The NHL and NHLPA met for the second straight day Thursday but gained no traction in brokering a new CBA through the use of a federal mediator.

"After spending several hours with both sides over two days, the presiding mediators concluded that the parties remained far apart, and that no progress toward a resolution could be made through further mediation at this point in time. We are disappointed that the mediation process was not successful," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said.

The NHL and the NHLPA met with a mediator Wednesday in an attempt to resolve the labor dispute that has jeopardized the season.

The two sides met at an undisclosed location for approximately six hours and were scheduled to meet again with mediators Thursday beginning at 11 a.m.

It is believed both sides spent large amounts of time in separate sessions with a mediator to discuss their bargaining position.

The stalled labor impasse has gone a new route, with the NHL and NHLPA agreeing to meet with a mediator.

Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service director George Cohen broke the news Monday afternoon.

"While we have no particular level of expectation going into this process, we welcome a new approach in trying to reach a resolution of the ongoing labor dispute at the earliest possible date," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement. "We have no further comment on the upcoming meetings at the current time."

The NHL and union confirmed to ESPN.com they had accepted an invitation from federal mediators to meet with them. A source said the first meeting will be Wednesday.

NHL players presented management with a new proposal Wednesday that the union said left sides less than $40M apart annually over a five-year contract.

After a day away from bargaining, union officials and nine players were at the NHL office for an hour. However, there was little optimism.

"We did give them the proposal," Donald Fehr said. "They indicated they're going to have a response to us a little later on."

The NHL and NHLPA resumed discussions Monday night, following which the league requested a formal proposal from the union.

The bargaining session, the first formal meeting between the two sides in over a week, lasted less than two hours and covered key topics such as player contracting rights and core economics.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league wants to see a proposal from the NHLPA on these topics, among others.

NHL bargaining talks will resume Monday in New York City, the league told ESPN.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly and NHLPA outside counsel Steve Fehr spoke Saturday to decide the next step in the labor logjam.

The stalemate between the NHL and NHLPA may last longer than expected, possibly stretching into the month of December.

Sources told ESPN that commissioner Gary Bettman suggested to NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr on Wednesday that the two sides take a two-week moratorium from negotiations. 

Fehr informed Bettman he'd like to speak with his membership first, a source said. The union likely will give Bettman a response Friday, although it is believed it would prefer meeting.

Steve Fehr says he believes the NHL's labor deal can be wrapped up quickly once the sides make a breakthrough in negotiations, according to an ESPN.com report on Monday.

The special counsel to the NHLPA says three issues remain to be solved: the split of money, player contract rules, and who pays for the damage caused by the lockout.

The NHL and NHLPA met briefly Sunday in a failed attempt to resolve contracting issues, leaving little hope a labor deal will be reached soon.

Both NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr and NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said they don't know how an agreement can be reached given Sunday's negotiations. 

"I just don't, right now, given their opposition to addressing some of these issues, know where we go," Daly said.

The two NHL labor sides met for more than five hours on Thursday and will meet again Friday. NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr also indicated the union would be willing to meet this weekend if necessary, according to an ESPN.com report.

"I'm not going to characterize it except to say as I have before that it's always better when you're meeting than when you're not," Fehr said.

Commissioner Gary Bettman was similarly tight-lipped. When asked about progress, he said it was "tough to handicap."