NHL and NHLPA Attain Preliminary Deal for 56-Recreation Season – CBS Pittsburgh

By jimadmin On Dec 19, 2020

(AP) – The National Hockey League and its players signed a tentative deal on Friday to run a 56-game season in 2021 pending approval from each side’s board of directors and Canadian health officials.

The season would start on January 13th. Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly confirmed that the sides had reached an agreement pending approval from various executive boards.

The NHL Players’ Association board of directors meets on Friday evening to discuss this, while the league’s board of governors could soon vote on the plan. Approval from health officials in the five Canadian provinces that have teams is still required before the NHL can continue the season.

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Training camps for the seven non-playoff teams would open on December 31 and January 3 for the other 24 teams, including the Penguins. It is unclear whether teams would play in their home stadiums or in “hub” cities, although a schedule for all divisions is expected.

It is not expected to include exhibition games leading up to the new season. Sportsnet in Canada first reported on the preliminary agreement.

The NHL, like the NBA, ended its previous season in quarantine – two of them, one each in Toronto and Edmonton, Alberta. Commissioner Gary Bettman awarded the Stanley Cup to the Tampa Bay Lightning in late September.

Owners and players agreed on a long-term widening of the collective agreement before the 2019-20 season resumed, setting the table for the financial ramifications of the pandemic. They recently agreed to stick with this deal, which includes players deferring 10% of salaries, a cap on the money deposited in the escrow, and a flat cap of $ 81.5 million.

The NHL follows the NBA towards another regular season. The basketball season starts on Tuesday.