NHL plans to begin next CBA discussions with NHLPA in April

Credit: Oct 14, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; NHL commissioner Gary Bettman gives a press conference before the game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

It’s looking like a new collective bargaining agreement could be on the horizon, well before the current one ends.

When speaking to the media on Wednesday, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman revealed that the league and the NHL Players’ Association will begin discussions about the next CBA in the first week of April.

Gary Bettman says the #NHL plans to sit down with the #NHLPA to begin CBA discussions in the first week of April.

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) March 19, 2025

Bettman stated that he hopes everything will go smoothly once negotiations will go smoothly.

“I’m hoping we can do this quickly, quietly and painlessly,” Bettman said.

The current CBA is going to end in September 2026.

Unlike previous CBA talks, which have led to three lockouts under Bettman’s tenure with the league, there is widespread hope that discussions are going to be peaceful and less tedious. Initially, Bettman was hoping the talks would begin earlier, with a potential expectation they could be wrapped up before the Stanley Cup Final. However, the updated timeline might lead to negotiations carrying into the summer.

There are many potential points of emphasis that both the league and NHLPA will bring to the table, including the cap on escrow payments by the players as the salary cap is projected to grow over the next few seasons.

Other discussions that could arise include the shortening of the preseason and possibly adding games to the regular season. An 84-game regular season, which the league tried out after the players strike in 1992, is up for debate amongst fans and critics.

On top of the future CBA talks, Bettman was asked about the possibility of extending the 3-on-3 overtime. That speculation came after the entertaining extra-time battles during the 4 Nations Face-Off last month. However, the commissioner is “not a fan” of adding more overtime, citing concerns of deteriorating ice conditions and more wear and tear on players who keep getting carted out to find the game-winning goal.