Jun 4, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Nationwide Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman speaks to the media earlier than sport one of many 2025 Stanley Cup Remaining between the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place. Necessary Credit score: Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Photographs The NHL’s common season might even see a rise from 82 to 84 video games for the 2026-27 season, a number of media retailers reported on Wednesday, because the league and the gamers’ affiliation negotiate the schedule change throughout their collective bargaining settlement discussions.
An imbalanced variety of division video games in opposition to rivals, which draw extra followers to the video games or watching on their TVs at dwelling, has brought on some franchises to hunt schedule alterations.
Including a pair of video games would not change the format that has each workforce visiting all different golf equipment at the very least as soon as a season, however it could permit all division rivals to face off 4 instances per season. Different schedule adjustments reportedly even have been mentioned.
Per ESPN, gamers are involved about sporting down with two extra video games within the common season, however the NHL is predicted to scale back the variety of preseason video games if it switches to an 84-game slate.
This would not be the primary time the league applied an 84-game schedule. From 1992-94, the NHL and NHLPA agreed that each workforce would play a pair of video games at a impartial web site within the expanded slate.
Among the many different matters on the CBA talks are addressing how groups use the long-term injured reserve wage cap exemption. Groups have applied the exemption late within the common season, then introduced again gamers in time for the beginning of the playoffs. One answer on the desk is requiring playoff groups to adjust to the cap for his or her energetic gamers, even when the general roster has exceeded it.
An settlement on a brand new CBA, with the present model set to run out on Sept. 15, 2026, seems to be getting nearer. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman reportedly reviewed the talks Wednesday on the board of governors assembly, although no vote was held.
“We began a little bit bit later than we had anticipated for a wide range of causes on each side, so I haven’t got an announcement to make right now that we’ve a deal,” Bettman mentioned earlier than Sport 1 of the Stanley Cup Remaining between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers. “Now we have greater than a yr to go, and I feel we’re in a extremely good place when it comes to our relationship.”
–Area Stage Media
