There will be a 2020-2021 season!

The National Hockey League (NHL) and the Players’ Association officially begin the 2020-2021 season 56 games on January 13.

The league governors approved the deal two days earlier on Sunday, meaning the NHL can now move forward.

For the 24 teams participating in the 2020 Post Season Playoffs, training camps will begin on January 3 and the warm-up game will not take place. Seven teams excluded from the final playoffs, including the Ottawa senators, can begin their preparations on December 31. The playoffs will close in mid-July, so the NHL will return to its traditional schedule in 2021-22.

Thus, as mentioned in recent weeks, the Montreal Canadians will play in the Northern Division along with six other teams in the country; However, part of the plan, which includes the location of the matches, is conditional on the approval of the relevant local public health authorities.

Each team in the North Division competes with its opponents 9 or 10 times; In the other three divisions, it has another arrangement, which becomes eight duels against division opponents. The top four clubs in each group advance to the playoffs, with the top club finishing fourth in the opening round and teams 2 and 3 crossing swords. The winners of the two clashes will then fight.

For the Stanley Cup semi-finals, the teams are in conflict with each other, yet the team with the most points is measured against those with the least points.

“The NHL is looking forward to the start of its 2020-2021 season, especially its successful return to the 2019-2020 game and helping it win the Stanley Cup Champions title,” Commissioner Gary Betman said in a press release. Just like last spring and summer, we are sure of the challenges that await us. We continue to prioritize the health and safety of our participants and the communities in which they live and play. ”

“The players are satisfied with the latest deals for the next campaign, which is exclusive to the fans and the players but very exciting,” said Donald Fehr, executive director of the union. In these troubled times, we hope the NHL will provide some welcome entertainment for fans. ”

In neutral territory?

In official confirmation, the NHL has opened the door to a duel show in neutral territory. This is especially true for Canadian teams, who cannot obtain permission from local governments to host their own games.

“The NHL and the Players’ Association decided that a change in section decoration was needed to close the border. We wanted to reduce travel as much as possible only with conventions in the divisions. Depending on, the league is ready to host games in one or more neutral venues if necessary, ”the tour explained.