It appears there will be a work stoppage in the ECHL.
The pro hockey league said Friday that the Professional Hockey Players’ Association (PHPA) did not respond to what the ECHL calls its "last, best, and final offer" for a new collective bargaining agreement.
The PHPA announced Monday that its ECHL membership had served a strike notice that would be effective Friday, when play is scheduled to resume following the holiday break.
On Friday, the ECHL said it had heard from certain players "that that they will not be reporting for their scheduled games.
"We strongly encouraged union leadership to submit our offer to a vote of its membership, but we do not believe that happened."
Thirteen games are listed on Friday's schedule.
The ECHL says its latest offer includes a 19.8-per-cent increase to the salary cap this season and more increases in future years, resulting in a total boost of 27 per cent.
The offer also includes mandatory days off, custom sticks and five-star helmets and an increase in per diem.
The ECHL, formerly known as the East Coast Hockey League and now going just by the acronym, is a North American developmental league that is two levels below the NHL, with the American Hockey League in between. There are 30 teams, 29 of which are in the U.S. and one in Canada in Trois-Rivières, Que.
CBA talks began in January, with PHPA executive director Brian Ramsay accusing the league of unfair bargaining practices, including most recently contacting players directly with proposals, which have been reported to the National Labor Relations Board.
— with files from AP.
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