Union chief Donald Fehr is sticking to his story that a deal with the NHL to end the four-month lockout was close before talks suddenly broke off this week.
While negotiators for the National Hockey League and the players union declined to say whether significant progress was made on Day 54 of the lockout, the two sides agreed to return to the bargaining table on Friday for the fourth straight day of talks.
The NHL wiped out the third week of the regular season Friday as the lockout dragged on, leaving no more wiggle room if the league hopes to play a full 82-game schedule.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman maintains the league will lock out players Sunday if a new labor deal isn't reached, and star player Sidney Crosby isn't optimistic the season will start on time.