What to Expect for the 2022 Hockey Season
Contents
The NHL is targeting a January 1, 2022, start date for the 2021-22 season Here’s what we know so far about what to expect for the next hockey season
Introduction
The 2022 hockey season is fast approaching, and there is a lot to be excited about. With the addition of the Seattle Kraken and the realignment of the divisions, there are sure to be some exciting changes in store for the upcoming season Here is what you can expect for the 2022 hockey season
NHL realignment
NHL realignment is set to take place for the 2022 hockey season As a result of this, some teams will be playing in different divisions than they are currently in. This could potentially have an impact on the standings and playoff race, so it’s something to keep an eye on as the season approaches.
New rules and regulations
The 2022 hockey season will see some new rules and regulations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of these changes include:
– All players must wear face masks while on the bench, in the Penalty Box and during post-game interviews.
– There will be no spitting or nose-touching allowed.
– Handshakes and fist bumps are not allowed between players.
– No fans will be allowed in the arena, except for a limited number of family members or close friends of the players.
– Players will be required to maintain social distancing (six feet apart) whenever possible.
Player safety
One of the biggest concerns for the 2022 hockey season is player safety With the number of injuries that have occurred in recent years many players are beginning to feel unsafe on the ice. This has led to a lot of discussion about whether or not the league should make changes to the way the game is played.
One proposal that has been made is to add additional padding to players’ jerseys. This would help to protect them from being hit by sticks and pucks. Another suggestion is to change the size of goaltender equipment. This would make it more difficult for opposing players to score goals but it would also make it more difficult for goaltenders to make saves.
The league has not yet made any decisions about these proposals, but they are expected to be taken into consideration before the start of the season.
Salary cap
One of the most discussed topics in the NHL is the salary cap The salary cap is the amount of money that each team in the NHL is allowed to spend on player salaries The current salary cap for the 2021-2022 season is $81.5 million. This is an increase from the 2020-2021 salary cap of $81.0 million, and it is the first time that the salary cap has increased since the 2016-2017 season.
With the increase in the salary cap we can expect to see some teams spend more money on Player Salaries than they have in previous years. This could lead to some teams having an unfair advantage over other teams, which could create an uneven playing field in the NHL.
It will be interesting to see how the salary cap affects the 2022 hockey season. Will we see more competitive teams? Will we see more parity in the league? Only time will tell.
Expansion draft
With the NHL’s announcement of the addition of the Seattle Kraken for the 2021-22 season we now know that there will be an expansion draft for the new team. Here’s what you need to know about how it will work.
The draft will take place after the 2021-22 regular season and before the start of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Each of the league’s 31 other teams will be allowed to protect seven forwards, three defensemen, and one goaltender or eight skaters (forwards/defensemen) and one goaltender. Seattle will then select one player from each team for a total of 30 players.
Players with no-movement clauses in their contracts at the time of the draft (2021-22) will have to be protected unless they agree to waive their clause. Additionally, first and second-year pros and unsigned draft picks will be exempt from selection and do not need to be protected.
It is unclear at this time how Seattle will stock its roster beyond the Expansion Draft but it is possible that they could make trades with other teams leading up to or during the draft itself in order to acquire additional assets.
Free agency
The 2022 NHL season is still a ways off, but that doesn’t mean we can’t start talking about it. One of the biggest storylines heading into next season will be Free agency This year’s free agent class is loaded with star power, and there are sure to be some big-name players changing teams. Here’s a look at some of the biggest names who will be hitting the open market next summer.
Trades
As the 2021 NHL playoffs wind down, fans and pundits alike are already looking ahead to the 2022 season. One of the main topics of conversation is who will be traded and who will stay with their current team. Here are some of the rumoured trades:
-The Tampa Bay Lightning are rumored to be shopping goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy.
-The Toronto Maple Leafs are rumored to be shopping defenseman Morgan Rielly.
-The Winnipeg Jets are rumored to be shopping defenseman Dustin Byfuglien.
The Stanley Cup Playoffs
The 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs will be the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) 2021–22 season. The playoffs are expected to begin in early April 2022, and will end in early June.
The format will be unchanged from the 2020 playoffs, with 24 teams qualifying for the playoffs: the top four teams in each of the four divisions. The first two rounds will be divisional tournaments, with each division playing a best-of-seven series to determine which team advances to the Conference Finals The conference finals and Stanley Cup Finals will both be best-of-seven series.
As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on the 2020–21 NHL season it is unclear if fans will be able to attend games in person. However, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has said that he is hopeful that fans will be able to attend games by the time the playoffs roll around.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the 2022 hockey season should be an exciting one. With the new realignment, there will be plenty of new rivalries and playoff matchups to look forward to. The addition of the Seattle Kraken will also add another layer of excitement to the league. Be sure to stay tuned for all the latest news and updates leading up to the season.
