NEW YORK – The National Hockey League (NHL) and players' union ended two days of “productive" labor talks Friday with an agreement to meet next week in an effort to try to avoid a work stoppage. With the current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) set to expire on Sept. 15, the league and NHL Players' Association (NHLPA) met Thursday followed by a four-hour session Friday. “We had two productive days of meetings," NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement. The last time the two sides worked toward a new labor agreement the entire 2004-05 NHL season was lost. — Reuters
