The new labor agreement between the NHL and the league's officials is in effect. The league's board of governors and the NHL Officials' Association ratified the four-year pact Wednesday that was agreed to Oct. 4. The deal will run through the 2013-14 season. "We are pleased to have reached a new agreement with our officials," NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said. "We look forward to working closely with our officials to ensure that the quality of our game continues to be the best that it can be." After referees and linesmen worked the entire NHL preseason schedule without a contract, the sides hammered out the new contract just a few days before the start of the regular season. read more: http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=5734714
