NHL CBA Schedule

Tuesday, July 19 / Wednesday, July 20 • NHLPA membership meetings • players debate CBA terms • 350+ of 700+ players needed for ratification Thursday, July 21 • NHL Board of Governors meeting • 2005 Entry Draft lottery held • 16 of 30 owners needed for ratification • Official annoucement of the end of the NHL lockout • CBA terms officially released Saturday, July 23 • Period for compliance buyouts begins (2/3 buyout doesn't count against cap) • Period for signing 2003 draft picks begins • Period to extend qualifying offers begins • Period for teams to negotiate with their own restricted and unrestricted free agents begins Thursday, July 28 • Deadline to exercise team/player options for next season • Deadline to sign 2003 draft picks (or else they re-enter 2005 draft) • Deadline to make required, good-faith offers to 2004 draft picks Friday, July 29 • Deadline for compliance buyouts (buyouts after today will be charged against cap) Saturday, July 30 • Entry draft held in Ottawa at the Westin Hotel Sunday, July 31 • Deadline to extend qualifying offers Monday, August 1 • Free-agent signing period begins Thanks to ESPN for the dates, and be sure to read Hockey Rodent as he discusses a possible buyout loophole. UPDATE 7/18 6:15 pm The player vote will come later than expected. According to USA Today:

"They are to begin arriving in Toronto on Tuesday, get briefed Wednesday and hold a ratification vote Thursday. Phone and Internet accommodations will be made for players who can't attend."

So don't expect a player vote until Thursday. Stan Fischler has an interesting piece today on Goodenow's Last Stand. As for the owners, the NHL is briefing teams on the terms of the CBA in groups early this week in anticipation of a vote on Thursday. UPDATE 7/18 10:29 pm Dates are being pushed back. The NHL is now planning its Board of Governors meeting for Friday in New York, where they will hold a ratification vote, entry draft lottery, and the news conference to announce the end of the lockout. As updated above, the NHLPA will hold their ratification vote on Thursday in Toronto, after two days of briefing and debate on the deal. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, NHL executive vice-president and chief legal officer Bill Daly, as well as NHLPA leadership will be available to the media following the all-important player vote on Thursday.