NHL owners have voted in favour of ratifying the new
collective bargaining agreement with their players.
   
A majority of owners were in support of the new deal, which the
league and NHL Players' Association reached early Sunday morning
after a 16-hour bargaining session.
   
The players aren't expected to start their own ratification vote
until Friday. It will be conducted electronically over two days and
needs majority support from the roughly 740 union members to pass.
   
If all goes to plan, the process would be completed by Saturday
and training camps would open around the league on Sunday.
   
The NHL is targeting a 48-game season beginning Jan. 19, which
leaves no time for teams to squeeze in any exhibition games. The
schedule is expected to be released in the coming days.
   
A 48-game season was played following the 1994-95 NHL lockout and
that allowed for a balanced intraconference schedule in what was
then a 26-team league.
   
(The Canadian Press)