ECHL strike over ‘unfair labor practices’ puts Steelheads’ season on ice for now
Players across the ECHL, which includes the Idaho Steelheads, officially went on strike Friday, and the team’s game at Utah on Friday night was the first casualty.
The strike comes after an impasse between the league and the hockey players’ union, with the union accusing the ECHL of “ongoing unfair labor practices” related to player pay, health and safety standards, and equipment.
The Professional Hockey Players’ Association served a notice to the ECHL last week that its players would be on strike immediately after the Christmas break. The PHPA and ECHL have been trying to negotiate a new contract since January 2025.
The ECHL released a statement Friday that it had made its “last, best, and final offer” to the PHPA on Christmas Day, and that any future offers likely would have to take into account revenue lost as a result of missed games during a strike.
The statement went on to say that the ECHL had not received a formal response from the PHPA but had heard from several players that they would not be reporting for their scheduled games. The ECHL also said that it didn’t believe union leadership took the latest offer to a vote among its members.
The Steelheads confirmed to the Idaho Statesman on Friday morning that they would not be playing at the Utah Grizzlies. The team also released a statement on social media, describing the action as “the union’s decision to force all ECHL players to go on strike.”
“The union’s decision to force our players to stop working means that we have to postpone tonight’s road game against Utah,” the statement read. “We’re working to have a team on the ice for our next regularly scheduled game.”
The Steelheads are scheduled to play at Utah again on Saturday, and then have a six-day break before hosting the Rapid City Rush at Idaho Central Arena in downtown Boise next Friday.
The Steelheads’ players addressed fans in a statement on Tuesday, ahead of the impending strike. The statement indicated that the strike “is not against the Idaho Steelheads organization” and that the Steelheads “have consistently led the league” in the treatment of players and staff.
“Under current league rules, players can be released or traded at any time and may suddenly find themselves playing for an organization that does not provide the same level of care, stability or professionalism that exists here in Idaho,” the statement read. “Our goal is to raise the standard across the entire league so that every player, regardless of where they play, is treated fairly and consistently.”
The latest offer from the ECHL to the union would provide an immediate 19.8% increase to the salary cap for this season, and players would be paid retroactively from the start of the season to reflect the increase in their individual wages.
The offer also includes future salary cap increases that would result in a 27% increase from the current cap and would continue to have the ECHL cover 100% of the costs of renting a fully furnished house for players, including utilities and internet costs, as well as medical and dental benefits.
The proposal also includes requirements for mandatory days off, addresses travel between back-to-back games, and modifies holiday and midseason breaks, among other things.
