NEW YORK _ NHL players have ratified the new labour deal but the
lockout still goes on.
The union says Saturday that players voted in favour of the
agreement reached with the NHL last week, however the sides still
haven't finished a necessary memorandum of understanding regarding
the terms of the deal that would allow training camps to open and
for the schedule to be released.
The league's board of governors unanimously ratified the contract
on Wednesday. Training camps are slated to open Sunday, but
voluntary physicals and medical exams were permitted to begin on
Friday.
The remaining transition rules, such as when players can go on
the ice and for how long, were still being finalized.
Less than a week after the league and the union worked all night
to secure an agreement to save the season, players followed team
owners and approved the tentative deal that was reached last Sunday.<