Former Junior Hockey Players Drop NHL Class Action Lawsuit

A pair of former junior hockey players have voluntarily withdrawn their antitrust lawsuit against the National Hockey League (NHL), alleging the league conspired to fix junior players’ pay and restrict their movement between teams and leagues.

NHL Class Action Overview

Who: The World Association of Icehockey Players Unions North America Division filed a class action lawsuit against the NHL, Canadian Hockey League (CHL), and three independent Canadian junior leagues.

Why: The lawsuit alleged the leagues conspired to exploit junior hockey players aged 16 to 20 by restraining their ability to move freely between teams and leagues.

Where: The lawsuit was filed in federal court in New York.

Players Withdraw Lawsuit After CHL Dismissal

The plaintiffs voluntarily withdrew their claims less than a month after a New York federal judge dismissed the CHL and its three associated junior leagues from the case, Reuters reports.

The withdrawal also came amid a pending motion to dismiss filed by the NHL in July. The league argued that any dispute should be resolved under its collective bargaining agreement.

Original Antitrust Allegations

The class action lawsuit claimed the leagues divided the United States into recruitment territories and conducted involuntary player drafts, which all leagues honored. The NHL allegedly provided regular payments to the junior leagues, including when players were drafted into the NHL.

The plaintiffs sought an injunction against exclusive player rights deals and argued that players should be allowed to negotiate with multiple teams across multiple leagues without restrictions.

Case Information

The NHL class action lawsuit was World Association of Icehockey Players Unions North America Division, et al. v. National Hockey League, et al., Case No. 1:24-cv-01066, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.