Weber Played Key Role in RTP, CBA Ratification Between NHL, NHLPA

Yannick Weber was anything but bored over the last four months.

While so many of his teammates and fellow NHLers were constructing home gyms in their garages, binge-watching television programs and finding any other way to pass the time, Weber was on the phone.

A lot.

Not only is the veteran defenseman in his fourth season as a member of the Nashville Predators, he also serves as the team's National Hockey League Players' Association representative. Throughout the year, Weber acts as a liaison to keep his teammates updated on discussions on various topics between the League and the Players' Association by participating in conference calls and the like.

And, as one might imagine, Weber had plenty to do as the spring turned into summer.

As the NHL and NHLPA were negotiating a plan to return to the ice after the 2019-20 regular season was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the two parties also added talks on an extension to the current Collective Bargaining Agreement into the mix.

That's a lot to hammer out in a short amount of time, and Weber was there for it all.

"When we have any board calls with the Players' Association, I'm there to represent our opinion on where we stand as a team], and this was a very crucial time figuring out how to return and all the safety that comes with it," Weber said on [Episode 94 of the Predators Official Podcast. "We also had to negotiate an extension to our Collective Bargaining Agreement, which was on top of that. And on top of that, I was also on the Negotiation Committee when it came to the new CBA, so I was on phone calls a lot. Either it was a board call, or it was a committee call, or it was players calling me or it was [Preds General Manager] David Poile calling me or it was coach calling me, so I had my hands full. But it was actually good for me to kind of kill some time being involved in something else."

During each and every call, Weber would take notes and then compile them into a short summary for the rest of his teammates to keep them updated to the negotiation process. Weber says he kept track of more than 50 calls alone when it came to the NHLPA, and he estimates he spent more than 100 hours on the phone over that time.

"A lot of it is sometimes a little bit above my head when it comes to lawyers talking and all that, but it was good to learn," Weber said. "It was a lot of hours. A lot of Zoom calls as well. But I wanted to be the player rep for the Nashville Predators, and I have been for a few years now, so it is part of my job. But it was definitely the busiest summer I've had just because everything came together from returning to play and also the new CBA."

When all of the documents were finally signed and announced on July 10, not only had the NHL and NHLPA agreed on a plan to resume play on Aug. 1, the two sides had also each ratified a four-year extension of the NHL/NHLPA Collective Bargaining Agreement through the 2025-26 season.

Suddenly, all of those hours on the phone were well worth it.

"It was probably the biggest thing," Weber said of agreeing to a four-year extension to the current CBA. "Now, we have six years of labor peace, which is healthy for the League, it's healthy for the sport. We know there's not going to be a lockout, so it's just nice to know that hockey is going to be going for a while now, and everybody seems to be happy."

Weber says the financial uncertainty caused by the pandemic caused both sides to realize an extension to the CBA would provide greater stability long term. Plus, the defenseman added, the League will soon need to negotiate a new national television broadcast deal in the United States, and labor peace will help in those efforts as well to maximize the chances at a lucrative contract.

Ultimately, the NHL and NHLPA came together to agree on a deal that works for both sides, and Weber did his part to make sure the Preds had their voices heard. Because of that, he and his teammates will be back to doing what they love for years to come.

That's well worth a few extra charges of the phone battery.

"I definitely learned a lot as well," Weber said. "I got to know the business side of things a little closer, and I really enjoyed it and the guys really appreciated it. Those last couple months were busy in that aspect, and it's made it go by a little bit quicker than maybe for some other guys… It was good timing."