A new four-year extension to the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement will keep labor peace in place through the 2029-30 season. Reached ahead of the 2025 NHL Draft, the deal requires ratification by both team owners and the NHL Players’ Association. Reported changes include expanding the regular season to 84 games while trimming the preseason to four. Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA Executive Director Marty Walsh praised the cooperative tone of negotiations, marking a rare early agreement in a league that’s experienced three lockouts in 30 years.
See "NHL, NHLPA reach terms on labor pact that goes through 2029-30 season", Frank Pingue, Reuters, June 27, 2025