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The battle for No. 1 in the NBA Power Rankings is on.

The Golden State Warriors, winners of seven straight games, take their league-best 18-2 record into Tuesday night’s Western Conference showdown with the Phoenix Suns.

Phoenix, meanwhile, hasn’t lost in over a month and is one win shy of matching the franchise record of 17 straight victories.

Elsewhere in the NBA, the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks are looking like themselves again and have successfully broken out of the Eastern Conference play-in race. Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks have won seven straight ahead of a Wednesday night meeting with LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets.

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are back to .500, the injury-riddled Denver Nuggets continue to slide in the West standings and the Memphis Grizzlies prepare for a stretch without star guard Ja Morant, who suffered a sprained left knee on Friday.

Where do all 30 teams stand in the final rankings of November?

Note: Throughout the regular season, our panel (Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Nick Friedell, Andrew Lopez, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin and Ohm Youngmisuk) is ranking all 30 teams from top to bottom, taking stock of which teams are playing the best basketball now and which teams are looking most like title contenders.

1. Golden State Warriors
2021-22 record: 18-2
Previous ranking: 1

The Warriors are 18-2. Klay Thompson appears to be just a few more weeks away from returning. Stephen Curry is playing like he’s on track to win the third MVP award of his career. Draymond Green continues to play like he’s headed to another Defensive Player of the Year award. They have a chance to snap Phoenix’s 16-game winning streak on Tuesday and will see the Suns again on Friday night. Everything is looking up for Steve Kerr and his talented roster right now. — Friedell

This week: @PHX, PHX, SA


2. Phoenix Suns
2021-22 record: 17-3
Previous ranking: 2

With one more win, the Suns would tie their franchise record with 17 consecutive victories. They’ll get the chance on Tuesday night against the only team in the league with as many wins as the Suns have this season — the Warriors. Phoenix’s 16-game streak is also tied for the third-longest win streak in NBA history for a team that lost in the NBA Finals the previous season. — Lopez

This week: GS, DET, @DET


3. Brooklyn Nets
2021-22 record: 14-6
Previous ranking: 3

Brooklyn is a team that can be viewed in a couple different ways. Good: The Nets have the NBA’s third-best record, the East’s best record and Kevin Durant and James Harden are healthy. Bad: They’ve had three games against the other elite teams in the NBA this season — Milwaukee, Golden State and Phoenix — and have been thoroughly beaten in all of them. — Bontemps

This week: NY, MIN, CHI


4. Milwaukee Bucks
2021-22 record: 13-8
Previous ranking: 9

The Bucks look like one of the powers in the Eastern Conference once again. They’ve won seven consecutive games, thanks to the best defensive efficiency in the NBA during that span, and they are still undefeated (9-0) this season when Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday are all in the starting lineup. Milwaukee has benefited from playing some soft competition recently, so hosting the Hornets and Heat this week should provide a better measuring stick. — Collier

This week: CHA, @TOR, MIA


5. Miami Heat
2021-22 record: 13-7
Previous ranking: 6

Playing without Tyler Herro, the Heat earned a strong win over the Bulls on Saturday night, thanks in part to the 20 points that Gabe Vincent poured in off the bench. Miami has another showdown with the Bucks coming up on Saturday night, but it has to feel good about the way things are going — especially with the way the defense continues to come together behind Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. — Friedell

This week: DEN, CLE, @IND, @MIL


6. Utah Jazz
2021-22 record: 13-7
Previous ranking: 5

It wasn’t a good week for the Jazz, who blew late leads in home losses to the Grizzlies and Pelicans. “This is not who we are,” Donovan Mitchell said after Friday’s loss to New Orleans, during which he was 6-of-21 from the floor days after going 5-of-20 against Memphis. “We have to be better. I have to be better. We have to start moving the ball or this is going to be who we are.” Utah responded by blowing out the Pelicans in a rematch the next night. — MacMahon

This week: POR, BOS, @CLE


7. Chicago Bulls
2021-22 record: 13-8
Previous ranking: 4

The Bulls dropped three of four games last week while letting some winnable games slip by with losses to the Heat and Rockets. Despite their hot start, their half-court offense is taking some time to gel against teams that stop them from running in transition. According to pbpstats.com data, Chicago ranks 27th in offensive efficiency after field goals made by their opponent. — Collier

This week: CHA, @NY, @BKN


8. Washington Wizards
2021-22 record: 13-7
Previous ranking: 7

The Wizards bounced back after a 127-102 loss at New Orleans with two straight wins. They pulled out a two-point win at Oklahoma City before getting a quality victory at Dallas. They will look to close this road swing at San Antonio with their third straight win. Washington is also starting to get reinforcements, as Davis Bertans has returned from injury and Rui Hachimura has been ramping up slowly for a possible return in December. The Wizards continue to play much-improved defense and are still one of the biggest surprises in the East. — Youngmisuk

This week: @SA, MIN, CLE, @TOR


9. Dallas Mavericks
2021-22 record: 10-8
Previous ranking: 10

Kristaps Porzingis‘ career-long streak of seven consecutive 20-plus-point performances was snapped in Saturday’s loss to the Wizards. He was particularly pleased about being a featured act in two games against the Clippers, as opposed to being used almost solely as a spacer in last season’s playoff series. “What a contrast, right?” said Porzingis, who scored 55 points on 19-of-34 shooting as the Mavs split the two games in L.A. “Honestly, I haven’t felt like this for a while. Last time I can remember was probably [with] New York.” — MacMahon

This week: CLE, @NO, NO, MEM


10. Charlotte Hornets
2021-22 record: 13-9
Previous ranking: 13

Charlotte continues to keep things interesting each and every week. The Hornets notched a win over the Timberwolves on Friday, followed by an overtime loss to the Rockets on Saturday night. The Hornets have three more intriguing road games this week against the Bulls, Bucks and Hawks. Kelly Oubre Jr. needs to stay hot in order to give the young team its best chance this week — he’s averaging 23.7 points per game over his past three contests. — Friedell

This week: @CHI, @MIL, @ATL


11. LA Clippers
2021-22 record: 11-9
Previous ranking: 12

The Clippers are beginning to get a little healthier. Marcus Morris Sr. returned last week, and Serge Ibaka is back, although not a major part of the rotation yet. But the Clippers miss Nic Batum, who has missed the past four games while in the health and safety protocols. The Clippers are 2-2 in that stretch, and a healthy Batum might’ve made the difference in the Clippers’ 112-104 overtime loss to the Mavericks on Tuesday. They played the Warriors tough on Sunday until Steph Curry put them away in the fourth. — Youngmisuk

This week: NO, SAC, @LAL, @SAC


12. Philadelphia 76ers
2021-22 record: 10-10
Previous ranking: 11

Philadelphia got Joel Embiid back after nearly three weeks away due to COVID-19 on Saturday night, but that wasn’t enough to stop the 76ers from losing in double overtime to the Timberwolves. More important in the long run, however, is that Embiid immediately looked like he was back to normal when he took the court. — Bontemps

This week: ORL, @BOS, @ATL


13. Atlanta Hawks
2021-22 record: 11-10
Previous ranking: 18

Atlanta’s seven-game win streak ended on Saturday against the Knicks, but it was another stellar night for Clint Capela, who finished with 16 points and 21 rebounds. It was his 22nd 15-point, 15-rebound game since joining the Hawks last season, tied with Rudy Gobert for the most in that span. In his past eight games, Capela is averaging 15.1 points and 15.1 rebounds per game. — Lopez

This week: @IND, PHI, CHA


14. New York Knicks
2021-22 record: 11-9
Previous ranking: 14

As Kemba Walker continues to struggle, at some point Tom Thibodeau will have to consider making a change to his starting lineup at the point. Of course, given how poorly the Knicks’ starting group has performed overall — it has been outscored by over 15 points per 100 possessions while being the most played five-man group in the NBA — some would argue he should do so now. — Bontemps

This week: @BKN, CHI, DEN


15. Portland Trail Blazers
2021-22 record: 10-10
Previous ranking: 17

Portland opened last week with its fourth straight win, a 19-point victory over Denver. But the Blazers lost at Sacramento the next night before losing by 15 to the Warriors on Friday. They’ll complete a three-game road swing at Utah on Monday. At 10-10, Chauncey Billups’ Blazers continue to struggle to find consistency. — Youngmisuk

This week: @UTAH, DET, SA, BOS


16. Denver Nuggets
2021-22 record: 9-10
Previous ranking: 8

The Nuggets are sinking fast with injuries crippling their season. Denver has lost six straight games, the last four without MVP Nikola Jokic (wrist). The Nuggets’ injury report is packed. Sitting alongside Jokic are Jamal Murray (knee) and Michael Porter Jr. (back), who are both out indefinitely. And Denver lost valued reserve P.J. Dozier for the season to a torn ACL. The Nuggets start a seven-game road swing on Monday at Miami, where the Nuggets will face the Heat for the first time since Jokic and Markieff Morris had their run-in that resulted in a one-game suspension for Jokic. Morris hasn’t played since that game. — Youngmisuk

This week: @MIA, @ORL, @NY


17. Boston Celtics
2021-22 record: 11-10
Previous ranking: 15

Boston got a win Sunday night over the Raptors to end November over .500, giving the Celtics a little bit of momentum going into a brutal month of December. How rough will it be? The Celtics have 15 games on the schedule — and every single opponent has a record of .500 or better. — Bontemps

This week: PHI, @UTAH, @POR


18. Los Angeles Lakers
2021-22 record: 11-11
Previous ranking: 16

“I mean, it ranks right at the top with any other challenge I’ve had in my career,” LeBron James said of the Lakers’ season after Sunday’s win over Detroit. “Which actually brings out the best in me and I love that.” L.A. fans will love to see some consistency out of their team after the see-saw continued this week. — McMenamin

This week: @SAC, LAC


19. Minnesota Timberwolves
2021-22 record: 10-10
Previous ranking: 23

The Timberwolves are fresh off a victory in one of the most thrilling games of the season so far, a double-overtime road win against the 76ers that marked Minnesota’s sixth win in its past seven games — including a five-game winning streak, the team’s longest since the 2016-17 season. With a defense that is 10th in the NBA in efficiency, the Wolves seem primed for a legitimate challenge for at least a spot in the play-in tournament. It would be just Minnesota’s second postseason appearance since 2003-04. — Collier

This week: IND, @WAS, @BKN


20. Cleveland Cavaliers
2021-22 record: 10-10
Previous ranking: 19

All it took for Cleveland to snap its five-game losing streak was to have Rookie of the Year front-runner Evan Mobley return to the lineup. Mobley came back from an elbow sprain absence to put up 13 points, nine rebounds and four blocks in Saturday’s 105-92 win over the Magic. — McMenamin

This week: @DAL, @MIA, @WAS, UTAH


21. Memphis Grizzlies
2021-22 record: 10-10
Previous ranking: 21

The MRI results on franchise star Ja Morant‘s sprained left knee were a relief, but he will miss at least a few weeks. “We avoided significant injury,” coach Taylor Jenkins said before Sunday’s game against the Kings. “Basically, there’s no set timeline, just so everyone understands.” The Grizzlies managed to stay afloat when Morant missed time due to a sprained ankle last season, going 4-4 in that stretch. — MacMahon

This week: @TOR, OKC, @DAL


22. Indiana Pacers
2021-22 record: 9-13
Previous ranking: 22

The Pacers have been one of the more difficult teams in the league to gauge, and they continued their up-and-down play last week. They won comfortably on the road against the Bulls and at home against the Raptors, but had an overtime loss to the Lakers and blowout loss to the Bucks mixed in. — Collier

This week: @MIN, ATL, MIA


23. Toronto Raptors
2021-22 record: 9-12
Previous ranking: 20

Toronto got off to a 6-3 start, powered by a five-game winning streak, but the Raptors have since dropped nine of 12, including Sunday’s loss at home to the Celtics. The Raptors need to get OG Anunoby back on the court, as his absence due to injury was felt in a big way against Boston, which simply wore Toronto down. — Bontemps

This week: MEM, MIL, WAS


24. Sacramento Kings
2021-22 record: 8-13
Previous ranking: 25

Leave it to the Lakers to make the Kings feel good about themselves for a night. Losers of eight out of 10 coming into Friday night’s game in L.A., the Kings overcame a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit and seven-point hole in the first overtime to beat the Lakers in triple overtime. Something to keep an eye on: Marvin Bagley III is back in the rotation with Alvin Gentry at the helm, and is averaging 11.5 points on 81.8% shooting and 7.5 rebounds in the Kings’ past two wins. — McMenamin

This week: LAL, @LAC, LAC


25. Oklahoma City Thunder
2021-22 record: 6-13
Previous ranking: 24

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed two games last week due to a sprained right ankle and has been struggling recently. He has scored fewer than 20 points in his past five games, the first time that has happened since the end of the 2019-20 season. Gilgeous-Alexander is shooting 30.8% from the floor and 19.4% from 3-point range in this slump. — MacMahon

This week: @HOU, HOU, @MEM


26. San Antonio Spurs
2021-22 record: 5-13
Previous ranking: 26

The free throw line has not been kind to San Antonio this season. The Spurs rank last in free throws made per game and second to last in free throws attempted per game. San Antonio is also shooting a league-low 69% from the stripe. San Antonio still ranks 18th in scoring this year despite ranking last in 3-pointers made and attempted. — Lopez

This week: WAS, @POR, @GS


27. Detroit Pistons
2021-22 record: 4-16
Previous ranking: 27

The Pistons’ week was most notable for the fallout after the on-court scuffle between LeBron James and Isaiah Stewart, but Detroit has also dropped a season-high six straight games. The Pistons have had issues making shots all season and are last in the league in 3-point percentage (29.7%). — Collier

This week: @POR, @PHX


28. New Orleans Pelicans
2021-22 record: 5-17
Previous ranking: 29

In Friday night’s win over the Jazz, the Pelicans’ Willy Hernangomez hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the first half to take a lead into the break and then Devonte’ Graham nailed a 3-pointer with 1.3 seconds to go in the fourth quarter to lift New Orleans to a win. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, the Pelicans became the first team since 2013 to hit go-ahead 3-pointers in the final two seconds of each half. — Lopez

This week: @LAC, DAL, @DAL, @HOU


29. Orlando Magic
2021-22 record: 4-17
Previous ranking: 28

Orlando has dropped six straight and starts a four-game West Coast swing later this week. The good news for the Magic is that Markelle Fultz has started practicing with the team’s G League affiliate and appears to be inching closer to a return to the floor. The Magic need all the help they can get as young players Cole Anthony and Mo Bamba are dealing with injuries of their own. — Friedell

This week: @PHI, DEN, @HOU


30. Houston Rockets
2021-22 record: 3-16
Previous ranking: 30

John Wall‘s desire to play puts the franchise in the position of trying to figure out how to respect the five-time All-Star while still prioritizing the development of Kevin Porter Jr. It has been a rocky start to Porter’s first season as a full-time starting point guard, but he showed promise during the Rockets’ shocking two-game winning streak, averaging 18.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 10.5 assists in upsets of the Bulls and Hornets that came on the heels of a 15-game losing streak. — MacMahon

This week: OKC, @OKC, ORL, NO

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23XI, Front Row turn to courts to keep ’25 status

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23XI, Front Row turn to courts to keep '25 status

The two race teams suing NASCAR over antitrust allegations filed for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction Monday to be recognized as chartered organizations for the remainder of 2025.

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are locked in a lengthy legal battle over the charter system, which is the equivalent of the franchise model in other sports. 23XI, owned by retired NBA great Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, and Front Row, owned by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, last September rejected NASCAR’s final proposal on extensions and instead filed an antitrust suit.

The case is winding its way through the court system but now with urgency: The teams are set to lose their charters Wednesday and in the latest filing, they allege NASCAR has indicated it will immediately begin the process of selling the six tags that guarantee entry into every race as well as monetary rewards and other benefits.

Should the teams have their six combined charters revoked, the drivers would have to qualify on speed to make each week’s race and would receive a smaller percentage of the purse. They might also have to refund money paid out through the first 20 races of the year.

NASCAR accused 23XI and Front Row of filing “a third motion for another unnecessary and inappropriate preliminary injunction” and noted it has made multiple requests to the teams “to present a proposal to resolve this litigation.

“We have yet to receive a proposal from 23XI or Front Row, as they have instead preferred to continue their damaging and distracting lawsuit,” NASCAR said in a statement. “We will defend NASCAR’s integrity from this baseless lawsuit forced upon the sport that threatens to divide the stakeholders committed to serving race fans everywhere.

“We remain focused on collaborating with the 13 race teams that signed the 2025 charter agreements and share our mutual goal of delivering the best racing in the world each week, including this weekend in Dover.”

Later Monday, Rick Ware Racing and Legacy Motor Club had a scheduled court date in North Carolina over their fight for a charter. Legacy, owned by seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson, contends it had an agreement with RWR to lease one of its two charters in 2026.

RWR contends the agreement was for 2027, and it already has a contract with RFK Racing to lease that team a charter next season.

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New rules for EBUGs? 84 games? What to know about the NHL’s new CBA

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New rules for EBUGs? 84 games? What to know about the NHL's new CBA

The NHL’s board of governors and the NHLPA’s membership have ratified a new collective bargaining agreement. The current CBA runs through the end of the 2025-26 season, with the new one carrying through the end of the 2029-30 season.

While the continuation of labor peace is the most important development for a league that has endured multiple work stoppages this millennium, there are a number of wrinkles that are noteworthy to fans.

ESPN reporters Ryan S. Clark, Kristen Shilton and Greg Wyshynski break it all down for you here:

Draft recap: All 224 picks
Grades for all 32 teams
Winners and losers

When does this new CBA take effect?

The new NHL CBA is set to begin on Sept. 16, 2026 and runs through Sept. 15, 2030. Including the coming season, that gives the NHL five years of labor peace, and would make the fastest both sides have reached an extension in Gary Bettman’s tenure as NHL commissioner.

It’s also the first major negotiation for NHLPA head Marty Walsh, who stepped into the executive director role in 2023 — Shilton

What are the big differences in the new CBA compared to the current one?

There are a few major headlines from the new CBA.

First are the schedule changes: the league will move to an 84-game regular season, with a shortened preseason (a maximum of four games), so each team is still able to play every opponent while divisional rivals have four games against one another every other season.

There will also be alterations to contract lengths, going to a maximum seven-year deal instead of the current eight-year mark; right now, a player can re-sign for eight years with his own team or seven with another in free agency, while the new CBA stipulates it’ll be seven or six years, respectively.

Deferred salaries will also be on the way out. And there will be a new position established for a team’s full-time emergency backup goaltender — or EBUG — where that player can practice and travel with the team.

The CBA also contains updated language on long-term injured reserve and how it can be used, particularly when it comes to adding players from LTIR to the roster for the postseason — Shilton

What’s the motivation for an 84-game season?

The new CBA expands the regular season to 84 games and reduces the exhibition season to four games per team. Players with 100 games played in their NHL careers can play in a maximum of two exhibition games. Players who competed in at least 50 games in the previous season will have a maximum of 13 days of training camp.

The NHL had an 84-game season from 1992 to 1994, when the league and NHLPA agreed to add two neutral-site games to every team’s schedule. But since 1995-96, every full NHL regular season has been 82 games.

For at least the past four years, the league has had internal discussions about adding two games to the schedule while decreasing the preseason. The current CBA restricted teams from playing more than 82 games, so expansion of the regular season required collective bargaining.

There was a functional motivation behind the increase in games: Currently, each team plays either three or four games against divisional opponents, for a total of 26 games; they play three games against non-divisional teams within their own conference, for a total of 24 games; and they play two games, home and away, against opponents from the other conference for a total of 32 games. Adding two games would allow teams to even out their divisional schedule, while swapping in two regular-season games — with regular-season crowd sizes and prices — for two exhibition games.

The reduction of the preseason would also give the NHL the chance to start the regular season earlier, perhaps in the last week of September. Obviously, given the grind of the current regular season and the playoffs, there’s concern about wear and tear on the players with two additional games. But the reduction of training camp and the exhibition season was appealing to players, and they signed off on the 84-game season in the new CBA. — Wyshynski

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How do the new long-term injured reserve rules work?

The practice of teams using long-term injured reserve (LTIR) to create late-season salary cap space — only to have the injured player return for the first game of the playoffs after sitting out game No. 82 of the regular season — tracks back to 2015. That’s when the Chicago Blackhawks used an injured Patrick Kane‘s salary cap space to add players at the trade deadline. Kane returned for the start of the first round, and eventually won the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP in their Stanley Cup win.

Since then, the NHL has seen teams such as the Tampa Bay Lightning (Nikita Kucherov 2020-21), Vegas Golden Knights (Mark Stone, 2023), Florida Panthers (Matthew Tkachuk, 2024) also use LTIR to their advantage en route to Stanley Cup wins.

The NHL has investigated each occurrence of teams using LTIR and then having players return for the playoffs, finding nothing actionable — although the league is currently investigating the Edmonton Oilers use of LTIR for Evander Kane, who sat out the regular season and returned in the first round of the most recent postseason.

Last year, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said that if “the majority” of general managers wanted a change to this practice, the NHL would consider it. Some players weren’t happy about the salary cap loophole.

Ron Hainsey, NHLPA assistant executive director, said during the Stanley Cup Final that players have expressed concern at different times “either public or privately” about misuse of long-term injured reserve. He said that the NHL made closing that loophole “a priority for them” in labor talks.

Under the new CBA, the total salary and bonuses for “a player or players” that have replaced a player on LTIR may not exceed the amount of total salary and bonuses of the player they are replacing. For example: In 2024, the Golden Knights put winger Stone and his $9.5 million salary on LTIR, given that he was out because of a lacerated spleen. The Golden Knights added $10.8 million in salary to their cap before the trade deadline in defenseman Noah Hanifin and forwards Tomas Hertl and Anthony Mantha.

But the bigger tweak to the LTIR rule states that “the average amounts of such replacement player(s) may not exceed the prior season’s average league salary.” According to PuckPedia, the average player salary last season was $3,817,293, for example.

The CBA does allow an exception to these LTIR rules, with NHL and NHLPA approval, based on how much time the injured player is likely to miss. Teams can exceed these “average amounts,” but the injured player would be ineligible to return that season or in the postseason.

But the NHL and NHLPA doubled-down on discouraging teams from abusing LTIR to go over the salary cap in the Stanley Cup playoffs by establishing “playoff cap counting” for the first time. — Wyshynski

What is ‘playoff cap counting’ and how will it affect the postseason?

In 2021, the Carolina Hurricanes lost to Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference playoffs. That’s when defenseman Dougie Hamilton famously lamented that his team fell to a Lightning squad “that’s $18 million over the cap or whatever they are,” as Tampa Bay used Kucherov’s LTIR space in the regular season before he returned for the playoffs.

Even more famously, Kucherov wore a T-shirt that read “$18M OVER THE CAP” during their Stanley Cup championship celebration.

The NHL and NHLPA have attempted to put an end to this creative accounting — in combination with the new LTIR rules in the regular season — through a new CBA provision called “playoff cap counting.”

By 3 p.m. local time or five hours before a playoff game — whatever is earlier — teams will submit a roster of 18 players and two goaltenders to NHL Central Registry. There will be a “playoff playing roster averaged club salary” calculated for that roster that must be under the “upper limit” of the salary cap for that team. The “averaged club salary” is the sum of the face value averaged amounts of the player salary and bonuses for that season for each player on the roster, and all amounts charged to the team’s salary cap.

Teams can make changes to their rosters after that day’s deadline, provided they’ve cleared it with NHL Central Registry.

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The “upper limit” for an individual team is the leaguewide salary cap ceiling minus any cap penalties for contract buyouts; 35-plus players or players with one-way contracts demoted to the minor leagues; retained salary in trades; cap recapture penalties; or contract grievance settlements.

The cap compliance is only for the players participating in a given postseason game. As one NHL player agent told ESPN: “You can have $130 million in salaries on your total roster once the playoffs start, but the 18 players and two goalies that are on the ice must be cap-compliant.”

These rules will be in effect for the first two seasons of the new CBA (2026-28). After that, either the NHL or the NHLPA can reopen this section of the CBA for “good faith discussions about the concerns that led to the election to reopen and whether these rules could be modified in a manner that would effectively address such concerns.”

If there’s no resolution of those concerns, the “playoff cap counting” will remain in place for the 2028-29 season. — Wyshynski

Did the NHL CBA make neck guards mandatory?

Professional leagues around the world have adjusted their player equipment protection standards since Adam Johnson’s death in October 2023. Johnson, 29, was playing for the Nottingham Panthers of England’s Elite Ice Hockey League when he suffered a neck laceration from an opponent’s skate blade.

The AHL mandated cut-resistant neck protection for players and officials for the 2024-25 season. The IIHF did the same for international tournaments, while USA Hockey required all players under the age of 18 to wear them.

Now, the NHL and NHLPA have adjusted their standards for neck protection in the new CBA.

Beginning with the 2026-27 season, players who have zero games of NHL experience will be required to wear “cut-resistant protection on the neck area with a minimum cut level protection score of A5.” The ANSI/ISEA 105-2016 Standard rates neck guards on a scale from A1 to A9, and players are encouraged to seek out neck protection that’s better than the minimal requirement.

Players with NHL experience prior to the 2026-27 season will not be required to wear neck protection. — Wyshynski

What’s the new player dress code?

The NHL and NHLPA agreed that teams will no longer be permitted “to propose any rules concerning player dress code.”

Under the previous CBA, the NHL was the only North American major men’s pro sports league with a dress code specified through collective bargaining. Exhibit 14, Rule 5 read: “Players are required to wear jackets, ties and dress pants to all Club games and while traveling to and from such games unless otherwise specified by the Head Coach or General Manager.”

That rule was deleted in the new CBA.

The only requirement now for players is that they “dress in a manner that is consistent with contemporary fashion norms.”

Sorry, boys: No toga parties on game days. — Wyshynski

Does the new CBA cover the Olympics beyond 2026?

Yes. The NHL and NHLPA have committed to participate in the 2030 Winter Olympics, scheduled to be held in the French Alps. As usual, the commitment is ” subject to negotiation of terms acceptable to each of the NHL, NHLPA, IIHF and/or IOC.”

And as we saw with the 2022 Beijing Games, having a commitment in the CBA doesn’t guarantee NHL players on Olympic ice. — Wyshynski

Did the NHL end three-team salary retention trades?

It has become an NHL trade deadline tradition. One team retains salary on a player so he can fit under another team’s salary cap. But to make the trade happen, those teams invite a third team to the table to retain even more of that salary to make it work.

Like when the Lightning acquired old friend Yanni Gourde from the Seattle Kraken last season. Gourde made $5,166,667 against the cap. Seattle traded him to Detroit for defenseman Kyle Aucoin, and the Kraken retained $2,583,334 in salary. The Red Wings then retained $1,291,667 of Gourde’s salary in sending him to Tampa Bay for a fourth-round pick, allowing the Lightning to fit him under their cap.

Though the NHL will still allow retained salary transactions, there’s now a mandatory waiting period until that player’s salary can be retained in a second transaction. A second retained salary transaction may not occur within 75 regular-season days of the first retained salary transaction.

Days outside of the regular-season schedule do not count toward the required 75 regular-season days, and therefore the restriction might span multiple seasons, according to the CBA. — Wyshynski

Can players now endorse alcoholic beverages?

Yes. The previous CBA banned players from any endorsement or sponsorship of alcoholic beverages. That has been taken out of the new CBA. If only Bob Beers were still playing …

While players remain prohibited from any endorsement or sponsorship of tobacco products, a carryover from the previous CBA, they’re also banned from endorsement or sponsorship of “cannabis (including CBD) products.” — Wyshynski

What are the new parameters for Emergency Goaltender Replacement?

The NHL is making things official with the emergency backup goaltender (EBUG) position.

In the past, that third goalie spot went to someone hanging out in the arena during a game, ready to jump in for either team if both of their own goaltenders were injured or fell ill during the course of play. Basically, it was a guy in street clothes holding onto the dream of holding down an NHL crease.

Now, the league has given permanent status to the EBUG role. That player will travel with and practice for only one club. But there are rules involved in their employment.

This CBA designates that to serve as a team’s emergency goaltender replacement, the individual cannot have played an NHL game under an NHL contract, appeared in more than 80 professional hockey games, have been in professional hockey within the previous three seasons, have a contractual obligation that would prevent them from fulfilling their role as the EBUG or be on the reserve or restricted free agent list of an NHL club.

Teams must submit one designated EBUG 48 hours before the NHL regular season starts. During the season, teams can declare that player 24 hours before a game. — Shilton

What’s the deal with eliminating deferred salaries?

The new CBA will prohibit teams from brokering deferred salary arrangements, meaning players will be paid in full during the contract term lengths. This is meant to save players from financial uncertainty and makes for simplified contract structures with the club.

There are examples of players who had enormous signing bonuses paid up front or had structured their deals to include significant payouts when they ended. Both tactics could serve to lower an individual’s cap hit over the life of a deal. Now that won’t be an option for teams or players to use in negotiations. — Shilton

What’s different about contract lengths?

Starting under the new CBA, the maximum length of a player contract will go from eight years to seven years if he’s re-signing with the same club, and down to just six years (from the current seven) if he signs with a new team.

So, for example, a player coming off his three-year, entry-level contract could re-sign only with that same team for up to seven years, and he’ll become an unrestricted free agent sooner than the current agreement would allow.

This could benefit teams that have signed players to long-term contracts that didn’t age well (for whatever reason) as they won’t be tied as long to that decision. And for players, it can help preserve some of their prime years if they want to move on following a potential 10 (rather than 11) maximum seasons with one club. — Shilton

What does the new league minimum salary look like? How does it compare to the other men’s professional leagues?

Under the new CBA, the minimum salary for an NHL player will rise from $775,000 to $1 million by the end of the four-year agreement. Although gradual, it is a significant rise for a league in which the salary cap presents more challenges compared to its counterparts.

For example, the NHL will see its salary cap rise to $95.5 million in 2025-26, compared to that of the NFL in which Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott’s highest three-year average is $61.6 million.

So how does the new NHL minimum salary upon the CBA’s completion compare to its counterparts in the Big 4?

The NBA league minimum for the 2025-26 season is $1.4 million for a rookie, while players with more than 10 years can earn beyond $3.997 million in a league that has a maximum of 15 roster spots

The NFL, which has a 53-player roster, has a league minimum of $840,000 for rookies in 2025, while a veteran with more than seven years will earn $1.255 million.

MLB’s CBA, which expires after the 2026 season, has the minimum salary for the 2025 season set at $760,000, and that figure increases to $780,000 next season. — Clark

Is this Gary Bettman’s final CBA as commissioner?

Possibly. The Athletic reported in January that the board of governors had begun planning for Bettman’s eventual retirement “in a couple of years,” while starting the process to find his successor.

Bettman became the NHL’s first commissioner in 1993, and has the distinction of being the longest-serving commissioner among the four major men’s professional leagues in North America. He is also the oldest. Bettman turned 73 in June, while contemporaries Roger Goodell, Rob Manfred and Adam Silver are all in their early- to mid-60s.

That’s not to suggest he couldn’t remain in place. There is a precedent of commissioners across those leagues who remained in those respective roles into their 70s. Ford Frick, who served as the third commissioner of MLB, was 71 when he stepped down in 1965. There are more recent examples than Frick, as former NBA commissioner David Stern stepping down in 2014 when he was 71, and former MLB commissioner Bud Selig stepped down in 2015 at age 80. — Clark

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QB Retzlaff announces his withdrawal from BYU

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QB Retzlaff announces his withdrawal from BYU

Jake Retzlaff announced on Friday that he’s withdrawing from BYU, formally initiating his transfer process from the school.

Retzlaff, BYU’s starting quarterback last year, said in an Instagram post that he made the “difficult decision” to withdraw and that he plans to “step away” from the BYU program. The post makes public what had been expected, as Retzlaff began informing his teammates and coaches in late June of his intent to transfer.

According to ESPN sources, Retzlaff’s path to transfer to a new school is not expected to come from the NCAA transfer portal. With Retzlaff just short of graduating, which would make the transfer process more traditional, he plans to simply leave BYU and then enroll at a new school.

That path is not a common one, but there’s precedent. That includes former Wisconsin defensive back Xavier Lucas leaving school this winter and enrolling at the University of Miami.

Retzlaff expressed his gratitude for his time at BYU, saying “it has meant more to me than just football.” He added that he’s “excited to turn the page and embrace the next chapter.”

BYU officials generally avoided the topic of Retzlaff at Big 12 media days this week, deferring to him to make a statement on his next move.

In a statement on Friday, BYU athletics said: “We are grateful for the time Jake Retzlaff has spent at BYU. As he moves forward, BYU Athletics understands and respects Jake’s decision to withdraw from BYU, and we wish him all the best as he enters the next phase of his career.”

Retzlaff’s departure comes in the wake of BYU’s planned seven-game suspension of him for violating the school’s honor code.

That suspension arose after he was accused in a lawsuit of raping a woman in 2023. The lawsuit ended up being dismissed on June 30, with the parties jointly agreeing to dismiss with prejudice, but Retzlaff’s response included an admission of premarital sex, which is a violation of the BYU honor code.

Retzlaff went 11-2 as BYU’s starting quarterback in 2024, throwing for 2,947 yards and 20 touchdowns. His departure leaves BYU with a three-way quarterback race this summer to replace him, with no clear favorite.

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