American Hockey League and Professional Hockey Players’ Association ratify CBA

The American Hockey League’s Board of Governors and Professional Hockey Players’ Association’s full membership have ratified a collective bargaining agreement that ensures labor peace in the top layers of the sport in North America for the foreseeable future.

The AHL and PHPA announced the final step in the process Wednesday. The CBA, like that of the NHL and ECHL, is good through the summer of 2030.

“We have long had a positive relationship with our players and we look forward to continuing to work with the PHPA so that the league and our players can grow and prosper for years to come,” AHL president and CEO Scott Howson said.

The AHL agreement came together with little consternation, unlike the ECHL negotiations that led to a two-day strike out of the league’s holiday break in December. The ECHL and PHPA then worked out a CBA of their own, after 28 games had been postponed.

The AHL, the top developmental league that feeds into the NHL, is in the middle of its 90th season.

“This agreement delivers important gains for our members while providing long-term certainty across the league,” PHPA executive director Brian Ramsay said. “This was a collaborative and disciplined bargaining process that resulted in a strong agreement for our membership.”

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