Willow BergeronAnaheim Ducks forward Jansen Harkins is sidelined for the rest of the 2025-26 NHL season after undergoing hand surgery — a painful reminder that even a fourth-line grinder's earning power can be derailed in an instant. While fans track the playoff picture, there is a legal story behind every player injury: what exactly does an NHL contract protect when a player goes under the knife?
What Happened to Jansen Harkins
Harkins, 27, had been playing a physical, shutdown role for the Ducks this season — logging 44 games with 3 goals, 8 points, and 113 hits before the surgery forced him off the ice. The two-year deal he signed with Anaheim in July 2024 remains in effect, but his ability to play out the remainder of that contract has been cut short.
For a player whose value is measured in blocked shots and faceoff wins rather than goals, the financial implications of a season-ending injury can be significant — and the legal framework governing that situation is more complex than most fans realize.
NHL Contracts and Injury Protections: The Basics
Under the NHL's Collective Bargaining Agreement, all Standard Player Contracts include injury protection clauses that guarantee a player's salary even when they cannot play due to injury. This means Harkins continues to receive his contracted salary during recovery — a critical safeguard that distinguishes professional sports from most civilian employment.
"NHL contracts are unique in that salary is typically guaranteed regardless of performance or injury," notes a sports law specialist familiar with Canadian and U.S. professional sports agreements. "The CBA provides a safety net that most workers simply do not have access to."
However, there are important nuances. Teams can include performance bonuses that require a player to be active, and in rare cases, teams may seek relief through insurance claims when a player's injury is deemed career-altering. The NHLPA's collective bargaining resources outline the core protections every player is entitled to under the current agreement.
How the Long-Term Injured Reserve Works
When a player like Harkins is placed on Long-Term Injured Reserve (LTIR), the team receives salary cap relief — but the player's compensation obligations remain fully intact. This mechanism protects both the player's income and the team's ability to operate under the hard cap.
For Harkins and the Ducks, this means three things happen simultaneously:
- His contracted salary continues uninterrupted
- The Ducks recover cap space to potentially dress a replacement
- Harkins begins a structured rehabilitation program under the team's medical staff
Under the CBA, players on LTIR retain full rights to their contracted compensation and are entitled to all medical care covered under the collective agreement. No team can reduce a player's salary simply because he is injured.
What Canadian Workers Can Learn from NHL Contracts
Most Canadians are not signing multi-year professional hockey contracts, but the principles underlying NHL injury protections mirror rights that exist — often far less visibly — in standard Canadian employment law.
Under provincial employment standards legislation, employees who suffer a workplace injury are typically entitled to Workers' Compensation benefits, continued benefits coverage, and in many provinces, job protection during recovery. But here is the catch: the NHL's guarantees are far more robust than what most Canadian employment contracts provide.
Many workers discover only after an injury that their contract contains clauses limiting income protection — or that short-term disability coverage replaces only a fraction of their salary. The gap between what people assume they are covered for and what they are actually entitled to is often wide.
"The biggest mistake employees make is assuming their contract protects them the same way a union CBA would," explains one employment law perspective. "Reading the fine print before you are injured is always the right move."
Three Questions Every Canadian Should Ask Before an Injury Happens
1. Does your employment contract include salary continuation for injury? Unlike NHL players, most salaried employees are not guaranteed salary continuation. Short-term disability insurance, if offered by an employer, may cover only 60 to 70 per cent of income.
2. How long does your income replacement coverage last? Short-term disability typically covers three to six months. Long-term disability kicks in after that — but only if a policy is in place. Many workers, especially contractors and the self-employed, have no long-term disability coverage at all.
3. What are your rights if your employer tries to terminate you while on injury leave? In most Canadian provinces, terminating an employee solely because of an injury or disability is considered discriminatory under human rights legislation. An employment or disability lawyer can help you understand exactly when and how these protections apply in your province.
Disability Insurance: The Safety Net Most Canadians Overlook
Harkins benefits from a collective agreement negotiated over decades to protect professional athletes. For the average Canadian worker, that kind of comprehensive protection does not come automatically — it must be purchased or negotiated.
According to Statistics Canada, approximately 4.4 million Canadians live with a disability that limits their daily activities. Yet a significant portion of the workforce remains uninsured or underinsured for extended disability events. A financial adviser or insurance specialist can help you assess your exposure and close coverage gaps before a crisis forces the issue.
When to Consult an Employment Lawyer or Financial Adviser
Jansen Harkins has an NHLPA representative and a dedicated legal team managing his situation. Most Canadians navigating a workplace injury or employment contract dispute do not have that support system automatically in place.
Consider consulting a professional if you are facing any of the following:
- You have suffered a workplace injury and are unsure of your income replacement rights
- Your employer is pushing back on your approved disability leave
- You are reviewing a new employment contract and want to understand the injury protection clauses
- You are self-employed and currently have no formal disability coverage
- Your short-term disability is ending and your long-term disability application has been denied
At ExpertZoom, qualified employment lawyers and financial advisers are available to review your specific situation and help you understand your rights — before you are in a position where you urgently need to use them.
The Bottom Line
Jansen Harkins' hand surgery is a reminder that no career — on or off the ice — is immune to sudden interruption. For NHL players, the CBA provides robust, clearly defined protections. For the rest of Canadians, those protections are only as strong as the contracts they have signed and the insurance coverage they have secured. A few hours reviewing your situation today could prevent years of financial stress if the unexpected happens tomorrow.
