Strike Near End in NHL : Pro hockey: Four-year deal could be approved today, and officials would return Thursday.

The NHL and its on-ice officials reached agreement in principle Tuesday on a four-year contract, bringing in sight an end to the walkout by referees and linesmen. Pending ratification today by both sides, contract officials would return to work Thursday, after sitting out 17 days.

“We’ll try to accomplish that in the next 24 hours,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said after Tuesday’s nine-hour bargaining session in Montreal. “If all goes well, the officials will be back on the ice Thursday.”

Neither side would discuss details. However, it is known the NHL prevailed in one key area--the duration of the agreement--and the officials prevailed in the amount of money to be added to their benefits package. Whether salary and benefits increases will be retroactive to the start of the season is unclear.

“It’s been a very long day and we’ve worked hard at these negotiations for a long time,” said Don Meehan, who represents the NHL Officials Assn.

The officials initially sought a two- or three-year deal, but the NHL remained insistent on a four-year pact. For winning that point, the NHL compromised toward the officials’ side in the benefits package. The officials’ first demand was for $1.5 million, which they later reduced to $750,000.

The officials will be polled by phone today, as will the NHL Board of Governors. A majority among the officials would approve the package.

Substitute officials drawn from college and minor leagues have officiated during the strike. They have come under increasing criticism as the strike continued, as players contended they lacked the experience and authority to control stickwork and other infractions. Many players ignored the NHL’s urging to refrain from commenting on the performances of replacement officials, and reportedly were chided by the league for those comments.

The pay scale in the new agreement conforms to that offered by the NHL in the final proposal it made before the Nov. 15 walkout. Salary increases over the four-year term amount to 65%, including first-year raises of 29% for referees and 26% for linesmen. First-year referees, who earned $50,000 under the old contract, would earn $65,000 this season and $80,000 by the 1996-97 season. First-year major league baseball umpires earn $60,000 and first-year NBA officials earn $57,000.

A referee with 20 yeas’ experience, who would earn $90,000 under the old contract, would earn $175,000 this season and $220,000 in 1996-97.

The officials also got a substantial increase in their playoff pool, said to be about $100,000 over the last two years, and in their pensions. The NHL’s last offer included increases of 20% in the first two years of the agreement and 40% in the third and fourth years.

It’s likely all 58 striking officials will be rehired for the remainder of the season, but it is believed the officials gave the NHL the right to fire officials after the season, with just cause, in return for sweetening the pension and benefits packages. It is not known whether any of the replacement officials will be hired full time. Substitute referees are being paid $800 per game and linesmen $500 per game.