From the CBA:
Quote:
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16.1 League Schedule. During each Playing Season covered by this Agreement, each Club shall play not more than 82 Regular Season Games. No game provided for in Article 24 shall be deemed to be an additional Regular Season Game for the purposes of the preceding sentence or of any Player's SPC. Each SPC between a Player and a Club shall be deemed to contemplate a schedule of 82 Regular Season Games unless prior to entering into the SPC the Club and the Player confirm in writing that a lower number is scheduled with respect to any Playing Season covered by the SPC. If, in the absence of such written confirmation, the number of Regular Season Games should be decreased, other than by reason of the Player's participation in one or more games provided for in Article 24, the Player's Paragraph 1 Salary shall be decreased in proportion to the number of games scheduled.
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There's a bit of noise in there, but it basically says less games = less money.
Are article 16 of the CBA and the adjustments to paragraph 17 of an SPC via the MOU in conflict? Maybe...the CBA references games scheduled, while the MOU/SPC is about games cancelled.
Can games be cancelled if they were never scheduled to begin with?
Quote:
16.3 Length of Season, Balance and Consistency. (a) Without the NHLPA's advance written consent, the Regular Season will be scheduled over a period of not less than 184 days. (b) Each Club will play at least one (1) NHL Game during the first three (3) days of the Regular Season and at least one (1) NHL Game during the last three (3) days of the Regular Season. (c) In preparing each Club's Regular Season schedule, the League will use reasonable efforts to ensure balance and consistency in terms of the number of Games scheduled for each Club on a week-to-week and month-to-month basis.
(d) Prior to finalizing the Regular Season schedule, the League shall provide the NHLPA with a draft schedule. The NHLPA shall be given an opportunity to comment on the schedule. This opportunity for the NHLPA to comment shall be provided at a point when the NHL has the ability to adjust the schedule based on the NHLPA's comments and shall include a meeting at the NHL's offices with the Vice President, Scheduling, Research & Operations (or his equivalent) responsible for assembling the schedule and a League attorney. The League will give good faith consideration to specific scheduling requests made by the NHLPA and will provide an
explanation if any of the NHLPA's requests will not be accommodated; however, the final decision making authority shall remain with the League.
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The 184 day stuff is mildly interesting, but the clear takeaway here for me is that the league has final decision making authority with regards to the schedule. But, there is certainly enough ambiguity for further negotiation, but IMO the league has a strong position here.