Link: https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/five-points-that-will-become-key-to-the-pwhls-next-cba

On Labor Day, we look at five items that will become key in the next wave of negotiations for the PWHL and PWHLPA as they look to improve upon their inaugural CBA.

Abolish the draft. This is a sports league, not a military — the players should be allowed to live and play where they want

In the NWSL's new CBA, teams cannot trade players without the full consent from the player. In the PWHL, players can be traded without their consent. The NWSL also did away with their entry draft making all players not under contract free agents. It gave the best talent globally the option to choose their destination, and contract term, with protections, in the NWSL. The PWHL still has restricted free agency for drafted players as well, keeping them within the organization that drafted them for at least two years. Along with this, the NWSL also abolished their draft. The NWSL waned to lure more top players from outside of North America, and one way to do that was to allow international talent the ability to choose their destination and freely negotiate a contract. It allows the teams who treat players better, and have the finances available to offer liveable wages to players, to attract talent. It force teams to improve their conditions, coaching, and culture. With the number of European players who delayed coming to North America, and many who still have not made the decision to join the PWHL, giving more freedom to veterans over a certain age, as a minimum, would open doors for the PWHL to attract more talent. Players will want choice, freedom in their movement, guarantees in the contracts they sign, and equal opportunities to sign for what they're worth, no matter when or how they entered the league.