Report: NHL, NHLPA drop financial talks in push for Jan. 13 start

It appears the NHL and NHLPA are putting their financial differences aside as they try to lock in a plan for the 2020-21 season.

There will be no further discussions regarding financial changes to the memorandum of understanding that outlines the terms of the collective bargaining agreement the sides reached before play returned in August, TSN's Darren Dreger reports.

The NHL's reported attempt at renegotiating the CBA ahead of the 2020-21 season sparked outrage among the players' association. Players originally agreed to defer 10% of their salaries with escrow capped at 20%, but the league asked them to defer 20% of their salaries and push escrow to 25%.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman refuted the reports and said the portrayal of the negotiations was "unfortunate" and "inaccurate."

On Sunday, the players' association proposed more deferred money but didn't include an increase in escrow, according to Dreger.

Both sides prefer to play a 56-game schedule in 2020-21 and are now aiming to start the season on Jan. 13, two days earlier than the previously known target date, Dreger added.

Copyright (C) 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.