With the removal of the financial concerns, otherwise known as the owners backing down for now (key word) and keeping the agreement from the MOU in place, the NHL and NHLPA are working through ironing out the logistics of the 2020-21. Of course, if the two sides had reached this space earlier, maybe we would be looking at starting prior to January 13 and playing more than 56 games. But as it is, with camps expected to open the last week of December, players - in certain instances, at least in the US and Canada, will be able to spend X-Mas with their families. Of course, all of this is pandemic dependent, which will drive several decisions, including how the schedule will be constituted and where the games are to be played.
INSIDER TRADING: #TSNHockey Insiders discuss...
— TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) December 9, 2020
- The next hurdles for the league and players' association to overcome
- #NHL sked flexibility & roster size
- How AHL affiliates will be utilized
WATCH ðŸŒ: https://t.co/sR6PHOxOLH pic.twitter.com/3v8OhTXdXj
Financial hurdles cleared, NHL/NHLPA now hammer away on season planning. Still lots to do to get ready for a Jan 13 start. Quick update: https://t.co/AHPWq21hzV
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) December 8, 2020
Pierre LeBrun in his column above mentioned several key remaining questions. A few of those items apparently have had traction during the day. I have noted those updates in italics.
• Roster sizes: Obviously the NHL can’t have a season during the pandemic with normal-sized rosters. Sources said Tuesday the NHL has proposed a framework to the NHLPA dealing with rosters but the two sides have yet to iron that out. Frank Seravalli reported this evening that there is talk of expanded rosters, from 23 to 26, with four additional taxi squad members for a total of 30 players. Taxi squad players could earn AHL salary but receive NHL benefits and per diem. With the issues of cross-border travel still in effect and CGY, EDM and VAN keeping their AHL affiliates in the US, that taxi squad could be composed of players who might normally be in the AHL, at least initially.
• Schedule flexibility: With the NFL in mind, as Scott Burnside suggested in his piece in The Athletic last weekend, the NHL needs some flexibility and extra days in the schedule in case of COVID-related game postponements. But as one source pointed out Tuesday, the NHL and NHLPA also wanted to maximize the number of games. So you’ve got conflicting objectives that need to be balanced there. But either way, there will be extra days in place in the shortened schedule. No update here. But if the season starts January 13 and ends May 1 or so, look for several three games in four nights or back-to-back contests on the schedule, at least initially, to try and free up days just in case. This is where the taxi squad comes into play and teams need to have a pair of solid netminders, as New York does, to work their way through the proposed calendar.
• What about the forgotten seven? The NHL had promised, if possible, that the seven teams who didn’t take part in return to play last summer could have a pre-camp before all 31 teams open camp. At the time, the agreement was for seven days or so ahead of the main camp. Now with the time crunch, expect that to be only a couple of extra days although that, too, remains to be finalized with the NHLPA. Not to be snide, but the NHL still kind of forgot them, At best, those teams may open Dec.28, while the rest of the league might start New Year's Day, meaning they get a whole three-day head start. Don't spend that all in one place. Those seven teams last played March 12, so they will go nearly 10 months without getting on the ice together. But, Seravalli reported that COVID testing may start Dec. 26 and camps open January 3, negating the early start for those seven teams.
• Will the players, like RTP last summer, have an opt-out option if they feel unsafe to play during the ongoing pandemic? It’s still being discussed, sources said Tuesday, but yes it’s expected individual players will be able to opt-out. I would be shocked if this isn't an option. Plus, I would also expect the ability to opt back in, as we saw in MLB this year.
• Critical dates: With a Jan. 13 start date in mind, what dates are tentatively pencilled in for trade deadline, playoffs, NHL Draft, expansion draft, free agency? Sources on both sides said Tuesday that’s still being discussed. The one date that had been broadly discussed was a May 1 end to the season with a June 28-July 7 end to the playoffs. If those dates stick, maybe we have a mid-March trade deadline, with the rest to fall into place.
• Divisions: We will have one Canadian Division consisting of all seven teams north of the border. I wonder if the NHL will revert back to the old names like Patrick, Norris, Adams and Smythe for those divisions. Unknown is how the playoffs will work, in terms of who qualifies, though my view is the four division winners and then the best remaining four-to-six teams, depending on how many teams qualify for the postseason, rather than going by division.
The other proposed divisions are as follows, with the Rangers not having an easy time in that group of eight.
Boston, Buffalo, Carolina, New Jersey, NY Islanders, NY Rangers, Philadelphia, Washington
Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, Florida, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Tampa
Anaheim, Arizona, Colorado, Dallas, LA, Minnesota, San Jose, Vegas
As Michael Augello pointed out in his blog, in terms of scheduling, the three eight-team American Divisions will probably play eight games (4 home, 4 away) against the seven clubs inside their division. For the Canadian Division, with seven teams, for each squad the breakdown of 56 games will probably be 10 games vs. two clubs (20 games) and nine games against the other four (36 games). Based on geographic factors, it could mean Toronto playing the Senators and Habs 10 times (5 home, 5 away) and nine times against the four Western clubs (5 home, 4 away and 4 home, 5 away).
More to come over the next several days. But we finally look to have traction towards a start date and season. The regular may be just slightly more than a month away.