Oilers owner, mayor mum on arena meeting in NYC

Mayor Stephen Mandel and Oilers owner Daryl Katz had little to say following a meeting in New York City Wednesday with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman about Edmonton's proposed downtown arena.

"It was a productive day and we appreciate the efforts of all involved," Katz said in a news release. "We are not going to comment further pending the mayor's update to city council."

An exhausted Mandel told the media by phone he will be updating council on Friday afternoon.

"It's not that I don't want to tell you," he said. "It's just that I owe it to my council colleagues not for them to hear it in the media.

"I can't brief you before I brief them."

Entering the meeting Wednesday morning, the normally reclusive and taciturn Oilers owner spoke briefly to reporters.

"We're looking forward to productive meetings — that's about all we're going to say now," Katz said. 

Asked if he was hoping to reach with a deal in the meeting, he responded, "That would be our hope."

Katz, wearing sunglasses, arrived in a black SUV with a large entourage including Oilers president Patrick Laforge and president of hockey operations Kevin Lowe.