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- ECHL players threaten to strike as early as Friday amid stalled contract negotiations.
- ECHL says it is offering a salary cap increase and benefits but no agreement reached yet.
- A strike could risk the Utah Grizzlies' final season before relocating.
WEST VALLEY CITY — The Utah Grizzlies' final season could be put on ice as early as Friday, as ECHL players are on the verge of launching a strike amid negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement.
The Professional Hockey Players' Association issued a statement Monday night, warning that players will go on strike the day after Christmas to "protect the integrity of the bargaining process." It follows months of negotiations for a new agreement that have resulted in no progress.
"Our members have never been more united and remain ready to return to the bargaining table at any time. We sincerely hope the ECHL will engage in good-faith negotiations so a fair agreement can be reached and any disruption to the season can be avoided," said Brian Ramsay, the union's executive director, in a statement.
ECHL officials acknowledged the notice, saying that it would "result in at least some games being postponed."
"We believe the players would much prefer to continue playing and supporting the fans and communities we serve while we work through negotiations," the league said.
The Grizzlies, Utah's lone minor league hockey franchise, are scheduled to play host to Idaho on Friday and Saturday, and it's unclear yet if those games will be impacted.
The team announced earlier this year that they will relocate to New Jersey next season, following the sale of the franchise to Pro Hockey Partners, LLC, over the summer. Utah's final regular-season game at the Maverik Center is slated for April 11, pending a new collective bargaining agreement.
The ECHL operates differently from Minor League Baseball in that the minor league hockey team owners pay most players and other expenses, regardless of an affiliation with an NHL franchise. The minimum salary last season ranged from $530 to $575 per week, while a team's salary cap ranged from $14,600 to $15,130 per week, according to the league.
Both sides said they began negotiations in January, after the previous agreement expired in June.
Union officials say they have concerns with certain conditions, such as some players being handed used equipment, helmets that aren't properly fitted and long bus rides for team travel being considered as part of an off-day. They added that the league only recently became willing to provide a day off per week, plus a holiday break that's consistent with other professional leagues.
"We are asking for basic standards around health, safety and working conditions that allow the players to remain healthy, compete at a high level and build sustainable professional careers," Ramsay said, while also accusing the league of "unlawful and coercive conduct" during the negotiations.
The ECHL says it's offering a 16.4% increase in its salary cap, along with promises for future increases, which it adds will help increase player salaries by 27% from the current cap. It would also cover housing and utility costs, as well as medical and dental benefits, on top of the changes to off days and holiday breaks.
Teams would also provide custom gear and allow players to choose helmets that are considered safer, plus the league says it's willing to add a 325-mile limit for travel in back-to-back games. Even after the Grizzlies' move, the league will still have franchises located in California, Idaho and New Mexico in the West, as well as several other teams scattered throughout other parts of North America.
Officials didn't provide a deadline for an agreement to avoid a premature end of the season, but that has happened with midseason strikes in other sports. Most notably, the MLB Players Association went on strike in August 1994, ultimately resulting in no World Series champion being crowned that year.
