In an effort to bring a fresh perspective, NHL players have agreed to a Tuesday negotiating session that will include new owners at the bargaining table and exclude Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHL Players’ Association executive director Donald Fehr.

“There will be owners attending this meeting who have not previously done so, which is encouraging and which we welcome,” Fehr said. “We hope that this meeting will be constructive and lead to a dialogue that will help us find a way to reach an agreement.”

The league has said the owners present will be: Ron Burkle (Pittsburgh Penguins), Mark Chipman (Winnipeg Jets), Murray Edwards (Calgary Flames), Jeremy Jacobs (Boston Bruins), Larry Tanenbaum (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Jeff Vinik (Tampa Bay Lightning).

Jacobs and Edwards have been regular members of the negotiating team, but the other four can bring a fresh perspective. The new people, in theory, offer a cross-section of owner concerns. Tanenbaum, for example, comes from the NHL’s richest team. Forbes magazine recently pegged its value at $1 billion. Vinik, meanwhile, owns a team losing money.

Although Bettman and Fehr won’t be present, Fehr has indicated that each side will will have a limited number of staff or counsel present.

The NHLPA hasn’t yet indicated which players will be present.

With the NHL in its 78th day, the two sides are $182 million apart on the major economic issue and have a wide gap in their positions on individual player contract rights.

NHL owners are scheduled to meet for their annual Board of Governors meeting in New York on Wednesday.

Bettman suggested the owners-players-only meeting last Thursday after federal mediators couldn’t make any headway in bringing the two sides together.