NHL/NHLPA agree to 84 game schedule starting in 26-27 season plus other changes in New CBA

[Big Guava]

Planning to announce tomorrow apparently.

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.

One example of a new limitation: Signing bonuses will be capped at 60 percent. Previously, players could negotiate to earn everything but the league minimum salary on their contract to be paid as signing bonus for both tax and investment benefits, as well as making it essentially buyout proof. Now, if you have a $10 million cap hit, the maximum paid in signing bonus will be $6 million. Players can still earn more than the 60 percent in signing bonus, but that difference will be subject to the buyout calculation.

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.

 

https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/nhl-nhlpa-framework-new-cba-announcement-friday-84-game-season-ltir

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, Big Guava said:

Planning to announce tomorrow apparently.

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.

One example of a new limitation: Signing bonuses will be capped at 60 percent. Previously, players could negotiate to earn everything but the league minimum salary on their contract to be paid as signing bonus for both tax and investment benefits, as well as making it essentially buyout proof. Now, if you have a $10 million cap hit, the maximum paid in signing bonus will be $6 million. Players can still earn more than the 60 percent in signing bonus, but that difference will be subject to the buyout calculation.

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.

 

https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/nhl-nhlpa-framework-new-cba-announcement-friday-84-game-season-ltir

Wow.  Having the next deal in place more than a full year ahead of the due date.

Did NOT see that one coming.