The game is good, the fans have embraced it, business is good. That's because of what we were able to do with the collective-bargaining agreement.

You've got teams now that have to be broken up because of the financial reality of the situation. So the system they want to maintain does not foster team-building unless you're in a situation where you can afford to team-build.

The Hockey Hall of Fame is the essential destination for the total hockey experience, and the new NHL Zone will add to that experience. The NHL is proud to support the Hall's further development.

The union seemed amenable to giving the matter serious consideration, but indicated that there still existed fairly significant resistance from their membership. They wanted the opportunity to use this season to further vet the issue with their players before they would agree to take the step of implementing a mandatory visor rule.

The union's proposal was intended merely to preserve a status quo that promises escalating ticket prices, competitive imbalance, bankrupt franchises, hundreds of millions in team losses and 20 teams losing money - all of which imperil the future of our game,

I can come up with a seventh, I just need a starting point.

But I don't believe the doomsayers who say it's depriving the league of talent. You're not losing NHL players. But to the extent that there are players who choose not to develop here, that's something we'll evaluate long-term over the course of the contract.

In addition to the rule changes, we went out of our way with the players association to make the attitude and environment around the NHL different than in the past.

In terms of the effect of, for lack of a better term, capping minor-league salaries at $75,000, that was clearly not the intent of the provision but I suppose I'm not surprised by the impact of the provision,

I remain optimistic for two reasons. One is it's not as if we haven't done anything to date. We have done a lot of the work that needs to be done in these types of negotiations. I also believe there is an understanding on the other side with respect to the issues that are facing the game. The only thing we need to get our arms around and come to an agreement on, and I'm not going to suggest it's insignificant, is what's the proper way to resolve these issues.