It seems to me that the players (i.e, the membership, as opposed to Fehr and the NHLPA civil service) would naturally be inclined to avoid trading short-term loss for long-term gain and would compromise to avoid a lockout. I’m sure most of them are savvy enough to know that they each have a short window in which to make good money as a professional hockey player, and something gained several years from now may mean nothing to them (unless it takes the form of more generous pensions).