UPDATE: A tentative deal on a collective bargaining agreement has been made between the ECHL and the Professional Hockey Players’ Association.
The agreement must be ratified by the players and the ECHL Board of Governors.
Players have been asked to prepare for their return to play. Two Wichita Thunder games in a row were canceled over the weekend because of the strike.
Original story: The Wichita Thunder did not play their scheduled game against the Allen Americans Friday night, after ECHL players went on strike.
The Thunder is part of the ECHL, a minor professional ice hockey league. The league released a statement saying it made its best and final offer to the Professional Hockey Players Association, including a nearly 20 percent increase in salary cap immediately, along with other concessions.
The Wichita Thunder Facebook account posted a statement from the ECHL, claiming PHPA leaders denied the players the chance to vote on the offer.
The Wichita Thunder players issued a statement in response, saying, "the organization has put out a misleading statement that does not represent the facts of the situation or the opinions of Wichita Thunder players as a whole."
All games missed will be rescheduled. There is no information on how long the strike will last, but the Thunder is working to have a team on the ice for their next scheduled game Saturday night.