There won’t be a lockout for at least another three seasons

As NHL fans, we know all too well that there’s always the looming threat of a lockout around the corner. Today, we got some good news on that front. According to Chris Johnston, the NHL Players’ Association has decided not to opt-out of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, ensuring there won’t be a work stoppage for at least three more seasons.

The current CBA was agreed upon back in January of 2013 after the first half of the 2012-13 was lost to a lockout. The deal was for 10 years, which was the longest in league history, but it featured an opt-out clause in September 2019 which would have resulted in the CBA getting cancelled after the 2019-20 season. Of course, that would have likely resulted in another lockout. Bullet dodged.

This is a great thing for the fans and for the growth of the league. That being said, it’s somewhat surprising the players are opting to allow their cut of the Seattle expansion fees and the league’s next major television deal to be done on the same terms that currently exist. I’m no expert on these types of things, but I would imagine that the logic on the side of the NHLPA is that major revenue from Seattle and the next TV deal will drive down escrow, ensuring the players get the largest percentage possible of their contracts. Check out this article for an explanation of escrow in the NHL and why it’s an issue. 

Given that the current agreement leans advantageous to the owners, I wonder if the players are getting some kind of under-the-radar kickback here. My guess, and this is purely speculation, is that the players sought for the league to allow them to participate in the 2022 Olympics. There was a large outcry in 2018 when players were barred from participating in Pyeongchang in which multiple players spoke out against the league. Remember, a lot of the NHLPA’s voice is the league’s top players who would be potentially playing in the Olympics.

Regardless, this is excellent news for the league and its fans. It would be horrendous for the league to have even a part-time work stoppage in 2020-21 as it would represent the third lockout in just a decade-and-a-half. Now we can sit back and enjoy the next couple of seasons before this becomes a concern again in a couple of years.