The NHL Players' Association, as anticipated, has rejected the league's proposal to extend the collective bargaining agreement three years in exchange for Olympic participation.

The news was the result largely expected from the moment the NHLPA received a verbal offer from the league, in large part because of the players' unhappiness with escrow payments in the CBA.

The union informed the NHL officially on Friday of the offer's rejection, an NHLPA spokesman told ESPN.com.