Collaboration or bust.
Given the gravity of the new coronavirus pandemic and the abrupt decision to place the NHL season on pause in March, it didn't take commissioner Gary Bettman and union chief Don Fehr long to realize they were going to have to work together if play was to resume any time soon.
Nearly four months to the day since the last puck dropped, the two sides put aside past differences to have a return-to-play plan in place, and the assurance of labor peace through September 2026 to go with it.
"When we got to March 12 and decided to take the pause, that began a period of perhaps unprecedented collaboration and problem solving," Bettman said during a Zoom conference call with reporters Saturday, a day after the league and players ratified a 24-team expanded playoff, set to begin Aug.