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NEW YORK -- NHL players are just a slap shot away from returning to the Olympics next year. While a deal hasnt been reached yet between the NHL, the union and the International Ice Hockey Federation, to send the leagues players to Sochi, a long meeting Monday 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 five hours Monday at league headquarters 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 Mondays session a "constructive meeting," adding there are still "some Is to dot and Ts to cross." "I think its fair to say that were not quite ready to announce its done," Bettman said. Fasel headed to the airport following the meeting and planned to get together with various international groups beginning on Tuesday. Fehr will brief the players during multiday union executive board meetings next week. "We had a very constructive meeting," Fasel said. "I am very happy and pleased. I have to go back also to my federation and to other national federations, especially back to the IOC, to make a report. I am confident that we will have a solution at the end." When pressed for a timeline to get a deal done, Bettman responded with an emphatic, "Soon. Very soon." "Were on a compact schedule," Bettman added. "Everybody is working very hard and we seem to be pulling the oars in the same direction." 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 one year after a lengthy lockout wiped out nearly half of the hockey regular season. While the Olympic exposure is good for the NHL, breaking up another season in February is hardly ideal. Bettman declined to get into specifics of what still needs to be worked out. But it was certainly a positive to see all three men standing side by side outside the NHL offices -- a far cry from last year during the lockout when Bettman and Fehr were on opposite sides and held separate news conferences on the street. Fehr agreed with Bettman this time that only smaller details have to be ironed out before a final deal can be reached. "From my end, while weve made a lot of progress on a lot of issues, there are a few I dots and T crosses to do yet," Fehr said. "We have to turn it into final written documents, and I do have to go back to my executive board. Things are moving along." Fasel, from Switzerland, joked that an agreement could already have been in place if the talks werent held in English. "There are still some language problems to understand. Its not so easy for me," he said. "I would prefer to speak French with my two colleagues. It would be much easier to negotiate with them." Hamidou Diallo Thunder Jersey . Collaros, 25, was solid last season, posting a 5-2 record as the starter while incumbent Ricky Ray was injured. Collaros also started Torontos 23-20 regular-season finale loss to Montreal — Ray didnt dress because the Argos had already clinched first in the East Division — but was one of three quarterbacks to play that day. Kyle Singler Thunder Jersey . In Europe, top teams seem to be largely happy with their squads after spending nearly $1 billion in the off-season. And although English league clubs are unlikely to splash cash in January, Arsenal and Chelsea could be tempted to strengthen their squads with new strikers. https://www.thunderrookiesshop.com/Kevin-Hervey-City-Edition-Jersey/ . McPhee said that Ovechkins father Mikhail is in stable condition after having the surgery this week and is no longer in intensive care. "Weve told him to stay as long as necessary with your dad," he said. Ovechkin and his Russian national team were eliminated from the mens hockey tournament in Sochi on Wednesday with a 3-1 quarter-final loss to Finland. Mike Muscala Jersey . James, who turned 29 on Monday, injured his groin Friday during the Heats overtime loss at Sacramento. He sat out the following game, a 108-107 win Saturday in Portland, before coming back to help send the Nuggets to their seventh consecutive loss. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Jersey . Bjorn, who had a 36-hole total of 8-under 134, made a testing six-foot putt to save par on the 16th and a birdie on the 17th before bogeying the final hole after a misjudged approach shot. American Kevin Streelman was in second place after shooting a 69. Ishant Sharma, recovering from the mosquito-borne viral infection chikungunya, will miss the first Test of the series against New Zealand, which begins on September 22 in Kanpur.Anil Kumble, the India coach, did not rule Ishant out of the series, though. We will be closely monitoring his progress with the doctors, and then we will take a call about his fitness after this Test, Kumble said in Kanpur. For this Test match the team management has decided we wont need a replacement.In the absence of a replacement, and looking at the activity in the India nets, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Umesh Yadav seem to be the frontrunners to make the XI. Mohammed Shami is the other quick in the side. The pitch is quite dry and cracked, although the cracks are not loose or powdery. According to the curator it wont turn as alarmingly as the Nagpur pitch did last year, but there will be reverse-swing on offer.The possibility of reverse-swing at high pace could tilt the selection in favour of Yadav ahead of Shami. If India play five bowlers, that is. There will be turn on this pitch for sure - the amount and the promptness of it can be argued - which means India will play three spinners. Turn in Kanpur is usually slow, which could make India feel they need an extra bowler to take 20 wickets. If they dont, though, Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the frontrunner to be the lone seamer in the XI.In the nets two days before the Test, only Bhuvneshwar and Yadav bowled to the frontline batsmen. It was a long, intense session involving a lot of bouncers in the fast bowlers net. Shami only came out to bowl at the lower order and Shikhar Dhawan, who likely to miss out on selection.Rohit Sharma batted along with the other specialist batsmen, which could be an indication that Indiaa hadnt made their minds up regarding the XI.dddddddddddd. Just like the bowlers had a long bat, M Vijay and Rohit rolled their arms over once they were done batting.The big decision is whether India need and want an extra bowler or not. Under Virat Kohli as a full-time captain, India have started every series so far with five batsmen and an extra bowler: the idea being to set the tone early and remove any negative safety-first attitude at the start of a series. Only an extraordinary pitch should cause Kohli to veer from that path, and the coach Kumble said this wasnt an extraordinary pitch, although only after expressing annoyance at being asked about what he expected from it.It is a typical Kanpur pitch, Kumble said. This is the start of the season, and we dont usually play here in September. But the wicket looks good. I will only say that the talk should be about the cricket on the pitch. We have also discussed the same. Whatever wicket we get we will adapt to that.About Harbhajan Singhs warning that asking for tailored turners could backfire on India, Kumble said: We have not demanded any pitch. We will play on whatever surface is there. We go in with the thought that our spinners are better, and if you see their experience and quality they are very good. We hope that the performance we showed in West Indies continues here. Definitely, its an Indian pitch so there will be turn. But everyone only wants to see the first ball and form their opinions. But Im the coach, and I cannot think only about the first ball. We will think about the whole match and go with the aim of winning the Test and the series. ' ' '