NEW YORK – The ball is in the players’ court as talks between the NHL and the players union have recessed.
   
The two sides have met all week, but the NHL Players’ Association will determine the next step.
     
Four days of negotiations aimed at settling the NHL lockout ended in New York Friday with no agreement on when the talks would resume.
   
Players’ union head Don Fehr will meet with his people on Saturday to plot their next move.
   
Commissioner Gary Bettman says he’s willing to talk, but says it’s up to Fehr to decide when negotiations resume.
  
The lockout began eight weeks ago.

Fehr says there are “things to consider” and he’s going back to the players to discuss the latest developments.
   
The sides exchanged proposals earlier in the week.
   
It’s believed they’re having trouble bridging the gap on the “make whole” provision that would guarantee full payment of all existing multi-year player contracts.
   
They are also at odds over proposed changes to player contract rules.
   
The 55-day lockout has already forced the cancellation of 327 regular-season games.