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Leagues and Governing Bodies

NHL, NHLPA Finalizing CBA To Ensure Labor Peace Through '25-26

The NHL and the NHLPA "inched closer" to finalizing a new CBA that, if ratified, "would guarantee labor peace through at least the 2025-26 season," according to Kevin Paul Dupont of the BOSTON GLOBE. If the pact is approved by the union's 900-plus rank-and-file members this week, players of 24 NHL clubs "would report to training camps July 13, a major step toward an Aug. 1 resumption of the season." All clubs "would be obligated to leave their local training camps and be in their designated hub cities by July 26." When games "finally resume five days later, per the working plan, fans would not be allowed entrance." Provided the playoffs "remain on track, a Stanley Cup champion would be crowned -- in Edmonton, site of the Cup Final series -- during the first week of October." The '20-21 season, the first under the proposed new and extended CBA, "most likely would not start until mid-December at the earliest, and could be delayed until Jan. 1." Even if the "ambitious return-to-play plan has to be scuttled in the next few days or weeks, the reworked and extended CBA would be an important achievement for a league that has seen more than its share of work stoppages" (BOSTON GLOBE, 7/6).

MORE DETAILS OF NEW CBA: SPORTSNET's Elliotte Friedman reported the updated CBA will "carry through 2025-26, although there is a provision for a one-year extension if more than $125 million in escrow is owed to the league."  The salary cap for '20-21 will be $81.5M, and the league and union are "talking about keeping it there until revenues hit $4.8 billion." Once that occurs, the two parties will "use the two years prior to calculate the cap number -- meaning the 2022-23 ceiling will be based on 2020-21 revenues." Here are some other highlights of the deal:

  • The cap on escrow is 20% for '20-21, dropping to 14-18% in '21-22 and then 10% in '22-23 "with a maximum of six per cent over the remaining term."
  • Olympic participation in '22 and '26 "is guaranteed pending agreement with the IOC."
  • This year’s playoff fund will be doubled to $32M because "more teams are eligible and players are coming into a bubble during a pandemic."
  • The minimum player salary "will rise to $750,000 next season and reach $800,000 by the end of this deal" (SPORTSNET.ca, 7/3).

TERMS FOR RETURN TO PLAY: The AP's Stephen Whyno reported any player has until 5:00pm ET tomorrow to "notify his team if he's choosing to opt out of participating in training camp and games, with an additional deadline expected after ratification" of the CBA. The protocols include a provision for NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman in consultation with NHLPA Exec Dir Don Fehr to "postpone, delay or cancel games in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak." Returning for the playoffs is "seen as a stirring victory for the NHL." There were "deep concerns about canceling the rest of the season and word of positive tests didn't help: 26 players since June 8, in addition to almost a dozen before that" (AP, 7/5).

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