Sources indicate that moving from the current 82-game NHL regular season schedule to an 84-game format is among the subjects being discussed by the league and the NHL Players` Association during their collective bargaining negotiations.
The information comes from an individual familiar with the negotiations, who spoke on condition of anonymity because both sides have agreed not to disclose the details of the ongoing discussions.
If implemented, potentially as early as the 2026-27 season, this change would also likely involve shortening the preseason schedule to just four games per team. This proposed alteration is part of broader discussions between the league and the union, which are understood to cover various adjustments, including topics like player contract structures and rules concerning long-term injuries.
An 84-game schedule could help standardize scheduling across the 32-team league, potentially allowing teams to play divisional opponents four times, teams in the same conference but different divisions three times, and inter-conference opponents twice. Alternatively, it could be used to increase the number of high-profile rivalry matchups.
It`s worth noting that the NHL previously had an 84-game regular season schedule from 1992 to 1994. During that period, the league and the union had agreed to include two neutral-site games for each team.
Duncan Priestley