National Hockey League (NHL) players voted to ratify a six-year collective bargaining agreement that includes revenue sharing and a salary cap. The vote passed by a comfortable margin where 88% of the 550 players who voted, agreed with the recommendation of their executive committe. "We are looking forward to starting fresh with this new agreement," said NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow, who was joined at the news conference by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. "We are fully committed to this new deal."

The NHL and its board of governors will meet in New York tomorrow to rubber-stamp the new agreement and conduct a draft lottery for the 2005 entry draft. They will also contemplate possible rule changes suggested by the competition committe for the upcoming hockey season. "I am optimistic that we will bring this promptly to a successful conclusion so that we can go together and get this game, and the attention on this game, back where it belongs, on the ice," said NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.