NHL, NHLPA Reach Agreement on CBA Extension

The NHL and the NHL Players’ Association have worked out a memorandum of understanding on a collective bargaining agreement that reportedly calls for the regular season to be expanded from 82 games to 84.

Both sides still must ratify the CBA, which would take effect in the 2026-27 season, before it becomes official.

In conjunction with the increase in regular-season games, preseason schedules would be limited to four games.

Some of the other provisions reportedly in the tentative deal include:

*** Free-agent contracts for players signing with a new club will be limited to six years, down one from the current ceiling. Players re-signing with their current clubs will be able to get seven years, also one less than under the CBA now in effect.

*** Teams will not be permitted to dictate dress codes to players going to or from games.

*** Playoff lineups must be compliant with the salary-cap ceiling in effect for that season. Total postseason rosters will be allowed to exceed that ceiling, but the 18 skaters and two goalies dressed for a particular game cannot.

*** Contracts will not be allowed to include deferred salaries.

*** Teams must maintain a full-time emergency backup goalie.

The agreement was announced in Los Angeles at a press conference that included NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Marty Walsh, head of the NHLPA.

“We can all look forward to at least five more years or labor peace, of the Players’ Association and the NHL working together,” Bettman said. “While we didn’t agree on everything, we had a very constructive, professional, collaborative collective-bargaining process. … I think we identified the issues that were important to both sides and I think that Marty and I have established a very good tone and a very good basis for our relationship, going forward.”

Walsh said he plans to take the agreement to the NHLPA’s membership “over the next week or so” for ratification, and that, “I’m happy with the process Hopefully, the players will be happy with the outcome.”