Deal to resume season announced
The NHL is not only in a position to resume playing within the next month, the league has the potential of enjoying labor peace through 2026.
The NHL and the NHL Players’ Association on Monday announced reaching a tentative deal on a return to play format which is coupled with the two sides agreeing to a memorandum of understanding on a four-year extension of the collective bargaining agreement. Should both agreements be ratified, the NHL would proceed immediately to its expanded 24-team playoff format, with play beginning Aug. 1.
Under the plan, training camps would open July 13, with teams traveling to their respective hub cities for exhibition games July 26.
A person with direct knowledge of the agreements told The Associated Press that the NHL has selected Toronto and Edmonton, Alberta, to be the hub cities in hosting the qualifying round and at least first two playoff rounds.
The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the league and NHLPA have not released this information.
The agreements need twothirds approval by owners. On the union side, the agreements must first be approved by a majority of the NHLPA’s 31-member executive committee before going to a vote to the full membership.
The executive committee is expected to make its recommendation by the end of the day Tuesday.
If approved, the players would be expected to complete their voting process by Friday.
Extending the CBA, which was set to expire in September 2022, was considered a necessary step in restarting the season, which was placed on pause in March as a result of the pandemic.
The CBA extension covers numerous on- and off-ice issues, including the NHL’s potential return to the Olympics, the person said.
If approved, players would be in a position to compete at the Beijing Olympics in 2022 and Cortina Milan Games in 2026.
In order for that to happen, the NHL would first have to resolve its outstanding issues, which include marketing rights and health insurance, with the International Olympic Committee and International
Federation.
The NHL participated in five consecutive Olympics from 19982014 before skipping 2018 in Pyeongchang.
Financially, this CBA extension would address the monetary hit affecting the league and players as a result of lost revenues stemming from the remainder of the regular season being wiped out and with the resumption of games being played in empty arenas.
A second person familiar with the proposed agreement told The AP, that players would defer 10% of salaries next season which owners would pay back over three consecutive seasons starting in 2022-23. The salary cap will remain at $81.5 million for at least next season, the person added.
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