Less than a week before the 2012-2013 NHL season would've had to have been canceled, players and owners have reached a preliminary agreement to end the 113-day lockout. Mediation was credited with ending the impasse, and the preliminary agreement includes a 50-50 revenue split, compensation for the players (who had previously received 57% of revenue), and a seven-year term limit on contracts.
See "NHL lockout over as owners, players reach agreement", Fluto Shinzawa, The Boston Globe, January 6, 2013