Corridor Cross Checks: ECHL games back on as new CBA officially ratified

CEDAR RAPIDS — Chuck Weber picked up a bit of a cold for Christmas. Which actually was better than what the Iowa Heartlanders head hockey coach received along with that.

“It was like getting a lump of coal,” Weber said.

ECHL hockey players went on strike this past Friday as negotiations between the league and Professional Hockey Players’ Association on a new collective bargaining agreement went well south. The strike postponed all games this past Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

A tentative CBA agreement ended up being reached Saturday night, one that improves pay for players and addressed their health and safety concerns. The games are back on: for the Heartlanders that means Wednesday night at Kansas City, Friday and Saturday nights at Tulsa.

“The two sides came together when it mattered and got a deal done,” Weber said. “Neither side is completely happy, and to me that’s the sign of a good deal.”

Weber said he could not initiate contact with players during the strike but could field calls from them and share appropriate documents. He was a resource, of sorts.

“I know our group just wanted to play hockey,” Weber said.

“This new agreement ratified by both the ECHL and the Professional Hockey Players’ Association significantly increases player compensation, improves health and safety and delivers on new initiatives that are responsive to our players’ needs, while supporting our league’s continued growth and ability to put an entertaining and accessible product on the ice for our fans and the communities we serve,” said ECHL Commissioner Ryan Crelin in a statement. “I am so appreciative of the dedication and effort of our CBA committee who worked tirelessly to reach this agreement on behalf of the entire ECHL community.”

“This agreement reflects the unity, resolve, professionalism and discipline of our members throughout this process,” said PHPA Executive Director Brian Ramsay in a statement. “Meaningful progress was made in several key areas identified as priorities by our members, and this outcome would not have been possible without their engagement and support. On behalf of the PHPA, I want to thank our Bargaining Committee, our ECHL membership, and the PHPA staff for their work in reaching this agreement, as well as our brothers and sisters from the AFL-CIO, NHLPA, PWHLPA, NFLPA, and CFLPA, and labor organizations from across North America for their unwavering support.”

The Heartlanders last played Dec. 20, a loss at Toledo, and got in their first practice since then Monday. That’s a long break.

The club has made multiple personnel moves in the last couple of days: acquiring defensemen Jack Robiotti and Anthony Firriolo in a trade with Atlanta that sent D-man Nolan Orzeck and leading scorer Jack O’Brien to the Gladiators. Iowa also signed defenseman Noah Massie to a contract, after he’d spent this season with Quad Cities of the SPHL.

Forwards Rasmus Kumpalainen and Cameron Butler were assigned to the Heartlanders by the AHL’s Iowa Wild. Butler has played one game in his career in the NHL, with Columbus.

Iowa is in seventh and last place in the ECHL’s Central Division with 18 standings points on an 8-16-2-0 record.

Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

The RoughRiders resumed play after a two-week holiday break, splitting a pair of games this past weekend.

Cedar Rapids beat Sioux City at home Saturday night, 6-2. Six different players scored goals.

Justin Graf had a goal and two assists, as did Henry Lechner.

Sunday saw the Riders blow a pair of two-goal leads and fall at Madison, 6-5. Madison scored the go-ahead goal with 5:26 left.

Sullivan Miller had two goals for C.R., becoming the sixth RoughRiders player to hit the 10-goal mark this season, the most in the United States Hockey League. The Riders have a 16-8-1-2 record for 35 standings points, in fifth place in the eight-team Eastern Conference, 10 points back of first-place Green Bay.

Cedar Rapids plays Wednesday night at Dubuque (6:05 p.m.). It is on the road this weekend for games Friday and Saturday nights at Muskegon.

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