Why the NHL and NHLPA can't reach an agreement

It's getting damn frustrating watching the owners and players play out the blame game instead of hammering out a new collective agreement and getting back to operating a sports league.  Throughout the lockout I have remained an optimists because the monetary gap between the parties has always been small.  That is precisely why this has been so frustrating.  My optimism is now gone and I too fear the season could be lost.

My take on this mess is quite simple.  Both parties are waiting for the other side to cave.  There has been no real negotiations in 4 months.  The owners led by Gary Bettman give ultimatums and threats to the players - this approach has been a total failure.  They beat up the union 8 years ago and seem confident that they can win again.

The players are just as determined not to lose this round which is why Donald Fehr has been arm-twisted into accepted the NHLPA Executive Director's position.  As well the players are reluctant to make concession because 8 years ago each time the NHLPA would make a concession there was never anything coming back from the owners.  Instead the NHL would ask for further concessions.

The parties totally distrust each other. The NHL has suggested that if not for Fehr there would have already been an agreement by now.  I guess that means someone else who have folded by now.  Fehr is an enigma and has totally frustrated the owners with is poker face.  Meanwhile the players blame Bettman for the lack of an agreement.

With so little progress being made and with the amount of animosity that is creeping in, the only way this will ever be settled is to introduce a third party into the process, such as a mediator to assist the two sides in reaching an agreement.

The media is throwing around the concept of decertifying the NHLPA as a bargaining unit. The purpose of decertifying would be to eliminate Bettman's negotiating partner. Without a functioning NHLPA, it’s the players’ hope that the lockout would be deemed illegal and instantly lifted. Some are suggesting that eliminating the union would also make the salary cap, linkage, escrow, salary arbitration, rookie cap, etc. disappear the collective agreement could no longer be enforced.

So what will come first, cancelling the season or decertifying the union?  Should be interesting.