Pittsburgh Penguins' captain Sidney Crosby discussed the ongoing collective bargaining negotiations between the NHL and NHLPA after an informal practice on Monday, and expressed that he is frustrated by the process.
With the two sides meeting for four consecutive days last week, in addition to an abbreviated meeting on Sunday, the reports emerging from the talks have been largely negative in nature. With each still at odds over core issues, several outlets have reported that the two sides are having a difficult time finding traction in talks.
Crosby stated that he believes the owners are not as willing as the players are to make concessions. He noted that contract issues have become a new sticking point, with the owners attempting to reform the process. According to several reports, the owners are looking to limit contracts to five years, cut entry-level contracts to two-years and push back a players' eligibility for unrestricted free agency.
To Crosby, this is a one-sided point of view by the NHL. Regardless, he just wants a deal to get done, via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
"It's just frustrating. You kind of hear the same things coming out of the meetings all the time. Just waiting to hear something new from their side. It's almost to the point where you don't want to ask because you know you're going to get the the same answer you got a week before. There's no reason we can't figure something out. I really want to be optimistic. It's not easy right now. It's just a roller coaster ... I don't know what's going to happen."