Thunder Bay – SPORTS – There will be NHL hockey this season. The season is scheduled to open on January 13, 2021 with five games planned. These include Vancouver Canucks playing the Edmonton Oilers, the Montreal Canadians will play the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The seven Canadian based NHL teams are going to be playing in the North Division of the league, and will be playing out of their home arenas.
The league has a 56 game season planned which is all made up with intradivision games.
NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly “On the basis of our discussions in the past week, as well as our exchange of correspondence over the last 24 hours, we believe we are aligned and in agreement on the conditions on which each of our Canadian franchises can begin play in their own buildings for the start of the 2020-21 NHL season.”
The NHL and NHL Players’ Association have been working with the provincial governments in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec on an agreement that would assuage health concerns they have regarding how games and travel into and out of the seven Canadian NHL cities could impact regulations they already have in place for the general public aimed at curtailing the spread of COVID-19.
The North Division is one of four realigned divisions for the 2020-21 season.
The Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals will play in the East Division.
The Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning will compete in the Central Division.
The Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues and Vegas Golden Knights will be in the West Division.
