Latest News

Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

Ladd welcomes addition of mediators to bargaining

By: Ed Tait

Posted: 11/28/2012 12:05 PM | Comments: 0

Andrew Ladd (JOE BRYKSA/ WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ARCHIVES) Photo Store

Andrew Ladd doesn’t have his fingers and toes crossed a pair of mediators will be able to bridge the gap between the National Hockey League and the NHL Players’ Association.

But, like a lot of fans of the game, the Winnipeg Jets’ captain believes getting some new eyes and ears involved in the process falls under the ‘might not help, but sure as heck can’t hurt’ category.

"We all hope it can help out," said Ladd today after an off-ice workout at MTS Iceplex. "But at the end of the day it’s one of those things where it’s still not going to work unless you have two parties that are willing to negotiate and try and get a deal done, which we haven’t had so far.

"You hope it can lead to something, but we’ll have to wait and see."

With the lockout now into its 74th day, the two sides are to meet with mediators this afternoon. It will be the first get together since last Wednesday, when the NHLPA’s newest proposal was given the thumbs down by the league.

Last Friday the league cancelled games up until Dec. 14th as well as the NHL All-Star weekend in Columbus on Jan. 26-27.

"(Mediation) is something we’ve been open to right from the get-go," said Ladd. "Hopefully it leads to something and I guess it’s good both parties have decided to take another step to try and get it done."

Asked if his frustration level is mounting, Ladd added:

"I’m still in the same spot – it’s been frustrating for awhile. It’s all part of negotiations. Obviously they (the NHL) have some sort of idea as to how they want to negotiate and don’t seem too eager to get something done right away.

"As players there’s not much you can do about that and you learn that pretty quickly. It’s the process and it’s something that takes time."

Ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPEdTait

Fact Check

Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.

* Required

In which story did you find the error? *
Please post the headline of the story or the title of the video with the error.
What was the error? *
Please post exactly what was wrong with the story.
What should we have written?
Please indicate your source for the correct information.
Who else should we interview to improve this story?
Please include any contact information you may have.
Can we contact you in the future for advice on stories about this topic?
Yes

No
First Name: *
Last Name: *
E–mail Address: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Phone: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Colour:
Are you blue? If you can see this, leave it blank and get some CSS support.
Enter the words that you see: * This is to prevent our forms from being filled out automatically.
You have failed to correctly identify the words in the box above. Please try again.

More Latest News

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.