Rumor Mill: Will NHL Preseason Be Shortened Next Season?

TSN: Pierre LeBrun and Jay Onrait discuss the prospect of scaling back exhibition games to four maximum and adding two regular season contests as a possible solution to increase team flexibility during exhibition play.
**NHLRumors.com transcription* You have provided me with plenty of insight regarding the recent Board of Governors meetings, specifically your mention on Tuesday that the NHL may reduce preseason to four games while potentially adding two extra regular season contests, thus increasing total regular season game count from 80-84 games.”
That being said, Pierre brought up something interesting that all TSN employees agreed upon unanimously as being an excellent idea – that would make this something that might happen next season? However, my question for you would be this – can it really happen next season?”
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LeBrun: “Well, here’s the thing – one conversation leads into another – because nothing will take place without an updated Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), so the answer would have been two years given the current one expires September ’26 if Gary Bettman hadn’t expressed such high optimism that negotiations might go with players starting January that it may lead to something being announced at June’s Stanley Cup Final.” OnraitL “Wow.” LeBrun: “That June.”
Onrait was speechless as she observed LeBrun’s comment of potential schedule shift. Onrait responded immediately with, “Wow.” LeBrun: “Like crazy.” Whilst they may discuss it further in time, these two comments highlight an aspect that may impact this conversation: the potential schedule change that we’ve talked about here.
And I want to make something very clear: that when I indicated in July that league and PA officials have held preliminary talks regarding shortening preseason games and possibly expanding regular season by two games… well that has not changed; yet yesterday when Jay brought this subject up again I felt it necessary to reiterate it as fans are getting tired of preseason…”
Onrait replied “Yes” LeBrun continued: “… and concerned over injuries sustained to (Patrik) Laine and (Drew) Doughty as key examples, yet you’re just holding your breath when these three rival teams play each other – every game against the Senators, Habs or Leafs leaves one breathless.”
And I personally think Jay that, that, that NHL has outgrown needing eight preseason teams per preseason, with some maximum. Yesterday I spoke with two governors that agreed with my assessment, as well as having written an opinion piece for The Athletic about it soon enough.
At its core, in CBA negotiations the league will bring this up, and I think there may be interest among players for cutting preseason games to four while lengthening regular seasons by two games.
At the core, business success rests upon revenue; as players share this pie equally with owners. When one side loses money, another must step in to cover it up if necessary.
Hopeful of its happening because here it is October and we still haven’t got our season started, Jay: Let’s drop that puck for real now, alright? Come on now.
Onrait replied with, ‘There’s not one person in this room who doesn’t agree with what you said Pierre; from news to politics to entertainment to sports there are few dissenting views and we all stand united on this point – truly remarkable when one takes into consideration.”
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