«Contraction is a plan to buy back franchises and essentially put them out of business. We have no interest in contraction as a strategic matter or a bargaining strategy, ... We believe 30 franchises can be healthy given the economic right system. The bottom line is if we don't get the right system, we are at risk of losing franchises.»

«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.»

«We are very frustrated and concerned over where we are in this process. The union is engaged in a charade. It is clear to us that union leadership has no interest in negotiating or making a deal to save the start of the season. Union leadership is stalling, doing everything in its power to ensure this collective bargaining negotiation is not resolved in a timely manner.»

«Now that we are into late August, union leadership recognizes that it no longer can get away with avoiding a more aggressive meeting schedule, ... So it has found a different way to stall, talking about individual team situations that have already been discussed in detail over the course of the last five years and matters, quite frankly, that should have been discussed months ago if the union truly was interested in them.»

«Any of these new systems would continue to pay star players multi-million dollar salaries, would see the maintenance of an average player salary of $1.3 million and would pay the players more than 50 percent of league revenues,»

«The fact that only one of the six proposals actually contemplated a salary cap exposes the union for its true motivation - to do everything necessary to precipitate a fight in an attempt to preserve the status quo.»

«We resumed negotiations with the union [Tuesday] in an effort to achieve a new collective bargaining agreement. Out of respect for the process, I will refrain from commenting on the substance of the meeting until the conclusion of [Wednesday's] session.»

« Forbes is once again pulling numbers out of thin air. I would suggest that they would have been far better advised to read the [NHL-sponsored] Levitt Report, as its author had complete and unfettered access to all 30 of our clubs' financial information.»

«[The NHL maintains its willingness to discuss anything the Players' Association brings to the table, but a luxury tax is still not a starting point.] We have said repeatedly that a proposal centered around a luxury tax will not work for us, ... A tax-based system is too unpredictable and the league's problems too severe for us to take chances on the future of the game. At the same time, we believe that a meaningful proposal from the union, as opposed to the regressive proposal they gave us on Sept. 9, would be a positive development in the process, and we remain prepared to discuss and negotiate over anything and everything the union proposes.»

«[NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and league GM will be dining at a renowned Italian restaurant in midtown New York tonight.] This really isn't a 'meeting' as much as an informal get-together dinner, ... There is no agenda. I imagine people will ask questions about where we are in the process, and we will certainly provide answers.»