NHL starting on January 13th
It was a long and often frustrating process, but the National Hockey League has finally found a way to begin playing the 2020-21 season. On Sunday, the league announced that the upcoming campaign will begin on January 13th, with teams playing a total of 56 regular season games followed by the playoffs.
“The National Hockey League looks forward to the opening of our 2020-21 season, especially since the Return to Play in 2019-20 was so successful in crowning a Stanley Cup champion,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a league issued statement on Sunday.
“While we are well aware of the challenges ahead, as was the case last spring and summer, we are continuing to prioritize the health and safety of our participants and the communities in which we live and play. And, as was the case last spring and summer, I thank the NHLPA, particularly Executive Director Don Fehr, for working cooperatively with us to get our League back on the ice.”
In the announcement, the league also revealed that there would be no formal preseason games taking place prior to the start of the regular season. Formal training camps will open on January 3rd, but the seven teams that were not inside the NHL bubble this summer can begin their preseason camps as early as December 31st.
Last season the league implemented a play-in round prior to the playoffs as a result of being forced to halt the season early as a result of the pandemic, but the NHL looks to have gotten rid of it ahead of the upcoming season. The league will revert back to a 16-team playoff format with each series being a best-of-seven.
One big change though will see divisions realigned in order to prevent unnecessary travel and keep players and coaches as safe as possible. An all-Canadian division was created as well as the federal government has still not given permission to teams for cross-border travel. The NBA’s Toronto Raptors are being forced to play their games in Tampa Bay while the Toronto Blue Jays spent last year playing their home games in Buffalo.
The re-aligned divisions would look as such:
North
Calgary Flames
Edmonton Oilers
Montreal Canadiens
Ottawa Senators
Toronto Maple Leafs
Vancouver Canucks
Winnipeg Jets
East
Boston Bruins
Buffalo Sabres
New Jersey Devils
New York Islanders
New York Rangers
Philadelphia Flyers
Pittsburgh Penguins
Washington Capitals
Central
Carolina Hurricanes
Chicago Blackhawks
Columbus Blue Jackets
Dallas Stars
Detroit Red Wings
Florida Panthers
Nashville Predators
Tampa Bay Lightning
West
Anaheim Ducks
Arizona Coyotes
Colorado Avalanche
Los Angeles Kings
Minnesota Wild
San Jose Sharks
St. Louis Blues
Vegas Golden Knights
“The players are pleased to have finalized agreements for the upcoming season, which will be unique but also very exciting for the fans and players alike,” said NHLPA Executive Director Don Fehr said in the NHL statement. “During these troubled times, we hope that NHL games will provide fans with some much needed entertainment as the players return to the ice.
A schedule has not yet been released by the league, but the NHL claims that one should be revealed in the coming days.
