NHL, players close to deal to play in 2014 Olympics

NHL PLAYERS are just a slap shot away from returning to the Olympics next year.

While a deal hasn't been reached yet between the NHL, the union and the International Ice Hockey Federation to send the league's players to Sochi, a long meeting yesterday pushed the sides much closer to an agreement.

"Things are moving along," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said.

Bettman, union leader Donald Fehr and IIHF president Rene Fasel met for more than 5 hours at league headquarters in New York to work on a deal that would allow NHL players to compete at the 2014 games in Russia. This would be the fifth Olympics for the NHL.

Not everything has been agreed to and the various sides need to meet internally to sign off on any pact. Still, Bettman called the session a "constructive meeting."

"I think it's fair to say that we're not quite ready to announce it's done," Bettman said.

Fasel headed to the airport following the meeting and planned to get together with various international groups beginning today. Fehr will brief the players during multiday union executive board meetings next week.

The biggest challenge the NHL faces every time the Olympics come is the need to stop the hockey season for several weeks in order for its players to go. That is even more of a factor this time because the Olympics are taking place a year after a lengthy lockout wiped out nearly half of the hockey regular season.

What Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen had called "a big piece of the puzzle" fell into place when the club signed goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky to a 2-year contract extension.

The 24-year-old Russian and former Flyer, recipient of the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goalie this past season, could have become a restricted free agent this week. The Columbus Dispatch reported that the new deal was for $5.625 million per year.

"I'm very happy to be a Columbus Blue Jacket," Bobrovsky said. "My wife [Olga] and I really like Columbus and the fans have been very nice to us and supportive of our team."

* The Glendale, Ariz., City Council will consider tonight whether to approve a $15-year, $225 million arena that would ensure that the Phoenix Coyotes remain in town. A vote against the plan would all but guarantee that the team will leave the city.