Wednesday FTB: Changes coming to CBA

The NHL and NHLPA are discussing changes to the new CBA (the current agreement runs until 2026). One change that has been discussed is replacing two preseason games with two regular season games, bringing the regular season up to 84. This number is good in the sense it creates a very nice breakdown of opponents. I also learned yesterday about the GM executive committee.

An even 84 game schedule will allow for a perfectly balanced schedule of..

4 games against your division
3 games against other division within conference
2 games against other conference opponents.

With 82 games, there are two division opponents you can only play 3 times. https://t.co/2ozbjq1VNi
— David Alter (@dalter) October 2, 2024

Correction: the GM’s executive committee also includes Lou Lamoriello from the beginning of its creation. My bad.
Je m’excuse https://t.co/WobWzixuN1
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) October 2, 2024

Happy birthday, Rodion Amirov. Wish we were debating where you fit in the lineup this time of the year.

Happy heavenly birthday to our dear friend Rodion Amirov! #WeAreGoldStar! pic.twitter.com/ohd0DTPYAK
— Gold Star Hockey (@GoldStarHockey) October 1, 2024

What does a Matthew Knies extension look like?

PWHL preseason is going to be in mid November. The Sceptres are playing two games at the Ford Performance Centre against the Minnesota Frost and New York Sirens.

Here are the people in the NHL under the most pressure. Two of them are Marner and Shanahan.

Pressure is a privilege of life in the #NHL. Some can handle it, others get eaten alive by it.

Here are @DailyFaceoff's 10 players and people under the most pressure ahead of the 2024-25 season:https://t.co/HHhVJWLMez
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) October 2, 2024

Here's an interview piece on Steven Lorentz.

Steven Lorentz had other offers. He could have signed elsewhere for more money and better security in free agency. But the Ontario-born dreamer took a PTO with the Maple Leafs for a chance to repeat.@lukefoxjukebox has the story. https://t.co/50CHY4xNfb
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 1, 2024

Patrik Laine is out 2-3 months with a sprained knee.

The Montreal Canadiens announced Tuesday that forward Patrik Laine sustained a sprain to his left knee that will not require surgery and his rehabilitation period is expected to be from two to three months: https://t.co/rO2KCEV8E6
— TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) October 1, 2024

He's in good spirits, though.

Patrik Laine on his IG story just now. pic.twitter.com/cVoUGAzl4m
— Arpon Basu (@ArponBasu) October 1, 2024

Meanwhile, the living embodiment of the opposite of "good spirits"

Arber Xhekaj received a major and a game misconduct for this hit on Tim Stützle pic.twitter.com/zWlRtTdGjt
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 2, 2024

From The Branches