One of the bigger hurdles –outside of the coronavirus of course– to resume the NHL season was a CBA Memo of Understanding (MOU). This required an extension of the current CBA in addition to terms of resuming the current CBA. It wasn’t an easy task, but this is a critical first step in getting the season started. It’s also a critical step in assuring that, for the first time in Gary Bettman’s tenure, an expiring CBA does not result in a lockout.
This goes beyond just resuming the season. Here are some key points of the CBA MOU:
- Players who would have been free agents this summer are eligible to sign a contract extension with their current team starting three days after the CBA is ratified.