Established in 1967, the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) is comprised of the 750 players in the National Hockey League (NHL). The primary role of the Association is to act as the collective bargaining unit on behalf of the players, but also assists and manages in areas such as marketing, licensing, pension, insurance and communications. Some of the key areas of support and management the Association provides are: negotiating terms of the collective bargaining agreement with the NHL; Certification Program for player agents; Salary Arbitration; Player Grievances; professional development programs; improving working conditions and creating player safety initiatives.