American Hockey League, Professional Hockey Players’ Association tentatively agree on a new CBA

By Canadian Press on January 7, 2026.

The American Hockey League and the Professional Hockey Players’ Association reached a tentative agreement Wednesday on a new collective bargaining agreement.

It must still be ratified by the AHL’s Board of Governors and the union’s membership in the U.S. and Canada-based developmental league just below the NHL.

The deal comes a few weeks after players in the third-tier ECHL staged a strike out of the holiday break, which caused 41 games to be postponed. The ECHL and PHPA have since hammered out and ratified labor peace through 2030.

There was no such danger in the AHL with the sides on track for a new CBA long before the ECHL situation reached the point of a work stoppage.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

The Associated Press