NHL/NHLPA Considers 84-Game, Shortened Preseason – Hockey Writers – NHL News

On Tuesday (Oct. 1), it was revealed that the NHL & NHLPA have been discussing changes to the season schedule as Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations are expected to begin.

According to Pierre Lebrun, a reliable NHL insider, the two sides have discussed shortening the preseason to just four games and increasing the total number of games in the regular season from 82 to 84.

The NHL and NHLPA are already discussing it and will do so seriously in the CBA negotiations: reduce the preseason to 4 games (and add 2 games to the regular season to make it 84).
That's the idea anyway. We'll see where it goes in the CBA talks.

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) October 2, 2024

As previously reported, the NHL & NHLPA are expected to begin negotiations on a new CBA in early 2025. Commissioner Gary Bettman said:

We will probably start having more discussions with the Players' Association after the start of the year….we said it might be November, but I think everyone still has homework to do. He knows that the union is on its way to collapse, so there is no problem. It's just, I think, about time, that's probably more realistic. It's still good, it's still early, and we think collectively, relationship-wise, we're in a good place.

The NHL, NHLPA are expected to begin negotiations on a new CBA in early 2025 – David Satriano – NHL.Com – 10/01/2024

The current CBA expires on Sept. 15, 2026. The current CBA, which was approved on Jan. 2013, was scheduled to expire on Sep. 15, 2022, but was extended back to 2020 and is now just under two years away from expiring. .

As the 2024-25 season approaches, be sure to stay tuned Hockey Writers as your source for news from the NHL and the world of hockey.