The NHL and players' association reached a memorandum of understanding on a return-to-play plan and a four-year extension of the current collective bargaining agreement, the league announced Monday.
The deal must now be ratified by the NHL's board of governors and the union's executive board followed by the full NHLPA membership. If ratified, the CBA will run through the 2025-26 campaign. The review and approval process will take place over the next few days, the league adds.
Training camps will begin July 13, and teams will travel to their respective hub cities July 26 before the qualifying round starts Aug. 1.
Edmonton and Toronto are expected to be named the hub cities, with the former reportedly hosting the conference finals and Stanley Cup Final.
The following details of the tentative agreement were reported by TSN's Frank Seravalli on Saturday:
- Any player wishing to opt out of the league's return plan can do so without facing any discipline.
- The salary cap upper limit will be frozen at $81.5 million until hockey-related revenue hits $4.8 billion - the amount projected for the current season before the pandemic.
- NHLers will participate in the Beijing (2022) and Milan (2026) Olympics pending an agreement with the IOC.
- Escrow for players will be capped at 20% next season, and that total will dip to 6% by 2025-26.
- Players will defer 10% of salary and signing bonuses next season, which will be paid back in three installments in 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26.
- All no-trade and no-move clauses will follow players to their new teams if they are dealt, even if the clause hasn't kicked in yet.
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