He said that there would only be an October start in a new CBA is achieved but left open the possibility that replacement players would ultimately be considered if no deal is struck..
"If we do not have a new collective bargaining agreement, we will not open the season on time," Bettman said.
"If that is an eventuality at that juncture, we will have to start again on what options we will pursue."
The likelihood of replacement players taking the ice has diminished greatly since the last board meeting on March 1.
A
t that time, Bettman and several team representatives stressed that they expected next season to begin on time. The goal has always been to make a deal with the union, but it was clear that other options were being considered.
The NHL is the first major sports league in North America to lose an entire season to a labour dispute.
"We have stayed out of the replacement player debate since we thought it was a poorly conceived and ill-advised strategy," Bob Goodenow, the executive director of the players' association, said in a statement.
"Finally, it appears the league has come to realize it would be bad for the fans, the sport and the business.
Both the NHL and the players' association said that no progress was made during a six-hour negotiating session on Tuesday.
NHL chief legal officer Bill Daly said he was hoping to set up a schedule of multiple meetings per week over the next couple of weeks. Negotiations could even take place in Austria, where the hockey world championship will be held from April 30-May 15.
