All optimism of a season happening is almost gone after mediators hired to work with the NHL & NHLPA pretty much quit after two days of meetings.

Below is a statement from Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly (Bettman's mini-me).

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly issued the following statement regarding the two days of meetings that concluded today with representatives of the NHL Players' Association under the auspices of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service: "Today, we concluded two days of mediation with FMCS mediators and representatives of the NHL Players' Association. After spending several hours with both sides over two days, the presiding mediators concluded that the parties remained far apart, and that no progress toward a resolution could be made through further mediation at this point in time. We are disappointed that the mediation process was not successful."

TWO DAYS. My New Year's resolution every year to work out more last longer than two days! (If you're curious, it's probably six days, non-consecutive.)

This is just like those Choose Your Own Adventure books I read when I was a kid. Take one path and your journey continues. Take the other and you die.