{"id":236210,"date":"2025-07-04T01:48:10","date_gmt":"2025-07-04T01:48:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/236210\/"},"modified":"2025-07-04T01:48:10","modified_gmt":"2025-07-04T01:48:10","slug":"nhl-and-nhlpas-new-cba-bans-fitness-tests-and-shortens-training-camps-starting-in-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/236210\/","title":{"rendered":"NHL and NHLPA\u2019s new CBA bans fitness tests and shortens training camps starting in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

The NHL and NHLPA agreed on terms of a four-year extension to their collective bargaining agreement on June 27<\/a>. Multiple changes were announced, including an expansion of the regular season from 82 games to 84 beginning in 2026.<\/p>\n

However, one alteration that flew somewhat under the radar was the prohibition of fitness tests and the reduction of team training camps from 21 days to 13 days.<\/p>\n

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Another item from the NHL’s CBA extension that will be popular with players: Fitness testing will no longer be permitted during training camp or the regular season.<\/p>\n

Training camps will also be reduced from 21 days to 13 days starting in 2026-27.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) June 28, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Fitness tests typically put skaters through conditioning exercises for coaches to determine the level of endurance and strength particular players possess ahead of the regular season. Former Washington Capitals head coach Barry Trotz had a creative way of measuring his roster\u2019s fitness each year<\/a>.<\/p>\n

According to The Patriot-News\u2019 Tim Leone in 2014<\/a>, Trotz had his players skate the length of the rink down and back twice and then back through the red line.<\/p>\n

If the players beat a 38-second benchmark on their first two trips and 41 seconds on their third, they only had to do the test three times. However, if they failed to meet those times on any of the tests, they had to do the grueling skate twice more. The skates all happened immediately after each skater group\u2019s 45-minute practice session, making them even more challenging to complete.<\/p>\n

Trotz isn\u2019t the only bench boss to have implemented a tough introductory test, though. John Tortorella was well known for his infamous \u201crope test,\u201d named for a rope tied to two nets on either side of the ice that skaters are not allowed to cross over.<\/p>\n

Trotz explained the lessons he wanted to impart on his players from pushing them so hard so early in the year with his particular drill.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the skate testing, the guys are in great shape,\u201d he told the Capitals\u2019 Mike Vogel in 2014<\/a>. \u201cIf you\u2019re a better skater and you\u2019re in great shape, you\u2019re probably going to pass that test. If you\u2019re an average skater or a below-average skater and you\u2019re in great shape, you\u2019re going to have a tough time getting through that test.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut at the same time, it teaches some lessons. It taught some lessons to me, and it taught some lessons to some veteran players who maybe missed on one of those early reps, and now they\u2019ve got that mental barrier of \u2018Now I\u2019ve got to go the whole distance.\u2019 And that\u2019s hard, and it\u2019s hard fighting through that.\u201d<\/p>\n

After last month\u2019s signing of a \u201cMemorandum of Understanding,\u201d NHL coaches will now have to find new ways to evaluate their players\u2019 offseason training and prepare them for the regular season.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe went back and forth, very open dialogue, and even the complicated issues that might have come up were given complete thought on both sides, and we were able to get to some good resolutions here,\u201d NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh said when the framework of the deal was announced<\/a>. \u201cHappy with the process and hopefully the players will be happy with the outcome.\u201d<\/p>\n

Toronto Maple Leafs forward John Tavares, who signed a four-year contract extension on Friday<\/a>, called the CBA news \u201cgreat for the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s great, I think, for the league, for us as players to continue the partnership and the growth,\u201d Tavares said. \u201cIt\u2019s great to have that partnership and how collaborative it\u2019s been.\u201d<\/p>\n

The league previously extended the CBA through the 2025-26 season, when it paused the 2019-20 campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The two parties reached the extension agreement under the terms first put forth after contentious negotiations that resulted in a 119-day player lockout during the 2012-13 season.<\/p>\n

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