Everyone throughout the hockey world knows by now that NHL General Managers’ held a video conference call with Commissioner Gary Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly last Friday. Here are some of the key points to the meeting that took place last Friday.
A condensed/shorter schedule was discussed as was the topic of “Hub Cities”, but it would require authorization from the NHL and the NHLPA. This time players and staff would not be kept away from society, but would be expected to follow a strict set of to be determined protocols. Of course, there will be further negotiations in regards to these matters.
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Teams would participate in games for a two-three week period, and then they would be able to go home for a week to be with their families. The hope is to get fans back into the arenas as fast as possible. Moreover, still on the table is what they call a “Geographical Re-alignment”, to include a Canadian Division. The hope is to reduce traveling from the Canadian-American border, and vice versa. However, the NHL would need further planning on this, as this could possibly affect the postseason, per Larry Brooks of the New York Post.
Still on the table is an 82 game season, however there is talk of a 56 game regular season. The NHL must find a way to have the season complete by the start of the Olympics, as NBC covers both the NHL and the Olympics. In addition, NBC’s NHL deal expires at some time in July, as well. Again more discussions and planning will have to ensue to iron out some of these big issues.
Training Camps
Training camps are currently scheduled to begin in mid-December, and could last 14 days possibly even longer for those teams that did not play in the playoffs in the bubbles. The hope is to start the season by January 1, 2021. Camps are to include a maximum of 35 players (skaters plus goaltenders).
A nine-day conditioning camp is also being discussed of up to 35 players (skaters and goaltenders) for draft selections, entry-level players, and tryouts. This is like a developmental camp that the Flyers typically have in June following the draft, where it is usually held in Voorhees, NJ. The catch is players who participate in this conditioning/rookie camp this season must also be invited to the main training camp. Under the current plan that is being constructed, the NHL and NHLPA would like each team to play three or four exhibition games, per John Shannon.
A lot remains to be negotiated between the NHL and NHLPA (To include expanded rosters as the AHL season will not start until February 5, per the AHL), but hopefully sooner rather than later both sides will come to a resolution for the start of next season.
If Biden gets in won’t be a season
Will be vaccine by dec