NHL insider Pierre LeBrun revealed that Gary Bettman and the NHL are planning a switchover to an 84-game season, and he provided some more clarity. <a href='https://fieldlevelmedia.com/news/reports-nhls-cba-talks-may-result-in-84-game-schedule/' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>The NHL and NHLPA are nearing a four-year Collective Bargaining Agreement</a> (CBA) extension, according to 'Daily Faceoff' insider Frank Seravalli. The deal would run from. 16, 2026, to Sept. 15, 2030, providing five straight years of harmony on the work front, a rarity in the league since Commissioner Gary Bettman began his tenure with three previous work stoppages. This would be the earliest CBA extension under Bettman's 32-year tenure. The last extension was in 2020, to recover from pandemic losses. With players paying off escrow debt, the salary cap is increasing, from $95.5 million in 2025-26 to $113 million in 2027-28. The most significant change is the length of the regular season, which willbe lengthened to 84 games for the 2026-27 season. The preseason will be reduced to four games for each team, with veterans (career 100+) restricted to a maximum of two. NHL insider <a href='https://x.com/PierreVLeBrun' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Pierre LeBrun</a> gave us some key information, in that the regular season will likely begin in the final week of September in order to fit in the additional games, the majority of which will likely be intra-divisional. <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/PierreVLeBrun/status/1938277796087808274'><div style='border:1px solid #CCCCCC;border-radius:10px;padding:20px;width:300px;'>Loading from Twitter ...</div></a></blockquote></div> Other major changes are: - Seven-year contract term limitations (re-signing) and six years for free agents. - An amended playoff salary cap framework that will prevent LTIR abuse. - Standardized draft signing rights until age 22, irrespective of league. - No deferred salary in contracts. - The revenue split remains 50/50. - Doubling the playoff bonus pool. - Creation of a full-time EBUG (Emergency Backup Goalie) role. - Extensive player benefit enhancements, such as tax management and health care. - Dress code enforcement is no longer relevant to game arrivals/departures by teams. Overall, the new CBA is a progressive deal that prioritizes player health, fairness, and expanding revenue.