TORONTO -- The ball is now in the players' court.

The NHL injected life into a stagnant labor negotiation Tuesday, making a surprise offer to the NHL Players' Association that was highlighted by a 50-50 split in hockey-related revenue and a full 82-game season starting Nov. 2.

The tentative plan is for both sides to speak by phone Wednesday, with the NHLPA seeking clarification on a number of points, and then for the two sides to meet again Thursday, a source said.

The NHLPA held a conference call Tuesday evening to discuss the offer with the players' negotiating committee and the union's executive board.

"(The offer) is not short, and there were some explanatory documents that we still have to wade through,'' NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr told the assembled media at the union head office.

"So the process that we're going to engage in now is to make sure we read it completely and fully, that we understand it. ... Then, obviously, what we will do is discuss it internally with our own negotiating committee and executive board and then get back together with the NHL."