NHL, NHLPA ratify new collective bargaining agreement through 2029-30 campaign

HockeyThe 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.Sides say partnership is ‘stronger than it ever has been’ in joint statementThe Canadian Press · Posted: Jul 08, 2025 1:07 PM EDT | Last Updated: 6 hours agoNHLPA head Marty Walsh, left, and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman are seen shaking hands on June 27 after the sides announced a tentative collective bargaining agreement. The new CBA was ratified Tuesday. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)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.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.”