Hainsey hopeful of restarting CBA talks

Winnipeg Jets defenceman Ron Hainsey is getting antsy. Not only is he anxious to get back to the bargaining table with the NHL, he really wants to be on the ice with his teammates.

Just not at all costs and not without the right deal.

As part of the negotiating committee for the players’ association, Hainsey has kept busy during the lockout by taking part in the ongoing talks with the NHL.

But ongoing is now a relative term, because nothing has been going on between the sides since talks broke down last week, despite the presence of a federal mediator for two days in New Jersey.

“We’ve said it a number of times, but it’s worth repeating: It’s obviously very difficult to make a deal if you’re not meeting or negotiating,” Hainsey said Tuesday. “I’ve yet to see a way we can do it without sitting down across a table from each other.”

Two weeks ago, progress was made during several consecutive days of negotiations between players and owners in New York. The sides disagree on how close they might have moved toward a deal, but a major breakdown at the end wrecked any hope for a fast solution.

“Nothing scheduled at this point,” Hainsey said. “We’ve always said we’re open to sit down and meet any time and now we’re kind of in a situation where no one wants to make the first move. Maybe there is a way of doing it.

“Communication the past couple of days has been quiet. Maybe there is some way to get it started with something similar to what we had (in New York).”

The lockout reached its 94th day Tuesday and all games have been cancelled through Dec. 30.

The NHL has said the league doesn’t want a season with fewer than 48 games per team, so play would likely have to get underway by midJanuary for that to be possible.