NHL, NHLPA ratify collective bargaining agreement through 2029-30 season

TORONTO — The NHL’s Board of Governors and the NHL Players’ Association membership have ratified a four-year collective bargaining agreement through the 2029-30 season, the two sides announced Tuesday.

In a joint statement, the league and the union said details of the agreement will be available at a later date.

The ratification was expected after the NHL and NHLPA announced June 27 in Los Angeles that they had agreed on a memorandum of understanding.

The agreement, which kicks in for the 2026-27 season, is widely reported to include an 84-game regular-season schedule, up from 82 games.

A reduction in the maximum contract length by a year and a playoff salary cap are other changes expected to be included in the new deal.

The league and union had characterized negotiations toward the new CBA as positive, a far cry from the boardroom strife that has gripped the sport in the past and led to several work stoppages, including a lockout that doomed the entire 2004-05 campaign.

“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,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. “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.”

NHLPA Executive Director Marty Walsh had said previously that he was pleased with the four-year scope of the CBA, as it allows more players to have the opportunity to be involved in the bargaining process than a longer agreement does.

“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,” Walsh said in a statement.

“We could not have achieved this outcome without the involvement and support of our players.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 8, 2025.