NHL Players Association Executive Director Marty Walsh (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)
Will the NHL players finally receive a cut of NHL expansion fees via hockey-related revenue (HRR) in the next Collective Bargaining Agreement?
Since 2017, NHL owners have each received an equal share of the combined $2.7 billion the league has received in NHL expansion fees from the Vegas Golden Knights ($500 million), Seattle Kraken ($650 million), and Utah Hockey Club ($1.2 billion). It should be noted that the league bought the Arizona Coyotes for $1 billion before turning around and selling the team to Utah HC owner Ryan Smith for $1.2 billion. Unfortunately for NHL players, expansion fees are not part of the 50/50 HRR split with the NHL players under the CBA, and as a result, the players have not seen a cent of profit from the fees.
New NHLPA Executive Director Marty Walsh has no grand illusions that NHL owners are just going to suddenly hand over a portion of the profit they make on NHL expansion teams.
However, with the current CBA expiring in 2026 and with talk of two more teams potentially entering the league, it can’t hurt to at least broach the topic when talks begin for a new CBA.
“I mean, that’s obviously been the way it’s always been so. …” Walsh replied when asked directly by RG if the NHLPA will ask for a cut in NHL expansion fees. “I haven’t had a conversation with Gary Bettman about that. On the positive side, there have been two cities in Las Vegas and Seattle that have recently had very successful expansion processes, and that’s great for the game, obviously. Utah is here now and they’re selling out every game. So, yes, it’s great in that respect, but the players, in terms of HRR, have never benefited from the fees, and the owners' profit number has gone up in a big way every time we’ve had expansion. The owners are obviously not going to say, ‘OK guys, come on in, we want to share this with you,' but I’m sure it will be a conversation at some point.”
Again, Walsh is being realistic about the topic, but he wouldn’t be doing his job as the head of the NHLPA if he didn’t at least ask about it.
Both Walsh and NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly have now confirmed to RG that they share a desire to begin new CBA talks in 2025. Whether this becomes an actual sticking point is yet to be seen but it’s worth watching as NHL expansion rumors continue to swirl.
James Murphy
