Latest on 2021 NHL Season Start Date and NHLPA Talks

NHL insiders have been relaying news all morning on Tuesday as it pertains to the upcoming NHL season and NHLPA talks surrounding the return to play and 2021 campaign (we say 2021, because there’s really no way anything happens before January 1, 2021). Those updates include new estimates on when the season will start and what it will look like when it does.

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How a 42-Game NHL Schedule makes sense.https://t.co/aRUKx0ZoP7 via @nhl_tradetalk

— NHL Trade Talk (@nhl_tradetalk) November 27, 2020

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun noted on social media that the 16 players who make up the Return to Play Committee have been meeting regularly and have another call scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. They believe a reasonable start date will be somewhere between Jan. 20-Feb. 1.

LeBrun adds that a league source said the target date of January 1 hasn’t shifted but given the Covid numbers, further delays are expected.

Meanwhile, Chris Johnston of Sportsnet was on WGR 550 radio Monday morning said, “I think the NHL is looking at a 60-game season with their last offer to the players.” He too didn’t think Jan. 1 would be a reasonable expectation for a start date and “that may result in these talks dragging out longer than expected.”

Johnston said he was under the impression the NHL could start as late a February but pushing the start date beyond that would cause complications that might lead to a canceled season.

What If Things Drag Out?

If things drag out, Johnston notes a few remedies are possible to ease the pain of a later start date. Because the players are staying in shape, the NHL would cut down training camps from two weeks to 10 days.

One thing that won’t be changes is both the players and NHL’s stance that a full bubble scenario isn’t likely. He notes:

“The NHL has ruled out the complete bubble scenario like they did this summer in Canada. The preference from both the players and owners is to use their own arenas at this point. That still could change with the uptick in the spread of COVID-19.”

** thanks to NHLrumors.com for the transcription

Player agent Allan Walsh notes, “Despite what some people with the League may be saying, the idea of the NHL playing regular season games by Jan. 1st is not viable at this point.”

Despite what some people with the League may be saying, the idea of the NHL playing regular season games by Jan. 1st is not viable at this point. https://t.co/Cxgs9ClIne

— Allan Walsh (@walsha) December 1, 2020

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