HOLLYWOOD, Fla. -- Gary Bettman is singing a new tune.

Last year, during his state of the game address during All-Star weekend in Los Angeles, Bettman opted for a heavy metal sound.

"Anytime, anyplace, anywhere," the hardcore commissioner repeatedly riffed, when asked about meeting with NHL Players' Association boss Bob Goodenow to begin negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement. The current CBA, which has been an unpleasant melody for the owners in recent years, expires on Sept. 15, 2004.

Just a few weeks later at the 2002 Winter Olympics, Bettman again pounded the drums for immediate negotiations, belting out the same chorus: "Anytime, anyplace, anywhere."

Bettman's aggressive sound received Top 40 play in the hockey media. Goodenow, who had been purposely mute by contrast, was listening closely, though. As the months passed and Bettman's song remained the same, Goodenow quietly reminded his constituency of the message. Behind the music, the shrewd PA leader was using Bettman's hard-driving beat as a rallying point for the players, who didn't find their way to the NHL by allowing themselves to be shoved into a corner.

Somewhere along the line -- about the same time as the messy money situations in Buffalo and Ottawa reached full volume -- Bettman, or someone in the league hierarchy, realized it was time to change the CD.

That brings us to the 2003 All-Star weekend in sunny South Florida, home of another financially challenged club, the Florida Panthers. (The Panthers, by the way, are so interested in saving money; they were willing to incur the wrath of their fans by dealing starting All-Star defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh before the midseason classic to avoid issuing him another paycheck.)

On this stage, Bettman introduced a new, lighter take when asked about the eventual negotiations with the union.

"What will be important is that we join with the union in a partnership to seek a solution-one that is fair to everyone. The players, the NHL owners and the fans," Bettman said in his opening remarks, sounding much more light pop than heavy medal. "Our commitment is to try to achieve that goal and at the same time do it in a way that allows us to move forward without stepping back."

Translated, Bettman would like the CBA talk to be moved to another station -- one that doesn't have the All-Star Game on it -- and preferably one with a short range. At least for the time being, the commissioner appeared willing to forgo the battle for hearts and minds.

"Public positioning isn't going to get this done," Bettman said. "We need to go forward with a common understanding of the significant issues."

In the subsequent Q&A session, the suddenly soothing Bettman wouldn't be dragged into anything controversial.

"The current CBA has another year and a half to run," crooned Bettman, who didn't want to let talk of the labor situation overwhelm his press conference. "We don't need to elevate things to another level.

"Of course, we'd rather do things sooner than later," Bettman added. "But, at some point, we'll sit down and talk and do what we have to do."

"At some point" will probably be near the final days or hours before the CBA's expiration date. Obviously, Bettman and the owners would love to have a new, more beneficial agreement in place before the 11th hour. In his only aggressive statement of the day, Bettman said that the league would be ready to begin negotiations in "five minutes" time.

Quickly seeking to soften his statement, Bettman added that the union isn't "legally required to negotiate at this time."

Bettman's new sound should be much more conducive to working with the razor sharp Goodenow toward a new CBA. By purposely lowering the volume of his rhetoric, Bettman has wisely opted -- at least for the time being -- to take these delicate discussions out of the public forum.

Both Bettman and Goodenow know a new deal will eventually have to be struck. And as Bettman figured out, no amount of chest-pounding background music is going to bring either side to the bargaining table before it's ready to do so.

E.J. Hradek writes hockey for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at ej.hradek@espnmag.com.