NHL, NHLPA reach labor peace and sign four-year CBA

LOS ANGELES — The NHL has achieved labor peace in our time. 

The league and the NHLPA announced Friday morning that a memorandum of understanding has been signed on a four-year collective bargaining agreement beginning in the 2026-27 season, with ratification on both sides still needed before things are completely final. 

Both sides declined to confirm specific details at a press conference Friday morning, citing the need for ratification, but it’s been widely reported the NHL will expand to an 84-game regular season, with the preseason being shortened in return. 

“That’s certainly one of the things that was a topic of discussion,” commissioner Gary Bettman said.

Per The Athletic’s Chris Johnston, the CBA also includes a reduction of max contracts to seven years when a player is re-signing and six years for free agents, the elimination of deferred salary and salary cap enforcement during the playoffs. 

Unlike past CBA negotiations, this one appears to have been relatively smooth sailing, with Bettman and NHLPA head Marty Walsh praising the way both sides worked together in a press conference Friday morning before the draft. 

“We started the conversation in end of March, early April. As Gary framed it, very good meetings,” Walsh said. “Didn’t agree on everything, but no major blowouts in the room. We just talked about keeping it in front of us moving forward.” 

The exact timing for ratification was left unsaid, but the mere fact that a press conference with both sides was held Friday indicates that is not expected to be a stumbling block. 

The four-year length of the CBA was a priority for the PA, Walsh said. The league was happy to oblige. 

“I just think it’s important, for longer-term contracts, you have players in the league that play that have never gone through negotiations,” Walsh said. “We have some players that came into this league under the last agreement and retired under the last agreement. They have had a chance to really express their collective bargaining opinions or rights.” 

No additional details were revealed about the 2026 Olympic kickoff event at UBS Arena or the 2027 All-Star weekend that will also take place on Long Island. 

Deputy commissioner Bill Daley repeated that this year will be an “entertainment event” that includes players, and there will be an on-ice event at UBS in 2027; however, the exact format of either is not yet clear.