotiations, Craig Custance looks at some of the unintended consequences of a potential lost season, including some big free agents in front offices and the future of NHL icons Jarome Iginla, Teemu Selanne and more.

Blog | Conversation | November 05, 2012

The National Hockey League canceled two weeks' worth of regular-season games Thursday as the lockout dragged on into its xth day with no new labor negotiations scheduled.

NHL labor talks are set to resume Tuesday morning, with discussions focusing on hockey-related revenue and not the core economic issues that continue to divide the two sides in a league-imposed lockout entering its third week.

With the collective bargaining negotiations ongoing, a proposed change to the salary cap could end up hamstringing some teams financially, including the Sabres, Rangers and Wild.

Blog | Conversation | August 20, 2012

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman expects negotiations with the players' association on a new collective bargaining agreement to begin in a couple of weeks.

Updates with details.

Ilya Kovalchuk said the league's penalty against the Devils over his contract was unfair.

The New Jersey Devils say they acted in good faith during their contract negotiations with Ilya Kovalchuk.

After re-entering negotiations with Ilya Kovalchuk's camp a day earlier, the Los Angeles Kings have dropped out of the running for a second time, a source told ESPN.com on Thursday.

The NHL made a new offer to the players' association during two days of negotiations in Toronto, but no headway was made toward ending the lockout.

The NHL and the players' association met for just over three hours Thursday in the first round of labor negotiations in two weeks.

With owners and players at a precarious point in negotiations, the NHL's GMs are stuck planning for the unpredictable -- and the use of replacement players.