he four-year extension would kick in on Sept. 16, 2026 and carry through Sept. 15, 2030. With one more year remaining on this current CBA, that would provide five total years of continuity for a league with three previous work stoppages on record. This is the earliest the NHL and NHLPA will have concluded an extension prior to expiration in Bettman’s 32-year run as commissioner.
Here are some pertinent details of the agreement, according to both league and union sources:
The NHL will move to 84-game regular seasons beginning in 2026-27. The preseason will be shortened, to an expected four games per team, and players with 100-plus career games played can play in a maximum of two preseason games.
Player contracts will be term limited to a maximum of seven years for players re-signing with their current club and six years for players on the free agent market. The 2025-26 season (next week’s free agency) will mark the final eight-year deals in the NHL.
A comprehensive playoff salary cap mechanism, which has many machinations to account for player acquisition, will effectively close the LTIR loophole for teams to significantly pad payroll by using injury relief space.
Signing rights to draft picks will be uniform across the board until age 22, regardless of the league prospects are picked from or which league they matriculate to next. In other words, if an 18-year-old CHL player is drafted but decided to play NCAA, a team will still hold his rights for four years.
Outlawing of player deferred salary in contracts, which previously lowered the cap hit of deals. This is one example of significantly more stringent contractual limitations that are expected to be in the new CBA for players.
Revenue split will remain 50/50 between owners and players. There are not expected to be changes to the definitions of what constitutes hockey related revenue (HRR).
Significant increase in Stanley Cup playoff bonus pool fund, nearly doubling previous amount.
Establishment of ‘full-time’ Emergency Backup Goalie (EBUG) position within organizations so that amateur goalies signed out of beer league are not entering games in rare injury circumstances.
Landmark player benefit improvements (health insurance and post-playing health insurance stipends), plus movement of player payroll taxes and worker’s compensation premiums to be paid out of owner’s share.
Teams will no longer be able to mandate player dress code for arriving/departing games.
As previously announced in February, the next three seasons of the salary cap’s upper limit: $95.5 million, $104 million and $113 million.
Spoiler!
per Friedman other things believed to be worked on:
Quote:
• Dropping maximum-length contracts from eight years (your own player) to seven (another team’s free agent)
• Draft rights until age 22
• The ability for some first-round picks from the CHL to have AHL eligibility earlier than currently allowed. (Some believe it should be one per NHL club as opposed to first-rounders because not every team has a pick in that round, but no idea if that has any traction.)
• No more deferred-salary contracts
• Creation of a “permanent” EBUG to practise and travel with their NHL team
• A revenue-sharing tweak to help some of the more middle-class teams
Whatever the case, it shouldn’t be too long until we find out for sure.
Still think there needs to be an additional rule that says "If a player is offered a maximum value ELC by his drafting team, that team retains his RFA rights even after this time period has concluded. After the expiry of the initial time period the player will be an RFA free to negotiate with other teams, but compensation would have to be provided."
So players can be come RFAs, but not full UFAs, which I think is fair. Because if a team offers the player the max ELC value it's because they want to keep him.
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Still think there needs to be an additional rule that says "If a player is offered a maximum value ELC by his drafting team, that team retains his RFA rights even after this time period has concluded. After the expiry of the initial time period the player will be an RFA free to negotiate with other teams, but compensation would have to be provided."
So players can be come RFAs, but not full UFAs, which I think is fair. Because if a team offers the player the max ELC value it's because they want to keep him.
So if the player's rights are traded before receiving an max value ELC, then he becomes a UFA instead of a RFA?
Still think there needs to be an additional rule that says "If a player is offered a maximum value ELC by his drafting team, that team retains his RFA rights even after this time period has concluded. After the expiry of the initial time period the player will be an RFA free to negotiate with other teams, but compensation would have to be provided."
So players can be come RFAs, but not full UFAs, which I think is fair. Because if a team offers the player the max ELC value it's because they want to keep him.
At the very least, I think it would help if the team that holds the draft rights can offer a better contract. Give the team more flexibility for term, AAV, and bonuses if they hold the rights where as if they were a free agency signing, they could only get a standard ELC at league minimum.
Or make it so that if the team with draft rights offers them a max ELC and they turn it down, they are RFA until the following July before becoming a UFA. Don't take away the right for them to do it, just make it less enticing.
__________________
"A pessimist thinks things can't get any worse. An optimist knows they can."
• Dropping maximum-length contracts from eight years (your own player) to seven (another team’s free agent)
• Draft rights until age 22
• The ability for some first-round picks from the CHL to have AHL eligibility earlier than currently allowed. (Some believe it should be one per NHL club as opposed to first-rounders because not every team has a pick in that round, but no idea if that has any traction.)
• No more deferred-salary contracts
• Creation of a “permanent” EBUG to practise and travel with their NHL team
• A revenue-sharing tweak to help some of the more middle-class teams
Whatever the case, it shouldn’t be too long until we find out for sure.
Last edited by sureLoss; 06-25-2025 at 06:31 PM.
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4 year CBA Ratified. MOU released
