By Michael Strong
The NHL and NHLPA have targeted a start date of Jan. 1 for the upcoming season. The clock is ticking for both sides to come to some sort of agreement on schedule, safety protocols and the money flow.
NHL players are resisting changing salary deferral/escrow rates from what was already agreed to in the new collective bargaining agreement reached in June, according to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun.
NHLPA Board call wrapped up around 6:30 pm ET, went about 2 1/2 hours. No votes taken. Just a discussion. But sources say feeling on the call was that players aren’t keen on changing salary deferral/escrow rates from what was already agreed to in June CBA. More discussion needed
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) November 18, 2020
The NHLPA held a call with members for 2 1/2 hours yesterday, and according to LeBrun the feeling was to not make any change to the already agreed 20 per cent cap on escrow and 10 per cent in deferral payments for the upcoming season.
LeBrun adds that the NHL views this as a timing issue. Players are only entitled to 50 per cent of hockey-related revenue. The more they take this year, the more they owe (in debt payments) in future years.
While this above statement is true, the NHLPA factored all of that in when it agreed to the new CBA.
