NHL considers including buffer period in 2021 schedule

The league has no other choice but to plan for the worst case scenario…

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Published 3 years ago
NHL considers including buffer period in 2021 schedule
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While the National Hockey League and its Players Association are focused on getting the season started on January 1st, with the hopes of awarding the Stanley Cup at the latest on July, 15th, it sounds like they are also putting attention on the possibility that players might get diagnosed with COVID-19 during the 2021 campaign, which will affect the calendar. 

That’s why, according to reporter Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly have included a buffer period in the schedule to make sure no surprises emerge in May when the playoffs are set to get underway. 

"The goal is to end the regular season on May 1," said Lavoie. However, that doesn't mean the playoffs will automatically start on May 4th. They may start a little later.
"If the NHL has to postpone games because there are too many COVID-19 cases on a team, it's very simple: they will postpone them towards the end of the season."

The hopes if that the postseason would be wrapped up by July 10th, or the 15th at the latest, however, the NHL is aware that COVID-19 could disrupt plans.

“It might take a little longer if the NHL has to start later or hit the pause button for a while,” Lavoie added.

In a recent interview, Daly himself did confirm that the NHL was considering different schedules options for the regular-season calendar and playoffs. One would have all teams hosting games in their home arenas and another would require all teams to play in hub cities “that would be determined based on where there are the fewest COVID-19 cases.” If the league is forced to proceed with the idea of having multiple hub cities, Daly stated that the safety protocols wouldn’t be as strict as what was done in Edmonton and Toronto this past summer for the Stanley Cup playoffs.

It remains to be seen how the league will function when it comes to types of realignment as far as teams go. The idea of a Canadian division has been the main concept for now, especially since travel restrictions between the United States and Canada are still very strict. 

Source: TVA Sports