The NHL completed a new collective bargaining agreement with the NHLPA that runs through 2029-30. The deal was finished more than a year before the current CBA expires.
Gary Bettman pushed through the agreement, positioning the league for at least 17 years of labor peace. That’s a shift for a commissioner who once canceled an entire season and lost half of another due to work stoppages.
The timing looks good compared to other major sports leagues.
The NBA’s recent CBA appears to have created problems. Punitive salary aprons haven’t just prevented big-market teams from hoarding stars. They’ve also made it nearly impossible for championship teams like the Nuggets and Celtics to retain homegrown talent.
Making it easier for teams to keep their own players was supposed to be the whole idea.
Major League Baseball faces potential issues when their current CBA expires next year. There are concerns that commissioner Rob Manfred wants to bring in a salary cap on behalf of team owners.
Baseball has the widest payroll disparities of major North American leagues. Some small-budget teams take millions in revenue-sharing from big spenders and simply save it rather than invest in competitive rosters.
The NHLPA’s willingness to reach a deal without much fuss suggests the players are satisfied. The salary cap is expected to rise significantly in coming seasons after years of staying flat or barely increasing.
Bettman and the owners could have put pressure on the players. They could have claimed financial hardship and locked out players before the 2026-27 season.
Teams often save money during a lockout by not paying players. While avoiding a work stoppage is a low bar, at least the NHL cleared it this time.
Ongoing Concerns
The success of the relocated Utah Hockey Club underscores how odd it was for Bettman to stick by Phoenix through years of poor ownership and attendance. The 4 Nations Face-Off offered a reminder of what was lost by pulling NHL players out of the last two Olympic Games.
The NHL playoff format feels more stale every year. Bettman’s insistence on first-round division matchups creates predictable matchups like Edmonton versus Los Angeles.
The league may follow through on rumored expansion plans. Adding more games and additional playoff elements to an already packed schedule would be problematic.
As part of the new CBA, the NHL is reportedly expected to move to an 84-game regular-season schedule in 2026-27.
The owners may have wanted to complete this agreement quickly so they could begin seeking lucrative expansion fees. Crucially, they don’t have to share those fees with players.
Instead of an upcoming season dominated by talk about CBA negotiations and possible work stoppages, everyone can focus on hockey. Training camps will open with discussions about whether Connor McDavid will leave the Oilers and how the Canadiens will compare to the Maple Leafs.
The NHL will roll on. For that, Bettman deserves some appreciation.
