After months of tense negotiations between Gary Bettman, Commissioner of the National Hockey League (NHL), and Donald Fehr, Executive Director of the National Hockey Players’ Association (NHLPA), an agreement has been reached, and the 2012-13 hockey season has finally begun!

The expiration date for the previous collective bargaining agreement (CBA) came and went on September 15, 2012, and unfortunately, Bettman and Fehr were still arguing over players’ salaries, contract requirements, and the like.  Consequently, Bettman declared a lockout of the teams of the NHLPA, the third lockout of his career.

The lockout lasted 113 days, causing over 40 percent of the regular season’s games to be cancelled.  Fortunately, Bettman and Fehr accepted an agreement on January 6, 2013, allowing for the 2012-13 hockey season to start on January 19, 2013.

The deal contains a variety of changes compared to the previous CBA.  For one, players received a specific pension plan for the first time in NHL history.  Additionally, the minimum salary is still set at $525,000 for the 2012-13 season but will increase to $750,000 over the next decade.  Both the NHL and the NHLPA can discontinue the agreement in 2019 if they feel the need to do so.

The first official day of the 2012-13 hockey season was January 19, 2013, and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Philadelphia Flyers 3 to 1.  The Penguins also played the New York Rangers the next day and won 6 to 3.  For a complete schedule and the results of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ games, visit http://penguins.nhl.com/club/schedule.htm.