The collective bargaining agreement between the NHL and its players association mandates the two-day Christmas holiday break with no games on the 24th and 25th. As late as 1971, the NHL had Christmas games on its schedule. Bargaining the following summer between the league and the NHL Players Association ended that practice and it?s safe to say that was something the union was happy to have. The NBA turned Christmas Day into a showcase event, playing a limited schedule that always managed to feature the Chicago Bulls during the Michael Jordan era and drew decent TV ratings. The NHL wouldn?t mind trying something similar, and, according to a league source, floated the idea past the players union not too long ago, but they rejected the idea.