Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby abruptly left a players' workout in South Pointe on Tuesday to attend the negotiation meeting between the NHL and NHL Players Association.
Crosby left the practice after an hour with club union rep Craig Adams and explained the move as a last-minute decision as he originally stated on Monday that he would not attend the meeting. He had originally planned to host several Penguins players and their significant others in a luxury box at Consol Energy Center for the Madonna concert on Tuesday night.
On Monday afternoon, the NHLPA held a conference call that persuaded Crosby and Adams to alter their plans.
As of this time, nothing has been made public in regards to what the meeting is about as the two sides are looking to avoid any kind of media distractions in the hopes of gaining traction in talks. It is assumed that talks will concentrate on core issues such as the guaranteeing of current contracts.
The two sides will be meeting at 3 p.m. ET, and commissioner Gary Bettman is not expected to address the media unless a significant development occurs.