The National Hockey League has recently announced a rough plan for their 2021 winter season. Their season typically begins in October, with the regular season ending in April, and the Stanley Cup is awarded to a team in June. However, this season will be very different.

The league plans to start their season on January 1st; however, it is not decided whether they will play 48, 60, or 82 games during the year. Many details are dependent on not only COVID, but on whether teams will allow spectators at games. This aspect could be a deciding factor on the start date for the season, how many games will be played, as well as the timeline of the season.

If the NHL were to not allow fans at games, many teams would struggle financially. This past spring,  the NHL did a great job returning to play, putting teams in “bubbles,” and they were able to finish the season with no positive tests for COVID-19. They did not allow fans at these games, however this would be a much bigger financial problem if there were no spectators for a full season. 

In addition to the season’s plans, the NHL also pushed back and cancelled many events for this fall and winter. The Winter Classic games have been cancelled, as they were planned to occur January 1st in Minnesota. Later in January, the NHL hosts a yearly all-star game, which was also sadly cancelled. 

Though these dates and decisions cannot be finalized until the time comes, players and fans are hopeful to get the season started as soon as possible. Everyone is also hoping the season will play out completely and be unaffected by any COVID outbreaks.