NHL suggests two-week break in labor negotiations

• 'At this point, there's not much more we have to offer,' NHL's Bill Daly says
• Union says this will be the third time in three months that the league has shut down the dialogue
• Hopes for a Dec. 1 start to the season have faded

Commissioner Gary Bettman has suggested to NHL Players' Association executive director Donald Fehr that the two sides take a two-week break from negotiations.

Bettman made the suggestion on Wednesday because neither side seems to know where to go next in the stalemated negotiations Thursday was the 61st day of the NHL lockout, and the two sides have not met since a 90-minute session on Sunday.

"At this point, there's not much more we have to offer," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told USA TODAY Sports via email. "We feel like we have given a lot (and the union has offered nothing) and I'm not sure there is much more to give. Maybe a break might give both sides a chance to assess where we are."

Fehr has not officially responded to the break since Bettman suggested it.

But NHLPA special counsel Steve Fehr, in a statement released by the union, said, "Of course everyone on the players' side wants to reach an agreement. The players have offered the owners concessions worth about a billion dollars. What exactly have the owners offered the players? We believe that it is more likely that we will make progress if we meet than if we don't. So we are ready to meet."

Tensions between the two sides have been escalating Nov. 9 when it became clear that the hope of reaching an agreement in time to launch the 2012-13 season by Dec. 1 began to fade. It's presumed that it will take 10 days after a deal is reached for NHL players to be ready to play.

The NHL and players are at odds over the owners' desire to drop players' share of hockey-related revenue from 57% to 50%, and their desire to alter individual contracting rights. Owners are looking to raise eligibility for unrestricted free agency to age 28 or eight years of service, a year longer than in the previous agreement. Plus, owners are looking to adjust the entry level system and qualification rules for arbitration, primarily as a means to stem the escalation of salaries for players coming out of their rookie deals.

Owners recently offered a $211 million "make whole" provision to address players' concerns that existing contracts would lose value through a 50-50 split of revenue. Owners believe the amount fully compensates players for the lost wages for two years, and then revenue growth will ensure they won't lose any more value in the third year. Players don't believe the make whole provision goes far enough.

NHL officials have said they are done making proposals, and both sides have indicated they don't know what their next move should be. Bettman's suggestion could give both sides a chance to regroup.

"If indeed they do not want to meet, it will be at least the third time in the last three months that they have shut down the dialogue, saying they will not meet unless the players meet their preconditions," Steve Fehr said. "What does that tell you about their interest in resolving this?"