I think (just a personal hunch) that we are very very close to the end. As in 1 or 2 more days of talks.
If the main people negotiating are American (Goodenow, Bettman, the lawyers...) and they could choose to take 1 day off, I think they would have taken July 4 (USA) over July 1 (CAN). Yet they chose to take July 1 off. Why???
My thinking is if they woulda met July 1 an anouncement would have been ready by the end of July 1 (Friday night?), July 4 (American holiday?)...
After working fridays for I don't know how long, why do they suddenly decide to take a break on this one (when they are suppose to be in a rush to get this done)?
I think it is because an anouncement is due soon after a day or two more of negotiations. Having postured aboutthis stuff sufficiently enough before, they should not make thefans wait more than they have to once the talks are done. They want media coverage on it so they want to push the end away from July 4, yet they still are going to be working on things on Monday (a holiday for them).
I say there is 1 (Monday), maybe 2 (Tuesday) days left. By Tuesday night at the latest they will call a press conference for the next day - July 6 - at the latest.
Again it's just a hunch... but it makes some sense doesn't it?