Don’t Expect A Shutdown When Next CBA is Negotiated

Relations Between NHL and NHLPA Are Good Don’t Expect a Shutdown

Elliotte Friedman joined Sirius XM NHL Network Radio with Gord Stellick and Scott Laughlin. When asked if NHL-NHLPA relations were good, Friedman said he expects that when the next CBA, which expires in two years, is negotiated, he does not see anything shutting down the League.

** NHLRumors.com transcription

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Gord Stellick: “You know, one thing that came up people wonder what does the NHL Players Association do in between collective bargaining agreements and here we saw with a new executive director they’re expressing their concern about the Arizona situation for hockey related revenue reasons and what have you. So we’re two years away from a new CBA and any, again, I’ll use that word any sense of the temperature there about is not going to be the stress of a COVID world having to come up with it but where we might be there as far as NHL, NHLPA relations go.”

Elliotte Friedman: “Well, you know what I think? I think the one thing to me that I look back on about this whole thing that was really interesting is Marty Walsh had some pretty pointed comments about Arizona at the All Star Game and Bettman didn’t fire back.

Either he was I agree this is crazy or he was just like, you know what, you know, cuz in the past if things like that would have happened he would have said something. Now, the one thing I really believe this is Gordo is that when the Players were looking for a new executive director, they weren’t looking for a fight. They were looking for someone who could make a good deal with them, but they weren’t looking for Armageddon.

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And to be honest, look the numbers are good this year. The revenues are good, and players are going to get money and escrow money back because the revenues are so good. If that’s the case, I don’t see anything here that is going to shut down the league.

Especially the Canadian TV deals are up, the TV deal is up in two which coincides with the end of the CBA. Obviously, there have been things in the past salary cap getting into 50/50 that have turned out to be things that the League have shut down for.

I mean, I could be totally wrong; I’ve been wrong before, but I just don’t see anything here that’s worth a shutdown.”