Schedule, playoff format, ‘the Jack Eichel issue’: What players are looking for in CBA talks
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Emily Kaplan, ESPN
As the NHL and NHLPA enter the penultimate season under its collective bargaining agreement, there’s a new tone emanating from both sides: optimism.
For a league that has experienced three lockouts over the last 30 years, it’s a welcome change. The NHL and NHLPA last negotiated a CBA in 2020 — amid the COVID shutdown, when discussions were bundled with return-to-play protocols. Financials were bleak, especially for a sport quite dependent on gate revenue. In an unprecedented climate, both sides collaborated for solutions. Four years later, they all rebounded in a big way. Revenue hit a record $6.2 billion last season, as the league also set new marks in attendance and saw a spike in sponsorship revenue, thanks to evolving attitudes on sports betting, helmet decals and showcasing individual players’ personalities.
In Sportico’s recent valuations, the average NHL franchise is worth $1.79 billion — a 37 percent increase in just one year.
Last month at a Board of Governors’ meeting, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said he’d like to start (and hopefully end) CBA negotiations early, saying “in terms of the relationship, we think we’re in a good place.”
The NHLPA’s new executive director, Marty Walsh, is equally positive these days. “Myself and Gary Bettman have had very open conversations about how this potentially could be laid out,” Walsh told ESPN in a recent interview. “Going in with an open mind, with open dialogue is how I’ve always approached collective bargaining.”
Both sides are motivated to continue momentum. And sources on both sides suggested that if a deal was reached as soon as this spring, there would likely be few changes to the overall structure, just tweaks. But from a player’s perspective, there’s only so often you can ask your boss to re-open your contract and hope to change the terms. So what exactly would they like to achieve?
Walsh agreed to an interview, but declined to speak on specific issues, saying it was premature. Walsh is currently on his annual fall tour – a series of individual union meetings with every team — to canvass players opinions. “Once we assess where we are at and what players feel, we will take next steps after that,” Walsh said.
In the interim, ESPN spoke with 21 veteran players around the NHL to get an early pulse on what issues are important to them. The players were granted anonymity to speak openly. Here is a primer of what topics are on the table and what might be feasible in a new CBA:
The biggest concern for players: Grow the pie
The one item that came up again and again with players was money. “It’s not overly complicated at this point, we need to grow revenue,” one player said. “It’s what all the other sports are doing. We don’t need to be squabbling over points; we need to make the pie larger so we can have a larger slice. This deal has been great for the owners.”
Players cited several examples on how the league’s value has ballooned. Jeff Vinik bought the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2010 for a reported $93 million. Vinik recently sold a majority stake of the team, which is now valued at $1.8 billion, per Sportico. Meanwhile players salaries have largely remained stagnant. Florida Panther star Matthew Tkachuk’s cap hit ($9.5 million) is roughly the same as what his father, Keith Tkachuk, was making in the 1999-2000 season for the St. Louis Blues ($10 million).
The NHL and NHLPA currently have a 50-50 split on hockey-related revenue. The salary cap, which is calculated based on HRR, remained largely stagnant through and directly following the pandemic to account for losses — though the league has hinted at bigger jumps the next several seasons. Players are hoping those jumps are sizable.
“Coming out of COVID was tough, and it felt like we took a lot of compromise to get to where we should be,” one player said. “Now it seems like the league has done well with HRR and hopefully that allows us to see the benefits.”
It’s unclear what economic proposals either side will bring to the table. Players uniformly felt they took a cut when the split went from 57-43 to 50-50 in the 2012 CBA. They have no appetite to decrease further, even if the league tries to argue that in other sports like the NBA or NFL, the players’ share is less than 50%. Several players wondered if the NHL could institute a luxury tax.
“We have some owners who would definitely be willing to spend over the cap,” one player said. “We should reward that. And then that money gets spread across all the owners, and for some of the smaller-market teams it puts money in their pocket.”
Players said they would like to receive a cut of future expansion fees as the league flirts with the idea of 34 teams. “We should fight for that, no doubt,” one player said. But, according to sources, that could be a sticking point for the league.
As usual, many players brought up escrow — in which the league withholds a portion of their salary until revenue is accounted at the end of the season – as something they were passionate about eliminating.
“I think a lot of guys get confused or caught up with escrow, but it’s just a mechanism for getting paid,” one player said. “We need to be focusing on the bigger picture. We want to get rid of escrow. I’m sure the owners want to get rid of guaranteed contracts. We all should be focused on how we can bring more attention and dollars to the sport.”
What could it be? The NHL should get another infusion of cash on the new Canadian TV deal, which will kick in for 2025-26. Players were optimistic about the presence of Amazon, which is dabbling with streaming games in Canada and produced an all-access show, Face Off, which got buy-in from players and the league.
Said one player: “I don’t think there’s a silver bullet, or one thing that will help revenue. But all of our energy should be focused on finding new ways to grow our sport.”
The possible tweaks
Throughout the course of the season, when matters are raised by players or at a general manager’s meeting, the answer can be a common refrain: That’s a CBA issue. So what topics since 2020 do the players feel passionately about revisiting?
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The schedule: One of the most intriguing topics expected to be discussed is the schedule. Anything could be on the table, from eliminating the three-day Christmas break to reconsidering the way out-of-division games are scheduled. Restructuring the preseason became a hot topic in September after a rash of high-profile injuries including to Drew Doughty, David Reinbacher and Patrik Laine. One idea that has been floated is trimming the preseason in favor of adding two games to the regular season (putting the total at 84). Players surveyed by ESPN had mixed opinions. “There are teams scheduling eight preseason games and that’s too many,” one player said. “Some of them become s—shows, especially when you see rosters some teams put out. Some teams are playing three [games] in three days.” Veteran players acknowledged that while they generally needed only two or three to feel game-ready, the preseason contests are valuable for prospects to get evaluated. “Our preseason is just too long,” one player said. “We’re almost done with camp. Media day in the NBA was two days ago and they finished earlier than us. It’s insane. I’d take 84 games if we could start earlier.” Others were wary of the expense of a longer regular season. “Hockey is a tough contact sport. Playing those two extra games could be the difference between having a guy in the playoffs or losing him,” one player said. “Also the wear and tear on your body. You may not notice it after two games, but it all adds up. I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
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Playoff format: A handful of players want to change the playoff format to a typical 1-8 seeding by conference. “A lot of guys would like to see that change, myself included,” one player said. But according to sources, there have never been substantive discussions about that at Board of Governor meetings. The league believes the format is strong and the Stanley Cup playoffs are the best postseason in sports. It would have to be a major sticking point for players to get addressed.
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“The Jack Eichel issue”: In 2021, Eichel was sidelined with a herniated disc in his neck. He wanted to get an artificial disc replacement, a procedure never performed on another NHL player before. The Sabres preferred a more proven alternative. Under the CBA, teams get final say over a player’s medical care. It caused a massive rift, resulting in Eichel’s trade to Vegas, and an issue many assumed would be brought up in the next CBA. Players uniformly said they should get final say over their medical rights. And while there are some that are super passionate, many view Eichel’s situation as a rare occurrence — and not necessarily an easy tweak. One player noted they’ve actually made big strides in this department. “When I first started [11 years ago], it was super taboo to get a second opinion, like you were disobeying your team,” the player said. “Now they’ve made it so much easier, much more common. We’re in a decent place.” At its core, this CBA clause about final say on medical decisions is really about guaranteed contracts, which players do not want to relent on. Several players advocated for full benefits post-retirement. In the CBA, eligible retired players can enroll in the NHL Health and Benefits Fund and, in certain circumstances, receive a subsidy towards the cost. There have been enhancements on this over the years. For example, the offering used to be a one size fits all policy. Now, it’s more scalable. Some players want further assurances, even if it would be a massive cost. “Healthcare is a huge thing,” one player said. “We have one of the best pensions in major sports but we need an answer for health care and get full benefits.”
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International events: In the past, participation in international events was atop players’ wish list. However with the upcoming 4 Nations Faceoff tournament, commitment (and progress) on scheduling a regular World Cup, and commitment to play in the 2026 Olympics in Milan, players feel they are in a good place. “Feels like the league finally met us on international play. It’s important to players and I think the league also understands its importance for the growth of the sport, even if owners are taking on the risk of a guy getting injured, and dealing with the IOC and IIHF on insurance,” one player said. But for the players it’s still important to get it in writing.
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Rules and equipment: General managers have given the league feedback at their recent meetings that they would like changes to the long-term injury reserve rules, which has allowed some teams to activate players just as the playoffs begin. While some players had mixed opinions here, none felt super passionately that it needed to be addressed — though they knew the league may bring it up. The NHL also will likely discuss equipment mandates, such as neck guards.
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Next-gen ideas: Some players said their agents have bugged them about ideas for the next generation, such as changing the draft age to 19, shortening the draft, or finding an out to the Canadian Hockey League and NHL agreement that stipulates teenagers must be returned to their junior clubs if they aren’t on the NHL roster. The NHL and CHL agreement is separate from the CBA. And with a massive sea change coming – the NCAA is considering changing eligibility rules regarding CHL players – it’s tough to predict what is feasible here. But many of the draft-related ideas have not received traction, according to sources.
What’s next in the process?
Walsh and his top lieutenant Ron Hainsey — a defenseman who retired from the league in 2021 — are continuing their fall tour, which is expected to stretch into December. Discussions on the tour will help shape points of emphasis for negotiations with the league. Walsh said he is in no rush.
“It’s really dictated by the players,” Walsh said. “It depends on where we are with the players, what the players want to do. I mean, this is their association. We’ll talk to the entire team and then we follow up with player reps and follow up individual players who are interested in this stuff. Players are everyday people. They’re busy with life and family and everything else. So some players want to get very engaged and some just want to support their teammates.”
If the sides come to a resolution by June, there is nothing that prevents a new CBA from going into effect before the prior one is completed. So if both parties agree, the new CBA could theoretically begin as soon as next season.
Walsh was hired in February, 2023 after an exhaustive search. He was the longtime mayor of Boston before serving as the U.S. Secretary of Labor. Players on the search committee said they liked Walsh’s political background — his ability to communicate, form relationships and garner support. He’s remained accessible, giving all 750-plus members of the union his cellphone number.
“I think guys are feeling really confident being led by Marty,” one player rep said. “He has good energy, a good feel for the CBA, the league and also how to develop relationships with Gary [Bettman] and work with the league. We know issues are going to come up, but we feel like he’ll get them resolved.”
One question several players wondered: Who will exercise their voice and help in the fight? The NHL’s new marketing campaign is all about Gen Z as Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews and Connor Bedard become the new faces of the league. In the past, Sidney Crosby has been very opinionated on league issues behind the scenes, then goes through proper channels.
“Other sports that are seeing a lot of success are driven by their stars, and that’s where we want to be,” one player said. “Patrick Mahomes, LeBron James, they’re at the forefront of league issues. That matters.”
Walsh said it was too early to identify which players might be the spokespeople for the union. “Depends on how negotiations are going,” he said.
Even after Florida‘s late-season surge in 2024, Billy Napier needed a strong encore, while navigating another brutal schedule, to secure his long-term future as Gators coach.
After another slow start this season that featured losses to South Florida, LSU and Miami, Napier couldn’t dig himself out of the canyon this time. He was fired Sunday with a final record of 22-23 in Gainesville.
For the fifth time since Urban Meyer retired in December 2010, Florida is seeking a new head football coach. The job has its clear upsides — proximity to recruits, fan and financial support as well as the ability to compete for national championships — but the coaching churn in Gainesville is undeniable. Meyer won big there but only for a relatively short period. Florida had three straight AP top-6 finishes under Charley Pell and Galen Hall in the mid-1980s. Otherwise, Steve Spurrier is the only coach to build a sustainable winner with the Gators.
Florida gave Napier the necessary support to elevate the program, and made clear gains in recruiting. Coaches who have faced the Gators the past two seasons repeatedly praised the talent on the roster. But things never came together for long stretches under Napier, as Florida didn’t make the 12-team College Football Playoff last season and wasn’t going to this season.
Athletic director Scott Stricklin received a contract extension this summer and will be selecting his third football coach. How much power he truly has in the hire is a question looming over this search. Florida has yet to make the CFP, and really needs to get this one right. There will be no shortage of interest for one of the top jobs on the market.
Candidates | Transfers | Recruits
Five candidates for the job
Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin: He’s the closest thing to Spurrier — without all the championships, of course — in today’s college football: A brash, supremely confident coach whose gifts for playcalling and quarterback development are undeniable. Kiffin, 50, has started to win more notable games in the SEC, taking down Georgia, South Carolina and others last season. He’s 27-6 since the start of the 2023 season. While his biggest accomplishments have come as an assistant coach (he won national titles as a coordinator at USC and Alabama), he led Florida Atlantic to Conference USA titles in 2017 and 2019, and knows the state and the conference well. Kiffin has indicated he might stay at Ole Miss for the long haul — or at least the slightly longer haul — but Florida would be silly not to seriously gauge his interest level.
Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz: Kiffin should be Florida’s top target within the SEC, but Drinkwitz also merits close consideration. Like Spurrier, he’s an offense-minded coach who delivers the goods when behind a microphone and will bring a confident style of play to Gainesville. After a slow start in Columbia, Drinkwitz, 42, guided Missouri to a Cotton Bowl title and a No. 8 finish in 2023 and also has a 27-6 record since the start of the 2023 season. The Arkansas native could have Missouri positioned for its third straight winning season in SEC play. Drinkwitz likes Missouri, which has shown him a stronger commitment over time, but if he wants to win a national championship, he could seek a move to a program like Florida.
SMU coach Rhett Lashlee: After guiding the Mustangs to the CFP in their first season as an ACC member, Lashlee is one of the top coaching candidates out there. His next stop probably would bring him to the SEC, where he twice coached with Auburn alongside Gus Malzahn and served as the Tigers’ offensive coordinator from 2013 to 2016. Lashlee, 42, also would bring experience from within the state of Florida, as he served as Miami’s offensive coordinator in 2020 and 2021. He has won 11 games in each of the past two seasons at SMU.
Washington coach Jedd Fisch: Few coaches have hopscotched around the college and NFL map quite like Fisch, who at 49 has worked for seven NFL teams and six college squads since the 2002 season. He views Washington as more of a long-term play after reviving Arizona’s program with a 10-win season in 2023, but if there was a destination job that existed for Fisch, it would be Florida, his alma mater. He spent time as a student assistant and a graduate assistant with Spurrier and has worked in the state as an offensive coordinator for Miami and the Jacksonville Jaguars. Washington certainly doesn’t want to lose another talented coach so soon, but if Fisch has a big season, Florida could come calling. Fisch is 11-8 at Washington.
Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman: Every coaching search, especially one for a coveted job such as Florida’s, needs a shoot-your-shot candidate or two. Freeman seems very happy at Notre Dame, which has rewarded him financially and probably will continue to do so this offseason, especially if he returns to the CFP. Notre Dame certainly doesn’t want to lose a second consecutive coach to an SEC team, but Freeman, 39, is one of the hottest coaches on the market and would energize Florida with his on-field track record and his recruiting approach. The Dayton, Ohio, native has spent his entire playing and coaching career in two states — Ohio and Indiana — and would have to adjust to life in the SEC. But he has recruited nationally and shown he can win consistently, especially during last season’s playoff run. Florida would be foolish not to at least gauge his interest. — Adam Rittenberg
Five important players to retain
QB DJ Lagway: Can the next head coach keep Lagway in Gainesville? The sophomore QB has been extremely loyal to Napier and invested in building up this program with him. The retention of Lagway will likely be a major priority for whomever takes this job. Lagway has struggled this season, ranking last among SEC starters in QBR (56.7) and 15th in yards per attempt (6.82), and has dealt with injuries throughout his two seasons at Florida. He will still likely have an opportunity to be one of the highest-paid QBs in the country next year, regardless of how his sophomore season plays out.
If the Texas native wants to play closer to home, he’ll have options. Texas A&M tried hard to flip Lagway’s recruitment at the last minute after Mike Elko took over in December 2023. His father, Derek Lagway, played at Baylor in the late 1990s. Lagway will be entering his junior season and draft-eligible next year, so putting himself in the best position for his development and the NFL — whether that’s with a new regime at Florida or elsewhere — will undoubtedly influence this decision.
RB Jadan Baugh: As a freshman, Baugh emerged as the Gators’ leading rusher with 916 rushing yards and eight TDs on 5.4 yards per carry. Entering Week 8, Baugh ranked third among all FBS backs in forced missed tackles (47), according to ESPN Research, and more than 750 of his 1,284 career rushing yards have come after first contact. On Saturday, he rushed for a career-best 150 yards to help power the Gators’ win over Mississippi State. Baugh will have two more seasons of eligibility and is expected to receive significant SEC and national interest.
LB Myles Graham: Graham has moved into the starting lineup as a sophomore and leads Florida with 40 tackles, 3.5 TFLs and three pass breakups. The son of former Gators and NFL running back Earnest Graham came in as the fourth-ranked outside linebacker in the 2024 ESPN 300 and proved he was ready to play with a productive season in a reserve role, earning SEC All-Freshman recognition. It’ll probably be tough to pull him away from Gainesville given his family ties, but he is a talented playmaker.
WR Vernell Brown III: The true freshman wideout, ESPN’s No. 41 overall recruit for 2025, earned a starting role right away and has a team-high 32 catches for 463 yards through seven games. He’s the son and grandson of former Gators, so there’s a lot of loyalty there, but Brown will command major interest. You could put several more Gators wide receivers on this list, too, between Dallas Wilson, Eugene Wilson III and Aidan Mizell. All four will be seriously coveted if they explore transfers.
DT Caleb Banks: Banks turning down the NFL for one more season with the Gators was a huge deal for Napier and his staff. He’s one of ESPN’s top three defensive tackle prospects for the 2026 draft and will almost certainly go pro after this season, but Banks could return for one extra season if he needs a medical redshirt. The 6-foot-5, 330-pound senior missed the first two games because of a foot injury, reinjured it against LSU and is now expected to be out indefinitely. — Max Olson
Three key recruits
DE JaReylan McCoy, No. 9 in the ESPN 300: McCoy committed to the Gators over LSU and Texas in June, and the five-star edge rusher remains the top-ranked member of Florida’s 2026 class. McCoy and his family have spoken often about his comfort with the Gators, emphasizing that his pledge is tied as much, if not more, to the program as it is to Napier and his staff. Florida’s in-season decision to move on from Napier will surely test that resolve. McCoy spent a month committed to LSU earlier this year, and the Tigers have continued their efforts with him this fall, as have Ole Miss and Texas, among others.
QB Will Griffin, No. 69 in the ESPN 300: A Gainesville native whose family went to UF, Griffin has been committed to the Gators since June 2024, and his recruitment has been effectively shut down for more than a year. As things stand, there’s nothing to suggest Griffin will be on the move soon. But Napier’s departure at least cracks the door for any QB-needy program to check in on ESPN’s No. 6 pocket passer. If other elite commits begin spilling out of Florida’s class, figuring out how to keep Griffin in the fold will be imperative for the Gators.
RB Davian Groce, No. 36 overall: An August commit, Groce would represent the Gators’ highest-ranked running back signee since Kelvin Taylor in the 2013 cycle. Florida emerged late in Groce’s recruiting process to beat finalists Baylor, Houston and Oklahoma to ESPN’s No. 4 running back prospect. Those schools will likely circle back with Groce, whose Gators pledge looms especially large if fellow Florida running back Carsyn Baker — an early fall flip target of Auburn, Florida State and South Carolina — reopens his recruitment and heads elsewhere. — Eli Lederman
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