The NHL Lockout Is Over

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!!!!!!11!!!1!!!1!!

(Turns off teenage girl mode)

Ahem, I mean, thank god the lockout is over. It took a 16 hour meeting, but the NHL and NHLPA both hammered out a tentative deal. So the NHL will start and be played while the nuts and bolts are figured out. Here is what the framework looks like:

• A 10-year CBA deal with an opt-out at year 8.
• 50/50 HRR split throughout the deal.
• Contract length. A player's maximum contract is no longer than 7 years (8 if it's a re-signing).
• Contract variance. Each year of the contract can not fluctuate more than 35% of the year before. In addition, the lowest amount a player can make in a given contract can not be less than 50% of the highest amount.
• Arbitration. Teams cannot walk away on deals less than $3.5M.
• Suspensions are mostly the same. Shanahan deals them out, and Bettman is the appeals process for 5 games or less. If it is 6 or more game, an independent panel will deal with appeals.
• $300M "make-whole" agreement is in place.
• The salary cap has a $44M floor and a $64.3M ceiling. The shortened season is an exception, as teams can spend up to $70.2M this season (reportedly).
• Every team gets 2 "compliance" buyouts. (Bye bye Gomez)
• Teams cannot bury contracts. Any contract over $900K will still count against the cap.
• All the international stuff (Olympics and World Cup!) will be decided later.
• Nothing about realignment.

So there you go, a guaranteed 8 years of labour peace. See you all in 2020 (2022 if we are lucky).