NHL CBA Talks Resume

By Kenton Wolfe

The NHL owners and NHL Players Association have resumed talks for drafting a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Officially locking its players out Sept. 15, the NHL owners, led Commissioner Gary Bettman have demanded the NHLPA take a smaller percentage of the league’s revenue. Under the current CBA, the salary cap is 57 per cent of the league revenue, calculated yearly. Owners seek to have that percentage drop to 43 per cent of all hockey-related revenue.

NHL insider and TSN employee Craig Button said Sept. 27 he expects the lockout to end in the next two weeks. With the planned NHL schedule to begin Oct. 11, a deal would need to be reached in the first week of October for the season to start on time. The preseason has already been cancelled.

The lockout is the second in the last seven year and the third in Bettman’s regime as commissioner, which began in 1993.