When Will the NHL Resume?
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The NHL has been on hiatus since mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic. But with other leagues starting to resume play, when will the NHL follow suit?
The NHL’s Response to COVID-19
The NHL has been on hiatus since March 12th due to the outbreak of COVID-19. The league has been exploring all options to resume the season. However, there has been no definitive decision made as of yet. In this article, we will explore the NHL’s response to COVID-19 and what the potential plan is to resume the season.
The NHL’s initial response
On March 12, 2020, the National Hockey League (NHL) became the first of the major North American professional sports leagues to suspend their season in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The NHL was originally going to follow the NBA’s lead and continue playing games without fans in attendance. However, after multiple players tested positive for the virus and with the recommendation of public health officials, the NHL decided to suspend play.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman released a statement saying, “The NHL believes that it is essential to take every precaution to protect the health and safety of our players, employees and fans. We will continue to monitor all developments and we remain prepared to make adjustments as necessary.”
Since suspending play, the NHL has been working with public health officials and medical experts to determine when it will be safe to resume playing games. The league is also exploring different scenarios for resuming play, including holding games in one or two “hub” cities.
As of now, there is no timeline for when the NHL will resume play. However, Bettman has said that the league is hoping to start the 2020-21 season on time in October.
The NHL’s current response
The NHL has been monitoring the situation closely and is in constant communication with medical experts. In light of the most recent developments, and out of an abundance of caution, the NHL is immediately suspending all club activities, including team practices and media availability. The NHL will continue to consult with medical experts and our Clubs in order to determine when it is appropriate to resume our activities.
The Impact of COVID-19 on the NHL
The NHL has been on hiatus since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The league is now trying to figure out when and how to resume the season. This has been a difficult task because of the many different factors involved. Let’s take a look at some of the impacts of COVID-19 on the NHL.
The financial impact
The NHL is a billion-dollar industry, and like any other business, it has taken a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the season on hold and no games being played, the league is losing out on a lot of revenue. From ticket sales to concessions to merchandise, the NHL rely heavily on game-day revenue to keep the business running.
Now that the season is on hold, team owners are looking for ways to cut costs and save money. Many teams have already laid off or furloughed staff, and some have even put players on salary deferral. With no end in sight for the pandemic, it’s uncertain how long these measures will last or how much further the NHL will have to cut back.
The financial impact of COVID-19 has been felt throughout the NHL, and it’s possible that we may not see hockey played at the same level as before for some time.
The impact on the 2020-21 season
The NHL is planning to start the 2020-21 season on January 1st, 2021, but it is still unclear how the COVID-19 pandemic will impact the league. The NHL has already had to make some changes to the schedule due to the pandemic, and it is possible that more changes will be necessary. It is also possible that the NHL will not be able to start the season on time, or that the season will be shortened.
When Will the NHL Resume?
The NHL has been on hiatus since mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The league has been exploring various options for resume play, but has not made any definitive decisions. Commissioner Gary Bettman has said that the league is targeting a late July or early August return, but nothing has been set in stone.
The NHL’s return-to-play plan
On May 26, the NHL and NHLPA announced a tentative agreement to resume the 2019-20 season. The agreement is subject to approval by the NHL’s Board of Governors and the NHLPA’s membership.
If approved, training camps would start no earlier than July 10, and the regular season would resume with a 24-team playoff format no earlier than August 1.
The playoffs would be held in two hub cities, which have not yet been determined. Each team would play a round-robin tournament to determine seeding, followed by traditional best-of-seven series.
The Stanley Cup Final would be played no later than October 31.
The NHL’s return-to-play timeline
The NHL is targeting a Jan. 1, 2021, return to play, according to multiple reports.
TSN’s Darren Dreger was the first to report the league’s targeted date for a return to action, with The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun and ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski confirming Dreger’s report.
What’s Next for the NHL?
The NHL has been on hiatus since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the league is hoping to resume play in the near future. But what does that mean for the future of the NHL? In this article, we will discuss the potential next steps for the NHL.
The 2021-22 season
The NHL season is typically a little over six months long, running from early October to mid-April. The league then takes a break for about two months before resuming play in late June with the Stanley Cup Finals. However, due to the ongoing pandemic, the 2020-21 season was shortened to 56 games and will likely end in early May. If the NHL follows its usual schedule, the 2021-22 season will begin in October 2021 and end in April 2022.
The NHL’s long-term plans
The NHL has been on hiatus since March 12th due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
At this time, it is unclear when the league will resume play. However, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has said that the league is hoping to resume play in early 2021.
In the meantime, the NHL is focused on finalizing its long-term plans for the future of the league. These plans include expanding the league to 32 teams, realigning the divisions, and changing the playoff format.
It is still undecided when these changes will take effect. However, Bettman has said that they could be implemented as early as next season.