NHL Rumor: Could Preseason Be Reduced Starting as Early as Next Season?

TSN: Pierre LeBrun and Jay Onrait discuss reducing exhibition games to four, while adding two regular season matches.
** NHLRumors.com transcription From Onrait: “From all that information provided at Board of Governors meetings and you having mentioned on Tuesday that the NHL may consider shortening preseason to four games and adding two regular season games in total to bring their number up to 84 games… I’d like to ask why isn’t preseason shorter?”
That was something Pierre had brought up, which I have not witnessed at TSN all of its employees agree on: that this would be an amazing idea! However, my question for him would be “is this possible for next season?”
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LeBrun: “Well, here’s the thing – everything ties in together because this conversation won’t begin until there’s a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), so my response would have been two years given the current contract expires in September ’26 and this negotiation may start as early as January; although after Gary Bettman spoke at Board of Governors Meeting last Thursday about these talks with players starting January, he expressed hope of new CBA extensions possibly being announced during Stanley Cup Final this June!” OnraitL “Wow.” LeBrun:
Onrait: “Wow.” LeBrun: “Like madness.” I mention it now because, although we may discuss that later on, that may affect things we are discussing – for instance the potential changes to schedules that could occur as we discuss these topics further.
As I reported back in July, Jay, it’s no secret that discussions between the league and PA regarding cutting preseason games and possibly expanding regular season schedule by two games have begun. I felt it necessary to emphasize it again yesterday because fans seem increasingly disillusioned by preseason football…”
Onrait confirmed it. LeBrun noted injuries such as Patrick Laine and Drew Doughty’s. Every time Senators, Habs, or Leafs play each other in that triangle rivalry series, you hold your breath to make sure everybody emerges unscathed.”
And I feel personally that, that the NHL has outgrown needing eight preseason teams per preseason; two governors agreed with me yesterday; I even have an article coming out soon in The Athletic on this very topic.
But at the core, in CBA negotiations the league will bring this up, and I expect there will be support among player representatives for cutting preseason games down from five or six per season to four and then expanding regular seasons by two games.
At the core, revenue is what matters; players share it equally with owners in this pie; so, if one side loses out financially, another must step in to cover.
“Let’s hope it happens, Jay: now that it is October and we still haven’t begun the season properly – let’s drop that puck now!”
Onrait noted, “Nobody in the world disagrees with your statement on this one Pierre; everyone agrees on everything from politics, entertainment and sports; nobody has anything against this proposition – truly amazing when you stop to consider it!”
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