NHL Players Seek Big Changes In Next CBA

The NHL's collective bargaining agreement expires after next season.

Oct 19, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) controls the puck against the Dallas Stars in the first period at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

As the season continues on, both the NHL and the NHLPA are hard at work in the background.

The current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is set to expire after next season, and with the league going through three lockouts over the past 30 years, there's always some concern when negotiations come up. According to ESPN's Emily Kaplan, though, both sides are working together and optimistic that a deal will get done sooner rather than later. With revenue and franchise valuations reaching new heights, it makes sense to keep that momentum going.

Of course, both sides want certain changes in the next CBA. For the players, increasing revenue is at the top of the list, but there are some other, more intricate ideas as well.

One point several players brought up is changing the schedule. Many advocated for a shorter preseason after players such as Patrik Laine and Drew Doughty suffered long-term injuries this season. Another idea floated was increasing the regular season from 82 to 84 games, which the NHL briefly used back in the 90s.

"Our preseason is just too long," one player said. "We're almost done with camp. Media day in the NBA was two days ago, and they finished earlier than us. It's insane. I'd take 84 games if we could start earlier."

Not everyone is on board with that idea, though. Other players believe the added workload, even just an extra two games per year, would lead to more injuries. Nothing is set in stone yet, but it seems possible there could be changes to the overall schedule.

"Hockey is a tough contact sport. Playing those two extra games could be the difference between having a guy in the playoffs or losing him," one player said. "Also the wear and tear on your body. You may not notice it after two games, but it all adds up. I don't think it's a good idea."

On a similar note, players advocated for the playoff format to return to the typical 1-8 seeding by conference. However, Kaplan notes that there haven't been any substantial talks of this proposal amongst the board of governors, but a push from the players could potentially change that.

"A lot of guys would like to see that change, myself included," one player said.

Other player proposals are on the table as well, and as CBA negotiations carry on, it will be fascinating to watch changes may come.

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