Be sure to like HockeyBuzz on facebook! For the latest Leafs updates or Follow @mikeinbuffalo on Twitter The National Hockey League has set a schedule structure for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, important offseason events and the beginning of the 2020-21 season, but all are subject to change based on the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on Wednesday that the league tentatively will open next season’s training camp on November 17th and hope to start the 2020-21 regular season on December 1. Speculation has been that the NHL intended to start in January due to an expected second wave of the Coronavirus, but the reality of being able to play a full 82-game schedule and not extend the Stanley Cup Playoffs deep into the summer for the second year in a row may be the reason for an earlier-than-expected start. There is also no indication thus far whether the intention is to play in empty buildings or in front of fans. The NHL will enter Phase 3 of the Return to Play plan on Monday barring an unforeseen failure to pass the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The NHLPA’s rank and file will complete the voting by Friday and the Board of Governors are set to ratify the new agreement before the weekend. Training camps are slated to be less than two weeks, with clubs heading to the hub cities by July 26 and beginning the play-in round by August 1.
With the NHL schedule still being finalized, the tentative critical dates calendar spells out how a compressed playoffs will look:
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) July 9, 2020
Qualifying Rounds: 10 days
Round 1: Fewer than 14 days
Round 2: Fewer than 14 days
Round 3: Fewer than 14 days
Stanley Cup Final: Fewer than 13 days
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Our July 4th Weekend show discusses the NHL Draft Lottery Deadline, Toronto & Edmonton S Hub Cities, great news on #Flyers Oskar Lindblom, & Russ’ latest Food Oddities.
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