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NHL, NHLPA Set Plan for CBA Talks

The NHL and the NHLPA are ready to open talks of a new CBA with the current one set to expire after the 2025-26 season.

Nick Horwat

Feb 22, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; NHL commissioner Gary Bettman speaks during media availabilities before the Los Angeles Kings play against the Utah Hockey Club at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Feb 22, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; NHL commissioner Gary Bettman speaks during media availabilities before the Los Angeles Kings play against the Utah Hockey Club at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The NHL is nearing the end of its current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the NHL Players Association (NHLPA) with the 2025-26 season serving as the final year. With the NHL growing at a rapid rate and the league no longer in escrow following the COVID-19 pandemic, things are looking up for the league when new CBA talks commence.

According to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, those conversations are set to kick off in just a couple of weeks. At the NHL General Manager’s Meetings, Bettman stated that the NHL and NHLPA will meet during the first week of April to begin talks of a new CBA.

Plenty of topics are going to be on the agenda with the new CBA, casting a wide net across hockey. Some game-play stuff like rule changes or adjustments to the format could be on the table. The idea of extending overtime past five minutes and a new way to look at goalie interference could be at the forefront of those talks.

Debates regarding extra protection like neck guards is also going to be a prominent topic. Various leagues around the world have started to mandate neck protection following the tragic death of Adam Johnson in 2023.

New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald stated he plans on mandating neck guards for his team following a close call involving his son at the American Hockey League level.

The NHL and NHLPA have a good relationship right now and a new CBA shouldn’t be a huge hurdle to cross.

"I'm hoping we can do this quickly, quietly and painlessly,” Bettman said on the upcoming talks.

There are sure to be debates and disagreements, but getting talks started a year ahead of time shows that the league is in a good place and the odds of another lockout are extremely low.

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Nick Horwat
NICK HORWAT

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