Noted Sun columinst/fiction writer Bruce Garrioch mentions in today's column that, "Members of the media who cover the Senators have been invited to the league's head office in New York today for a sit-down session with NHL vice-president Bill Daly to discuss where negotiations stand on a new collective bargaining agreement".

These have been happening with the media from most teams when they travel to New York.

I wonder if these sessions happen in a darkened and crowded room where the media are whipped into a frenzy until Daly arrives surrounded by a beacon of light to lead the media in chants extolling the virtues of cost certainty and a new CBA. Or maybe the league just brings in free food and hookers. Whatever they do, you can be sure that the media members will be hoping to be invited back. When everyone's saying goodbye, you can be sure that the league officials will ask the media if they have their support with a wink and a nudge.

I mean who needs a press conference that would take ten minutes, because there's nothing new to report, when high powered league officials can spend an afternoon hobnobbing with a bunch of jocksniffers?