NHL and NHLPA officially ratify new CBA, move to 84 game schedule

The NHL and the NHLPA have officially ratified a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that will bring unprecedented labor peace to hockey through 2029-30.

“The partnership between the Players’ Association and the League is stronger than it ever has been and working together under this agreement presents a fantastic opportunity to continue to grow the game,” said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. “We are grateful to the Board of Governors for its support of this agreement that strengthens our game and ensures we are collectively delivering a great fan experience in the years to come.”

“This CBA shows what can be accomplished when the NHL and the Union work together – an agreement that will allow for the continued worldwide growth of the game. That is a win for everyone,” said Marty Walsh, NHLPA Executive Director. “We could not have achieved this outcome without the involvement and support of our players. Special thanks to our Executive Board and Negotiating Committee.”

Interestingly enough, there are some pretty significant changes coming to the league as a result of this new agreement.

The league will move from an 82 game to an 84 game regular season starting in the 2026-27 season, giving owners one more home game per season. There's some speculation that pre-season schedules will be reduced, but no official word yet on that.

The 8 year maximum contracts are now reduced to 7 years when a team re-signs a player and reduced from 7 ears to 6 years when signing as a free agent. That's a major win for owners and GM's.

The biggest change though, no doubt, is that all teams must be salary cap compliant for the playoffs. This means that what the likes of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers have pulled off in recent seasons is no longer possible.

So... if you're sitting here and thinking, "Well what do the players get? Thee rules all seem to favor the league and the owners."

Well... they get to wear sweats on gameday....

The league has removed the gameday dress code for players.

Big whoop...

Near as I can tell that's about all the players gain from this new agreement.