New York: NHL players began the process of ratifying the new labour agreement on Thursday night and will have until early Saturday morning to vote.
The players’ association says electronic voting began on Thursday at 8pm EST (5am Friday UAE) and will last 36 hours until Saturday at 8am.
If a majority of the more than 700 players vote to accept the deal that NHL owners unanimously ratified on Wednesday, training camps will open Sunday and a 48-game regular season will begin on January 19.
A tentative agreement was reached early on Sunday, the 113th day of the lockout, after a 16-hour negotiating session in New York.
The latest lockout forced the cancellation of 510 games, along with the outdoor Winter Classic and the All-Star game.
The NHL says it will release a new schedule once the ratification process is completed. A memorandum of understanding must be signed before training camps open.
