NHL's New Rules: What's Changing for Players and Fans

The NHL has made some big changes to its rules. Starting in the 2026-27 season, teams will have to follow new salary cap rules during the playoffs. This is to stop teams from using loopholes to get around the cap. Teams can only exceed the cap by a certain amount if a player is injured. And if a player comes back from injury, the team will have to follow a new playoff cap rule. The regular season is getting longer too. It will go from 82 to 84 games. This means teams will have less time to prepare. Training camp will be shorter, and players will have fewer exhibition games. The season will start in late September and end by June 21. Players will make more money too. The minimum salary will go up every year. It will start at $850, 000 and reach $1 million by the 2029-30 season. The playoff fund will also grow, reaching $40 million by the end of the agreement. There are other changes too. Teams can't make players follow a dress code anymore. All players will have to wear neck protection. And teams can have a permanent backup goalie. Some rules are changing to make things fairer. For example, teams can't loan players to the minors without them actually playing a game. And players can't defer payments in their contracts anymore. The NHL and the players' association have also agreed to extend the agreement allowing players to participate in the Olympics until the 2030 Games. They will also set up a fund to help retired players with emergency healthcare.