NHL Board Pushes Back Meeting

The NHL lockout will last a day longer than expected.

The league’s Board of Governors will meet in New York on Friday, a day later than had been tentatively planned, to vote on the proposed collective bargaining agreement with the players’ association. The decision, announced by the league on Monday, was influenced by logistical concerns and the magnitude of the issues facing the governors.

In addition to ratifying the agreement in principle that the two sides reached last week, the league must conduct a lottery to determine the selection order for this year’s entry draft. The governors will also vote on rule changes formulated by the nine-man competition committee, which is scheduled to meet today in Toronto.

Delaying the governors’ meeting means that if players ratify the deal at a meeting on Thursday in Toronto, as expected, union representatives will have time to join Commissioner Gary Bettman at a news conference on Friday to relaunch the NHL after it lost the 2004-05 season to labor issues. Bettman is also expected to announce the rule changes and other public relations initiatives.

General managers and other club personnel got their first look at a summarized version of the new labor deal last weekend in New York. Players will get their first look on Wednesday, as will agents.

-- Helene Elliott