CHICAGO — When Jamal Mayers settled in at the bargaining table Saturday morning, he hoped for the best.

The Blackhawks' veteran forward had spent more than a week in New York, working to end an NHL lockout that had lasted more than four months. The latest round of negotiations between the players' association and owners had been productive, but given the fact there were still four major issues on the table, Mayers knew nothing was guaranteed.

A lengthy session Mayers described as a marathon, started at 8:30 a.m. and lasted throughout the day and night with the two sides reaching a tentative 10-year agreement around 5 a.m. Sunday.