Start Date for Next Season is Jan. 13.

[H_T_L 0]

17 hours ago, maas_art said:

I suppose because its essentially a closed, private business? Since they arent opening up to fans I suppose it would be like a private warehouse or something? I dont know how (or if) that applies to the restrictions there - ours are still pretty lax in comparison out here. 

The lockdown in Toronto applies to all deemed non essential. They'll need some kind of exemption as far as i know. My business is just outside of the lockdown zone and i'm limited to 10 people in the building at any one time along with multiple other restrictions/rules. When and if we move to the grey level, it will once again shut me down totally.

[maas_art 0]

34 minutes ago, H_T_L said:

The lockdown in Toronto applies to all deemed non essential. They'll need some kind of exemption as far as i know. My business is just outside of the lockdown zone and i'm limited to 10 people in the building at any one time along with multiple other restrictions/rules. When and if we move to the grey level, it will once again shut me down totally.

Interesting. It makes sense.  I assume they will deem hockey as "essential" (for mental health?) but we shall see. I assume they would at least follow some very strict safely protocols. 

[kinot-2 0]

 

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun shared what the division structure looks like at this current moment as the NHL continues working toward a mid-January start, cautioning that it remains subject to change.

Without official names at this point, the divisions are broken down loosely by geographic position, with a group of teams belonging to the northeast, another involving the midwest and southeast United States, as well as a grouping of the eight franchises inhabiting the southwest.

Division 1: Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, Winnipeg Jets

Division 2: Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals

Division 3: Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, Tampa Bay Lightning

Division 4: Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Los Angles Kings, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues, Vegas Golden Knights

[kinot-2 0]

If those divisions remain the same, the at least we won't have to play Detroit again this year. 

[H_T_L 0]

To me the idea of an all Canadian division looks good until you think of the travel involved. We are most definitely at a disadvantage compared to the other divisions

[maas_art 0]

2 hours ago, H_T_L said:

To me the idea of an all Canadian division looks good until you think of the travel involved. We are most definitely at a disadvantage compared to the other divisions

I would assume we will play a bunch of "series" over the season. So like Winnepeg will come to montreal, play 2 games, then TO, play 2 games etc.    We might go to winnepeg & play 3 or 4 games there.  My guess is we will do 2 Western swings, playing 2 or 3 games against each team etc.

Its still not ideal but its probably the only thing that makes sense. 

[BigTed3 0]

17 hours ago, H_T_L said:

To me the idea of an all Canadian division looks good until you think of the travel involved. We are most definitely at a disadvantage compared to the other divisions

 

15 hours ago, maas_art said:

I would assume we will play a bunch of "series" over the season. So like Winnepeg will come to montreal, play 2 games, then TO, play 2 games etc.    We might go to winnepeg & play 3 or 4 games there.  My guess is we will do 2 Western swings, playing 2 or 3 games against each team etc.

Its still not ideal but its probably the only thing that makes sense. 

Yeah, theoretically it's 28 road games played against the 6 other Canadian teams, so that's 4-5 each per city (or roughly 18-19 among the Western teams). My guess is that's 3 trips out West for a few series.

[H_T_L 0]

Apparently there might still be some changes. Maybe we'll see an uneven schedule to avoid some of that travel. An example may be more games played between the East teams and less vs the West and vise versa. 

[campabee82 0]

On 12/12/2020 at 8:26 AM, BigTed3 said:

 

Yeah, theoretically it's 28 road games played against the 6 other Canadian teams, so that's 4-5 each per city (or roughly 18-19 among the Western teams). My guess is that's 3 trips out West for a few series.

What I have heard is a 56 game season. With 8 or 9 games against the western teams and double digit games against the eastern teams. I think the breakdown goes something like 

Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver 9 games = 36 games 

Ottawa, Toronto 10 games = 20 games

then 2 or 3 western Canada swings over the season to limit travel. 3 would make sense as you could go 3 three game series at a time.

[electron58 0]

The NHL and NHLPA agreed on Friday on team sizes and taxi squads for the upcoming 2020-21 NHL season. The report comes from TSN’s Frank Seravalli.

Agreement: 23-man roster with $81.5 million salary cap. This includes creation of 4-6 man taxi squad. All 29 players (max) will travel and practice with NHL team. Taxi squad is paid full AHL salary. CBA has been expanded to include for more flexible emergency recalls.  Training camps are also slated to begin on Jan. 3, but the seven non-playoff teams can start either Dec. 30 or 31.  The status of Canadian teams is still up in the air as they await word from provincial health officials. Teams could forced into a hub city-like situation a la the playoff bubble or the Omaha pod for the NCHC college hockey teams. Canadian teams may also be forced to move down south to play the entire season in America. The latter option is not popular with the players.

[H_T_L 0]

43 minutes ago, electron58 said:

Canadian teams may also be forced to move down south to play the entire season in America. The latter option is not popular with the players.

Not surprising it's not a popular option for players. You go from a situation of somewhat under control of Covid to a run away freight train in the US. If their going to play in bubbles then you may as well play in Canada and promote the sport in low problem areas like out East. They won't need to worry about fans so you only need arenas with the right size ice surfaces. Maybe in March or April they can switch back to their own cities when the vaccine is more readily available.  

[BigTed3 0]

I think the Canadian division is good for us. There's no one in there we can't beat. It'll be tight because there are no slacker teams (i.e. no Detroit's or Buffalo's) other than Ottawa, who I think will still be better then people will predict. But there's also no powerhouse like Tampa, and I think we can actually win this division.

My prediction for standings at this early stage:

1. Montreal

2. Toronto

3. Edmonton

4. Vancouver

5. Calgary

6. Winnipeg

7. Ottawa

[CANADIENS27 0]

On 12/15/2020 at 4:13 PM, campabee82 said:

What I have heard is a 56 game season. With 8 or 9 games against the western teams and double digit games against the eastern teams. I think the breakdown goes something like 

Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver 9 games = 36 games 

Ottawa, Toronto 10 games = 20 games

then 2 or 3 western Canada swings over the season to limit travel. 3 would make sense as you could go 3 three game series at a time.

NHL and NHLPA agree to 56 game season to start on January 1.  

 

  

 

 

[H_T_L 0]

4 hours ago, CANADIENS27 said:

NHL and NHLPA agree to 56 game season to start on January 1.  

 

  

 

 

Not sure where you got your news from but everywhere i read says Jan 13th.

[electron58 0]

3 hours ago, H_T_L said:

Not sure where you got your news from but everywhere i read says Jan 13th.

You are correct.

As per NHL.com

The NHL and NHL Players' Association have reached a tentative agreement to play a 56-game regular season starting Jan. 13, 2021.

The agreement, confirmed by NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, is pending a vote by the NHL Board of Governors and the NHLPA.

[CANADIENS27 0]

20 hours ago, H_T_L said:

Not sure where you got your news from but everywhere i read says Jan 13th.

I goofed had put down the first when I meant the 13th.  

 

 

[CANADIENS27 0]

NHL.com.  56 game season has now been approved beginning January 13 and ending May 8.   A 16 team intradivisional playoff will be a four round best of seven series.  Training camps will start January 3 with no preseason games.  

 

 

[Regis22 0]

Canada hasn't approved for hockey to play

 

The National Hockey League and its players' association reportedly agreed to terms Friday on holding the 2021 campaign. ... Approval from health officials in the five Canadian provinces that have teams is still needed before the NHL can go ahead with the season

Edited December 21, 2020 by Regis22

[kinot-2 0]

If the season begins at the target date of Jan. 13 and ends May 8, that's 56 games in 116 days, or one game every 2.07 days. In a normal 82-game season, teams would play a game roughly every 2.28 days.

[Manatee-X 0]

3 minutes ago, kinot-2 said:

If the season begins at the target date of Jan. 13 and ends May 8, that's 56 games in 116 days, or one game every 2.07 days. In a normal 82-game season, teams would play a game roughly every 2.28 days.

On the bright side, for most teams there is going to be less travel involved.  It might not actually feel that much more grueling if they're not doing as many big coast-to-coast trips.

 

Who knows what it's going to look like for the Canadian teams, though... it could end up going the other direction with even more big road trips.

[maas_art 0]

Curious to see how many players will opt-out.  Their salaries wont be paid but teams can toll (carry over) their contracts if the team wants to.  So for example, Max Domi who wasnt sure if he'd play in the bubble last season, could opt out this year and columbus could still choose to retain an additional (missed) year on his contract, rather than him being able to turn UFA in 2 seasons. 

[BigTed3 0]

1 hour ago, maas_art said:

Curious to see how many players will opt-out.  Their salaries wont be paid but teams can toll (carry over) their contracts if the team wants to.  So for example, Max Domi who wasnt sure if he'd play in the bubble last season, could opt out this year and columbus could still choose to retain an additional (missed) year on his contract, rather than him being able to turn UFA in 2 seasons. 

I don't think too many players will opt out. Danault said last year that he would likely have opted out if he was forced to play in a bubble for a regular season but that he was willing to do it for the playoffs. So if they were playing in a bubble again, pretty decent odds there would have been guys who wouldn't have stayed away from their families for months. As is, I think most guys will play.

[kinot-2 0]

1 hour ago, BigTed3 said:

I don't think too many players will opt out. Danault said last year that he would likely have opted out if he was forced to play in a bubble for a regular season but that he was willing to do it for the playoffs. So if they were playing in a bubble again, pretty decent odds there would have been guys who wouldn't have stayed away from their families for months. As is, I think most guys will play.

Of course, maybe some players will be sick of being locked down for the past months. 

[maas_art 0]

2 hours ago, BigTed3 said:

I don't think too many players will opt out. Danault said last year that he would likely have opted out if he was forced to play in a bubble for a regular season but that he was willing to do it for the playoffs. So if they were playing in a bubble again, pretty decent odds there would have been guys who wouldn't have stayed away from their families for months. As is, I think most guys will play.

I think so too - although the ones who have wives/kids who are immune compromised may take pause - especially if they are playing & coming home as usual. 

My guess is that it will be the older, near-end-of-career players who might do so, but who probably werent going to play (much) anyway. 

[electron58 0]

More Key Dates

Elliotte Friedman at Sportsnet has provided some key dates for the upcoming season:

Trade deadline: April 12

Date for teams to submit Expansion Draft protected lists: July 17

Expansion draft: July 21

Entry Draft: July 23-24

Free agency: July 28

Of course, if the season goes according to plan..............