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League claims 'healthy dialogue' and 'progress' as talks wrap up for the weekFriday, August 31, 2007 The NHL's Bill Daly said four days of talks between the league and the NHLPA contained "healthy dialogue" and resulted in progress, and that the two sides will be back at it again early next week. "There was healthy dialogue, and progress continued to be made on many operational issues relating to a new collective bargaining agreement. We will resume meeting early next week," Daly said in a statement after Friday's session wrapped up. The two sides met for about 26 hours over four days as they continue to try to reach an agreement on a new CBA for the National Hockey League. "We spent the last four days in small group meetings continuing to review and negotiate various systemic and economic issues. The two sides will resume small group discussions on Monday in Toronto," NHLPA senior director Ted Saskin said in his statement released after Friday's meeting. Meanwhile, the Toronto Sun quoted an unidentified team GM as saying that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has denied there will be a salary cap system based on team-by-team revenues, as was reported by the Toronto Globe and Mail earlier this week. "I asked him quite clearly is (the cap), in fact, true?" the general manager is quoted as saying by the Sun. "He said: `No.' I asked `Is there any kind of team-by-team cap?' Again, he said `No." Former Vancouver Canucks GM Brian Burke said a cap based on team-by-team revenues has been discussed, but he is not sure how it would work. "That's what they've been talking about. It's one possibility," Burke told CKNW radio in Vancouver. "I'm not sure how that would work. I've had that explained to me in detail, but I have not been able to figure out a way to make that work. Burke said he believes it is just one of the cap scenarios the two sides have or are discussing. "They are talking about possible ranges. They are talking about a midpoint where the tax would kick in. They are talking about lots of things. I've also heard they are talking about a hard, hard cap at $38 million and the minimum would be $24 million, and the tax would kick in at the midpoint." Burke said even if the two sides have reached some kind of agreement on the framework of a cap system, there is still a long way to go because there are still many issues to negotiate. Many of them key issues such as salary arbitration, free agency, qualifying offers and the entry-level system. But, Burke added, the two sides do appear to be heading in the right direction. "They are moving down the track. That's good news," said Burke. "After a year of no hockey, that's great news."
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