Bill Daly sends important memo to all 31 teams!

Deputy commissioner Bill Daly’s message might have been addressed to all 31 teams across the National Hockey League, but we feel the urgent need to share it will all of its fans. 

On Tuesday afternoon, many insiders, including Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, reported that Daly had sent a memo to all teams across the league to let them know what was next in order to put a plan together for the start of the 2020-21 season. 

“Deputy commissioner Bill Daly sent a memo to the 31 NHL teams today saying negotiations have been continuing with the NHLPA and the league is hoping it will be able to make a recommendation to the governors Thursday. Daly wrote “the objective remains to start as early as Jan. 1.”

He also mentions in the memo when he is hoping to wrap up the season. 

"Daly added in the memo the NHL is hoping to complete the schedule before the end of April and get back on a regular schedule for 2021-21. Didn't say how many games would be played. The league also sent out a survey asking about local conditions and restrictions."

However, the joint NHL-NHLPA Return to Play committee has yet to meet and have nothing scheduled at this time. It was reported earlier that the top leaders on both sides have been in daily contact regarding the 2020-21 season.

Remember when the NHL said its main objective was ensuring a full 82 game schedule for the 2020-21 season? That also seems unlikely at this point. 

Last week, the NBA and its players association voted in support of  starting the 2020-21 season on Dec. 22. This prompted the NHL to say that their target date of the start of their campaign remained January 1st. Up until that point, Dec. 1 was the pencilled-in possibility for things to start up again.

But for now, we must feel encouraged that teams are in the loop and could get together sooner rather than later to get a plan together for the upcoming season. 

Fingers, and toes, crossed.