(UPDATE 12:32 AM)- While the NHL has yet to release it's full schedule, reports suggest the Ottawa Senators will open their season on Saturday, January 19th in Winnipeg.  The game against the Jets is expected to begin at 1:30 PM.  Let the countdown begin!

(UPDATE 3:39 PM)- In an interview on the Team 1200, Bryan Murray suggested that Cody Ceci will be one of the 8 defenceman invited to camp.  The team is also considering inviting Stefan Noesen.

(UPDATE 2:41 PM)- Sens GM Bryan Murray has confirmed that all three goaltenders will be in Ottawa for training camp later this month. Robin Lehner's strong start in the AHL has earned him a shot at the big team's roster. The Sens will invite 26 players, including 15 forwards, 8 defenceman and 3 goalies.

I really can't imagine coming home to much better news.

After a marathon day of bargaining, the NHL and the NHLPA have tentatively agreed on a new collective bargaining agreement.  Obviously there are still hoops that need to be jumped through but the word early this morning is that the two sides have finally agreed on all key issues.

Just a quick post before I hop on my flight back to Ottawa.

It has been an amazing week here in the Dominican Republic but I can see that for hockey fans back home, things haven't been quite as good.  Team Canada suffered a disappointing fourth place finish at the World Juniors and the NHL lockout is on Day 112.

Just stopped in at an internet cafe here in the Dominican Republic and see that I haven't missed much on the NHL's labour front.

The two sides are expected to meet on Monday at which point the NHLPA will present a counter offer to the one tabled by the NHL late last week.  If they can work closely off the league's offer, I believe there's a good chance we see hockey in January.

A familiar face looked like he would be a thorn in the side of the Senators organization on Friday night.

Ottawa Senator castaway Bobby Butler scored twice for the Albany Devils but it was not enough to hold off the red hot Jakob Silfverberg, as the Binghamton Senators edged the Devils 3-2.

As tired as we all are of CBA updates, this morning's news from Pierre LeBrun should finally signal the beginning of the end of this awful lockout.

According to a NHL player source, the NHL has reached out with a new offer for the NHLPA. It is an offer that includes movement on all of the main issues including contract limits, buyouts and variance and should at least be enough to get the attention of Donald Fehr.

Late last week, there was a story that appeared in the Ottawa Sun about the Pittsburgh Penguins supposed interest in brining back Sergei Gonchar.

The timing of the story was a little strange but I guess when you consider the relationship between Malkin and Gonchar, it does make some sense. What I can tell you in the Senators are not going to give Gonchar away. If the NHL returns in January, an already banged up Sens blue line will likely need Gonchar.

Just 24 hours after a disappointing shootout loss, the Binghamton Senators bounced back nicely on Saturday with a 5-1 win over Rochester.

The offence came from Shane Price, Andre Benoit, Mark Stone, Jakob Silfverberg and Mike Hoffman while Robin Lehner was sharp in goal.  Luke Richardson's team now has three days off before returning to the ice on Wednesday night.

The Binghamton Senators traveled to Rochester Friday night to take on the Americans in the front end of a home-at-home series.

It was a back-and-forth battle that saw Rochester blow two one-goal leads and Binghamton coughed up a two-goal third period lead, before falling in a shootout 6-5 to the home team.