The NHL is targeting Dec. 1 as the start of the 2020-21 season, according to a memorandum of understanding obtained by ESPN that is being voted on by NHL players. The NHL’s board of governors also must approve it.
The NHL Players’ Association began a full membership vote on a four-year CBA extension, as well as return-to-play protocols, on Wednesday. Results are expected on Friday.
The critical dates in the memorandum of understanding are all tentative and could be pushed back, including:
-
The Stanley Cup Final will begin Sept. 20 and end no later than Oct. 2
-
The 2020 NHL draft will be held Oct. 6
-
Training camps for the 2020-21 season will begin Nov. 17
First, the NHL is keen on awarding a Stanley Cup this summer. Training camps for the 24-team tournament will hopefully open on July 13 with teams traveling to the hub cities — Edmonton and Toronto — on July 26. If all goes according to plan, games will begin Aug. 1.
Sources told ESPN that the NHL is planning to have three games a day in each of the hub cities, with the first games starting at noon local time. That means six games a day during the qualification round and round-robin play, with potentially more than 15 hours of hockey a day.