Headlines

  • Kings’ Anže Kopitar Wins 2024-25 Lady Byng Trophy
  • Ducks Acquire Chris Kreider From Rangers
  • Multiple Teams Interested In Sabres’ Bowen Byram
  • Mario Lemieux-Led Group Interested In Stake In Penguins
  • Cale Makar Wins 2025 Norris Trophy
  • Blue Jackets Expected To Pursue Mitch Marner
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • MLB Trade Rumors
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors

Pro Hockey Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • Atlantic
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Central
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Dallas Stars
      • Minnesota Wild
      • Nashville Predators
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Utah Mammoth
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • Metropolitan
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Pacific
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Partners
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Latest On Return To Play And CBA Talks

June 19, 2020 at 11:50 am CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

Negotiating through all of the safety and logistical challenges as the NHL and NHLPA attempt to finalize the framework for the NHL’s final two phases of their Return to Play plan is difficult enough.  Adding in a CBA extension only makes it that much tougher but as Pierre LeBrun reports in his latest column for The Athletic (subscription required), that is indeed what the two sides are working on.

In fact, LeBrun notes that the two elements (final plans for the NHL’s return plus a CBA Memo of Understanding) could very well be presented as a package deal to the players before the end of the month.

The main reason for this would appear to be the salary cap.  With the expected drop in revenue for the remainder of this season plus next year as attendance will likely take a dip, escrow is expected to rise considerably.  The two sides are believed to be negotiating a fixed percentage with the hopes that as fans are able to return and a new television agreement in the United States is worked out, any lingering ‘debt’ to get the revenue split back to 50/50 will be paid off over time.  Salary deferrals are also on the table.

In terms of shorter-term issues, LeBrun adds that the sides are working on an opt-out provision that would allow players who are uncomfortable with returning to sit out the postseason.  It would almost certainly come with some sort of financial hit – perhaps forfeiture of their final regular season pay which has still not been resolved and/or not getting a playoff pool share – but the option to sit out would be there.

If a CBA vote is indeed required, it would require all NHLPA members to vote on it.  Conversely, in the previous votes on Return to Play protocols, only team representatives were included.  Needing the rubber staff from the full membership will take several days at a minimum to complete and with this being tied in with plans on the next phase (slated to start July 10th), time is starting to become of the essence, especially with a new Critical Dates calendar needed by the end of the month.  To that end, talks are expected to continue daily until an agreement is reached.

In the meantime, an announcement is expected on the two hub cities by next week with a previous report saying that it could come as soon as Monday.  Once that occurs, some more details for the third phase can start to be finalized.  Despite an uptick in recent positive COVID-19 tests, Vegas is still believed to be a front-runner while the Canadian Press reported late Thursday that a path has been cleared for a Canadian host city to bypass the current 14-day quarantine requirement which increases the odds that Toronto, Edmonton, or Vancouver will have an opportunity to be a hub.  As TSN’s Bob McKenzie noted in the latest Insider Trading segment, the NHL’s preference is to have hub city host teams play in the other hub to avoid any possible home ice advantage, that’s only possible if each conference has one hub.

There has been a lot of progress made in recent weeks as the two sides work their way towards a resumption of play but there is also a lot that still needs to be accomplished over the next few weeks for that to happen.

Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email

CBA| Coronavirus

Pacific Notes: Eriksson, Reaves, Richardson
Main
Metropolitan Notes: Palmieri, Thurkauf, Penguins
View Comments (0)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

    Top Stories

    Kings’ Anže Kopitar Wins 2024-25 Lady Byng Trophy

    Ducks Acquire Chris Kreider From Rangers

    Multiple Teams Interested In Sabres’ Bowen Byram

    Mario Lemieux-Led Group Interested In Stake In Penguins

    Cale Makar Wins 2025 Norris Trophy

    Blue Jackets Expected To Pursue Mitch Marner

    Stars Reportedly Open To Trading Jason Robertson

    Canadiens’ Lane Hutson Wins 2025 Calder Trophy

    Capitals’ T.J. Oshie Announces Retirement From NHL

    Full 2025 NHL Draft Order

    Recent

    Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck Wins 2025 Vezina and Hart Trophies

    Kraken Fire Assistant Coach Bob Woods

    Free Agent Focus: New York Rangers

    Predators’ Jonathan Marchessault Generating Trade Interest

    2025 NHL Offseason Trades

    Michael DiPietro Generating Interest

    These Players Are The Best Value In The NHL

    Magnus Hellberg Signs With SHL’s Djurgårdens IF

    Kings’ Anže Kopitar Wins 2024-25 Lady Byng Trophy

    Ducks Acquire Chris Kreider From Rangers

    Rumors By Team

    Rumors By Team

    • Avalanche Rumors
    • Blackhawks Rumors
    • Blue Jackets Rumors
    • Blues Rumors
    • Bruins Rumors
    • Canadiens Rumors
    • Canucks Rumors
    • Capitals Rumors
    • Devils Rumors
    • Ducks Rumors
    • Flames Rumors
    • Flyers Rumors
    • Golden Knights Rumors
    • Hurricanes Rumors
    • Islanders Rumors
    • Jets Rumors
    • Kings Rumors
    • Kraken Rumors
    • Lightning Rumors
    • Mammoth Rumors
    • Maple Leafs Rumors
    • Oilers Rumors
    • Panthers Rumors
    • Penguins Rumors
    • Predators Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Red Wings Rumors
    • Sabres Rumors
    • Senators Rumors
    • Sharks Rumors
    • Stars Rumors
    • Wild Rumors

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Sam Bennett Rumors
    • Nikolaj Ehlers Rumors
    • Mitch Marner Rumors
    • Marco Rossi Rumors

    Pro Hockey Rumors Features

    Pro Hockey Rumors Features

    • Support Pro Hockey Rumors And Go Ad-Free
    • 2025 Free Agent Focus Series
    • 2025 Offseason Checklist Series
    • 2025 NHL Free Agent List
    • 2026 NHL Free Agent List
    • Active Roster Tracker
    • Coaching Staff Directory
    • Draft Order 2025
    • Offseason Trade Tracker
    • Pro Hockey Rumors On X
    • Pro Hockey Rumors Polls
    • Waiver Claims 2024-25

     

     

     

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives

    PHR Info

    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Commenting Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

    scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version