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."