NHL 2020-21: The League to Play at least 48 Regular Game Season

There was an update from the league about the probable beginning of the NHL 2020-21 season. While there isn’t a lot of information available about the dates, per sources, the league is mulling over starting the 2020-21 season in January. 

NHL to play 48 regular-season games or more.

Per the reports, the league will play nothing less than 48 regular-season games. According to this schedule, it would be wonderful announcing the Stanley Cup winner before the Tokyo Olympics begins in July. Of course, this kind of assumption is just tentative given the current scenario and other considerations. 

In a statement the deputy commissioner of the National Hockey League, Bill Daly said,  "I think there is some flexibility if we were to choose that route. There's a lot left to be played out on the Olympics front too. We have models that extend past the Olympic time period. Those are alternatives that are on the table. I can't tell you they're the ones that are necessarily going to be pursued, but I think there's some flexibility there."

Will fans attend the NHL 2020-21 Season?

The league has not yet announced whether fans will be allowed to attend the game or not. NHL Commissioner is still to announce whether fans are going to be cheering their favorite players or not. Per the sources, however, there isn’t any announcement as yet -- but the league wants fans to attend the NHL 2020-21 Season. This will depend on the health & safety protocols allowing fans into the stadium. 

There have been changes taking place in the game & the local authorities protocols -- in the past few months, fans have been attending their favorite sports. Multiple teams have allowed fans in the NFL with required restrictions. Among the other leagues to allow fans was the Major League Baseball that allowed fans for the World Series. As the situations say, with COVID-19 still at the forefront, we cannot deny the fact that -- fans in the stadium are unlikely. 

Normal NHL 2021-2022 season schedule.

Per the reports, the National Hockey league is looking forward to playing with a normal 2021-2022 season schedule. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly talking about a normal season schedule said "We're still taking the time we have to drill down and get to what we consider our best strategy to be. I know the world and the media would like a little more certainty. I wish I could provide it. I'd like a little more certainty. But we don't have it."

The tentative date for the league to start the season is January 1, 2021. However, there isn’t any formal agreement announced between the NHL & the Players’ Association. 

The Ontario Hockey League and American Hockey League, on the other hand, are not going to be playing anytime before February. The major difficulty for the hockey competitions is -- the borders that divide Canada and the United States are closed for non-essential travel and are going to be closed in the foreseeable future. Talking about this, Daly said, "Obviously, it factors into how we have to plan for the 2020-21 season. And it will factor in. If it remains exceedingly difficult to travel teams to and from Canada, as I think we've been very clear, one possibility is to create competition within the league among the Canadian clubs."

It all got messed up when the NHL clubs and the Toronto Blue Jays were banned from traveling by the Canadian Government. So, it is going to be a problem for the league unless we have a vaccine ready. Hoping for the best to happen, wait for the official announcement of the NHL 2020-21 Season schedule.