The Canceler-in-Chief’s collective bargaining history precedes him, so buyer beware, but it is a fact that all precincts are reporting reason for optimism as the NHL and the NHLPA continue a series of preliminary talks aimed at extending the CBA before either party can exercise its reopener in September 2019.

We’re told by multiple sources that Gary Bettman is not particularly keen on leaving behind a legacy of orchestrating four consecutive lockouts within 17 years, and as such, the commissioner is seeking to find common ground with the union and an early peace accord that would extend the labor agreement beyond 2019-20.

Ownership hawks such as Boston’s always self-interested “Mr. Jacobs,” the Board chairman, could exert their will and push the commissioner into taking a harder line, but there is no evidence of that, at least at this point. Yes, it is early, but the tone and tenor from both the league and union are in stark contrast to the atmosphere leading into both the 2004 and 2012 lockouts, with dialog ongoing between union officials and Deputy Dawg Bill Daly.

The players want to participate in the 2022 Olympics in Beijing. So does the league, despite protestations that never have held up under close scrutiny. So that is a common bond between the two sides. The question for the union, which in December 2016 rejected a hurry-up extension offer in exchange for the right to play in the Pyeongchang 2018 Games, is whether it should yield anything in return for the privilege.

As we understand it, there may be potential for a trade-off in which the PA would agree to a 2020 World Cup of Hockey (presumably 2024, as well) in which most of the revenue would go to the league. Of course, almost none of the revenue generated by the 2016 tournament in Toronto trickled down to the rank-and-file, the players who did not play receiving about $10,000 apiece, while the participants came away with about $75,000 per. So this type of trade-off would not represent much of a sacrifice.

Escrow does not appear to be anywhere near the driving force behind the PA platform as anticipated a year or two ago. There is reason for that. Though the players currently are having 11.5 percent of their pay withheld as escrow, Slap Shots has learned the NHL has told the PA to expect a postseason refund of just over 8 percent, meaning that when all numbers are in, the athletes will receive 96.58 percent of their base salary. That’s hardly cause for labor war.

Instead, we’re told the union is pressing for a change in the way Long Term Injury payments are calculated in the cap equation. Under the current onerous system, players bear the cost and subsidize the league when other players go on LTI. If a $6 million player goes on LTI, his team can exceed the cap by $6 million. That extra $6 million is included in total payroll and therefore increases escrow under the 50/50 agreement.

If the league eliminates additional payroll dedicated to LTI as part of the mix, that would reduce escrow. It would also slightly tilt the 50/50, so the NHL obviously would need something tangible in return — perhaps a redefinition of Hockey-Related Revenue that would benefit the teams.

We’ve learned, as well, that the NHL is advocating a change to a 19-year-old entry draft. This is not a particularly new concept, and in fact may have been a part of the rejected 2016 league proposal for an extension. But there is widespread belief among teams that increasing the draft-eligible age by a year would be of significant benefit in the scouting and evaluation process.

There would be ramifications to such a move — for one, what would the draft look like in the changeover year and what would the league do for the clubs with top picks denied the chance to select the most elite prospects? — but other than a possible adjustment to age-27 free agency, it is difficult to see this as a particular stumbling block for the current union membership.

Again, these have been preliminary discussions. Given the history, there is reason to be skeptical. But there is much more reason to be optimistic. The sides are talking months in advance of the reopener and years ahead of the CBA expiration. Both parties want to rejoin the Olympics. And the commissioner wants labor peace in his time.

The tentative $18.9 million settlement of the concussion lawsuit brought by 318 players against the NHL seems woefully inadequate even if it is the best the plaintiffs might be able to do in the wake of the decision not to allow the case to proceed as a class-action. The cash payout of $22,000 per is relatively meager enough, but it’s the cap of $75,000 per player for medical treatment that is more dramatically insufficient for those facing the most severe symptoms and consequences.

Once the NHL is clear of legal jeopardy — and that might be a while, given that a number of the plaintiffs may opt out of the settlement and pursue individual action — the hope is that the league will become a progressive leader in examining the link between blows to the head and CTE rather than continuing on its path of recalcitrant denial.

And to make the point again, maybe the NHLPA will one day come down on the side of the victimized rather than the perpetrators. Maybe the players will stop gratuitously hitting each other in the head.

So can someone please explain this to me? On the official record of the Nov. 10 shootout between the Rangers and Jackets in Columbus, Cam Atkinson gets credit for scoring on a “tip-in” while Anthony Duclair is noted as missing a “tip-in.”

Who took the original shots, and why haven’t other teams thought of this?

Finally, the Hall of Fame weekend was surreal. My appreciation to the hockey community; longtime friends; friends I never knew I had; colleagues and peers; my teammates at this newspaper; and the readers who are my constituency, is boundless. But I owe my greatest thanks to my wife, Janis, who not only has joined me on this journey for more than 40 years, but whose support has made it possible. In my world that is filled with hockey people, she is the bravest person I know.