NEW YORK (AP) — Commissioner Gary Bettman said the NHL will begin collective bargaining with players in early 2025 and is optimistic about getting a deal done.

The current CBA expires on September 15, 2026. Bettman informed the league’s Board of Governors of the initiation of negotiations during its meeting Tuesday in New York.

“As far as timing goes, that’s probably the most realistic because it’s still well ahead of its expiration,” Bettman said. “As far as the relationship goes, we think we’re in a good place.”

NHLPA Executive Director Marty Walsh recently began his tour of all 32 teams to better understand what players expect from the next CBA. This will be the first agreement negotiated by Walsh, who succeeds Don Fehr in February 2023.

Bettman said he didn’t want to speculate on how quickly a deal could be completed.

“If we could make it to the Stanley Cup Finals through my media availability, everyone would be very happy,” Bettman said. “But that’s not a discussion I’ve had with Marty Walsh in terms of timing, so I don’t want to set unfair parameters. It will be what it will be, but I think it’s based on the status of our relationship, that will be fine.

Among the topics the owners and players will discuss at the next CBA is an adjustment to the league’s schedule. Reducing the number of preseason games and expanding the NHL’s 82-game regular season are “on the list of things to think about” for owners ahead of the next CBA, Bettman said.

Sources told ESPN in December 2022 that the NHL had discussed extending the season to 84 games to create more regional rivalries. The league has been considering alternatives to its current schedule after some teams complained about an unbalanced number of division games against rivals.

In other board news, Bettman said the preliminary salary cap for 2025-26 is $92.5 million, compared to $88 million this season.

The league and NHLPA also granted the Columbus Blue Jackets special dispensation to begin the season below the $65 million salary floor following the death of star forward Johnny Gaudreau in August. His contract had an average annual value of $9.75 million.

“We had tragic circumstances,” said Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly. “This has been the case for most of the summer and we have been working with the players’ association to see what makes the most sense in terms of dealing with this situation.”

The NHL told Columbus that the allowance would continue for an “appropriate period of time.” Asked how long this might take, Daly said it “depends on the circumstances”.

One topic that didn’t come up at the board meeting was further NHL expansion, Bettman said.

“It’s no different than the last time I answered the question. There are a number of places that have expressed interest, some talk to us regularly, but that’s where we are,” he said.