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By Pat Evans
The NHL and NHL Players Association agreed on a package Friday that approved the season restart plan as well as a four-year extension to its collective bargaining agreement. The league is now moving forward with a 24-team restart that begins Aug. 1 in Edmonton and Toronto. Training camps begin today.
New NHL Dates
Sept. 22: 2020 Stanley Cup Final begins, ending no later than Oct. 4. Free agency begins seven days after the Final ends.
Oct. 9-10: 2020 NHL Draft
Nov. 17: 2020-21 training camps begin
Dec. 1: 2020-21 season begins
Key CBA Takeaways
— The CBA was slated to expire September 2022; the extension eliminates the concern there would be another work stoppage. There have been three under NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.
— The salary cap will remain at $81.5 million until league revenue rebounds to $4.8 billion – the projected revenue for this season before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
— NHL players will participate in the Olympics again in 2022 and 2026. Players also agreed to defer 10% of their salaries next year that will be repaid in installments from 2022 to 2025.
— The minimum salary was raised from $700,000 to $750,000 starting in 2021, then up to $775,000 in 2023.
