Our Player Advocacy Journey

February 11, 1957: Ted Lindsay led a group of players in forming the original Players’ Association. Even though this initial version of the Union disbanded because of pressure from the owners and an out-of-court settlement, this step was still a significant moment helping to lay the groundwork for the NHLPA of today.

June 1967: Player Reps from the Original 6 teams reformed the NHLPA as a labour organization to promote and protect the interests of the players.

June 1971: The NHLPA introduces the Lester B. Pearson Award, given to the NHL's most outstanding player, as selected by the players. Phil Esposito was the first winner of the award, which was named after Canada’s 14th Prime Minister, Nobel Peace Prize winner and noted hockey fan, Lester B. Pearson.

September 1972: The NHLPA plays a key role in the creation of the Summit Series, the first international hockey event featuring top Canadian NHL players competing against the Soviet Union. Team Canada won the series with four wins, three losses and one tie, with the games split between Canada and Russia.

The NHLPA negotiates the first comprehensive Collective Bargaining Agreement for NHL players. The 1975 CBA allowed players to become free agents after their contracts expired, but the process was complex and often involved significant compensation for the team losing the player. Marcel Dionne became a pivotal figure in this era, when he signed with the Los Angeles Kings as a free agent.

September 1976: The NHLPA, NHL and Hockey Canada create the Canada Cup, heralding Canada's official return to international hockey after a boycott that had begun in 1970. Canada defeated Czechoslovakia in a best-of-three final. A total of five Canada Cups were held: 1976, 1981, 1984, 1987 and 1991.

January 1990: Player reps voted to implement salary disclosure. Salary transparency became a key factor in player contract negotiations, helping to create a more competitive market and drive salaries. The Montreal Gazette published the salaries of all NHL players on January 29, 1990.

April 1 to 12, 1992: The first ever NHLPA-organized strike, which led to the players taking greater control over their name, image, and likeness rights, as well as increased playoff bonuses and improvements to free agency and arbitration.

August 26 to September 14, 1996: The NHLPA and NHL bring hockey fans the inaugural World Cup of Hockey, which was hosted in nine cities across Canada, the United States, Finland and Sweden. The United States defeated Canada in the final to win the championship.

June 25, 1997: The NHLPA implements that Agent Certification Program, which requires that agents meet certain requirements and follow specified regulations. Only certified agents may represent players in dealings with clubs.

February 1998: NHL players were, for the first time, eligible to participate in the Olympic Winter Games (held in Nagano, Japan). The Czech Republic won gold, Russia won silver and Finland won bronze.

October 1998: The NHLPA and the NHL launch Hockey Fights Cancer. This initiative raises money and awareness for cancer research and care through various fundraising efforts and community events.

November 19, 1999: The NHLPA launched its Goals & Dreams fund at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. The program provides hockey equipment to children in need, enabling them to participate in the sport and develop hockey and life skills.

November 22, 2003: The Heritage Classic between the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens marks the first time an NHL regular season game was played outdoors. Since 2008, at least one outdoor game has been held every year as part of the Heritage Classic, Winter Classic or Stadium Series.

September 15, 2004: The CBA expires and the owners lockout the players.

February 16, 2005: The NHL announces the cancellation of the 2004-05 season, marking the first time a major North American sports league cancelled an entire season due to an owners’ lockout.

July 13th, 2005: A new Collective Bargaining Agreement is signed.

September 29 & 30, 2007: The NHL/NHLPA Premiere was a series of regular-season games played in Europe to open the NHL season, marking the first regular season games played overseas and serving as a significant step in international expansion. The event kicked off in London, England when the Anaheim Ducks faced off against the Los Angeles Kings. The program evolved into the Global Series in 2017.

April 29, 2010: The NHLPA reintroduced its most outstanding player award as the Ted Lindsay Award (it had previously been called the Lester B. Pearson Award). Lindsay made significant contributions to player rights and benefits during the formation of the Players’ Association. It is awarded annually and the recipient is selected by his peers.

September 15, 2012: The NHL owners implement another lockout of the players.

Coming out of collective bargaining in 2013, the NHLPA and the NHL jointly implement the Player Orientation Program. This program reaches players early on in their NHL careers and is designed to enhance players’ life skills both generally and as they relate to playing in the NHL.

September 17 to 29, 2016: Held in Toronto, Ontario, the World Cup of Hockey featured eight countries. Canada won the championship, defeating Team Europe in the best-of-three final. The next World Cup of Hockey will be held in 2028.

NHLPA Goals & Dreams celebrates its 25th anniversary, having provided over $27 million in equipment donations and supporting the hockey ambitions of thousands of children across 45 countries.

February 12 to 20, 2025: The NHLPA and NHL host the 4 Nations Face-Off in Montreal and Boston, marking the return of “best-on-best” international competition featuring NHL players for the first time in nearly ten years. Canada defeated the USA in the final.

July 8, 2025: The NHLPA and NHL ratify a new four-year collective bargaining agreement that will run through the 2029-30 season.