NHL, NHLPA reach trial agreement on expanded on-ice training for summer

NHL players will have a few more opportunities to work with their team’s staff during the offseason.

According to Elliotte Friedman, the NHL and NHLPA are running a “trial agreement” to allow players and coaching staff to work on skills this summer, although only to a certain extent.

NHL players will be allowed to work with one skills coach in an on-ice session to develop certain aspects of their game. The player must request the session through the NHLPA in order for it to occur.

It allows players to work on specific skills to develop them, like their shot or their skating. Players working with head coaches or assistant coaches to learn strategies and systems, especially new players acquired in the offseason, does not appear to be on the table for these kind of sessions.

Per the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement, in section 15.11 (b), “Clubs are not permitted to have Club Coaching or Hockey Operations personnel (e.g., coaches, skating instructors, other Club employees, contracted service providers, etc.) participate in any on-ice sessions with Players.”

This trial agreement amends that section of the CBA, although at this moment it will only be implemented this summer, to start. There’s no word on what the future of this agreement will be, but it’s likely that if it goes well, there will be an altercation to the ruling in the CBA. If teams don’t like it, the ruling will revert to the way it has been prior to this amendment.

The Vancouver Canucks were fined $50,000 in May for hosting on-ice training session with Henrik and Daniel Sedin. Once superstar players with the Canucks, the Sedin twins operate in player development roles for the organization. They were working with Canucks’ centers Dakota Joshua and Jack Studnicka, which was a violation of the CBA at the time. According to Friedman, the Canucks will still not have their fine rescinded with the amendment now in place. It also still technically breaks the rules since they had multiple skills coaches for the session.