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It’s not exactly the era-defining rules overhaul that came out of the 2004-05 lockout, but a new collective bargaining agreement between the National Hockey League and Players’ Association is making some significant changes to the upcoming season.
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Set to go into effect on Sept. 16, the four-year CBA will tweak how business is done, alter the schedule, and bring in new on-ice protocol.
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Let’s break it all down.
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Pre-season schedule
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Not a single fan has ever advocated for more meaningless hockey, and the NHL is finally realizing that.
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Starting this year, teams will play four pre-season games, down from six.
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The Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens are the only franchises that will play five, as they are meeting in Trois Rivières for Kraft Hockeyville on Sept. 21. Ottawa will play two split-squad games on Sept. 23 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and two more split-squad games against the Habs on Sept. 26.
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Pre-season rosters
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Veterans — defined as players who have appeared in 100 NHL games — will play a maximum of two pre-season games (presumably, the Senators and Canadiens can play the likes of Tim Stutzle and Nick Suzuki three games due to their unique schedule). Additionally, eight such players must be dressed for each pre-season game.
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Further tightening the regulations around training camp, players who have appeared in 50 NHL games will take part in a maximum of 13 practice days.
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Regular season schedule
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For the first time since 1993-94, teams will play 84 regular-season games this season. It’s only the third time in league history with a schedule this long.
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Eighty-four games will mean division rivals are now guaranteed to meet four times.
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Unlike the vast majority of the rest of the league, the Senators’ slate of home games will not increase, as they are taking part in the NHL Global Series again. The Sens will be in Düsseldorf, Germany, for two neutral-site games against the Chicago Blackhawks on Dec. 18 and 20.
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EBUG
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The stories of Scott Foster, the accountant, and David Ayres, the Zamboni driver, will not be recreated under the new CBA.
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Instead of emergency backup goaltenders being the responsibility of the home team and available to either squad on the ice any given night, each franchise must actually employ its own EBUG and bring them on the road, too.
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These goaltenders must not have played an NHL game under a standard contract, appeared in more than 80 professional games or played pro hockey in the past three years.
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While Ottawa has not announced an EBUG signing yet, the Minnesota Wild have inked former ECHL goaltender Peter Thome and the Winnipeg Jets have brought back a former Manitoba Moose goaltender in Cole Kehler.
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