Report: tentative deal done between NHL and NHLPA

There is word tonight NHL & NHLPA have tentative deal on 56-game season.

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) December 19, 2020

NHLPA will have a conference call tonight. NHL Board call to be scheduled.

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) December 19, 2020

This above conference call was scheduled previously, and was supposed to be just an update.

All of this comes as this report expanded on the issues the NHL is having with the Canadian governments:

Been told the #NHL has reached out to the Public Health Agency of Canada to facilitate a meeting w/ provincial health officers to present their Canadian division plan again.

The meeting would take place next week, but as of yet, there hasn't been a response from health officers

— Randip Janda (@RandipJanda) December 18, 2020

No details on what this plan is, and it will depend on the players voting for it, since it’s highly unlikely the owners won’t agree.

More details:

Entente imminente entre la LNH et l’Association des joueurs, me dit-on. Saison qui commencerait effectivement le 13 janvier. La division canadienne serait aussi sauvée. On peut s’attendre à une annonce officielle dans les prochains jours. @TVASports

— Renaud Lavoie (@renlavoietva) December 19, 2020

We will update as we get more.

Tentative agreement between #NHL and #NHLPA (which requires approval) calls for training camps to open on Jan. 3 and regular season on Jan. 13.

The 7 teams who did not make 24-team playoff can open camp on Dec. 30.

All dates subject to change. Scheduling not finalized.

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) December 19, 2020

Canadian NHL team issue over health protocols with provinces still not resolved, per source. But hope is to resolve it by Monday.

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) December 19, 2020

And now the rumours of what’s in the agreement:

#NHL/#NHLPA Agreement: Players have the option to opt-out for the upcoming season, if player or immediate family member is considered high-risk. (Believe it is without pay.)

Team would have option of tolling contract for the year.

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) December 19, 2020

#NHL/#NHLPA Agreement: 23-man roster with $81.5 million salary cap.

This includes creation of 4-6 man taxi squad. All 29 players (max) will travel and practice with NHL team. Taxi squad is paid full AHL salary. CBA has been expanded to include for more flexible emergency recalls

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) December 19, 2020

[Gazes fondly at the full explainer for the old rules.]

Big question is - and something #NHLPA will talk about tonight on Exec Board call - what happens if Canadian provincial health authorities don’t sign off on protocols to play?

Options are Edmonton hub or all 7 teams move to 🇺🇸 for season. Players don’t seem wild about either.

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) December 19, 2020

Daren Dreger reported earlier today that Toronto was on the table for a hub as well. And obviously dates would change for an Edmonton hub, since the WJC runs to January 5.

Some key details:
🇨🇦situation not yet sorted out; 4-6 player taxi squad; teams have option to “toll” (carry-over) contracts of player opts out; hope is that season will start Jan 13

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) December 19, 2020

There was a deeply unclear tweet about this “toll” business earlier. The cap circumvention issues here are enormous, and this part of the new-new CBA will need to be clear.

Another wrinkle on the three choices of plans that are home arenas, hubs, all USA:

Our @mike_p_johnson tells us he spoke with a number of players on Canadian teams who felt playing their entire season in the US was a non-starter. We know they won’t accept a bubble for the entire season. Maybe things begin in a Hub and evolve from there. https://t.co/MdHgQWtje7

— Gino Reda (@GinoRedaTSN) December 19, 2020

What if only one of them can pass a player vote?