REPORT – NHL Looking At January Start Date

According to NHL Insider Pierre Lebrun and Greg Wyshynski of ESPN, the National Hockey League is reportedly working towards a Jan. 13 start date with a 56-game schedule. 

From an NHL team exec this monrning, FWIW: "NHL is season is starting Jan 13th. Confirmed last night. We are going to be playing 56 games."

— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) December 8, 2020

The league and the NHL Players Association had been at a standstill as a result of financial disputes between both sides. ESPN National NHL reporter Emily Kaplan wrote that team owners have been in search of additional cash flow during an economic time where nearly every business has been affected by the pandemic. 

Although a start date has been discussed, there are still hurdles in order to begin the season. Schedules, temporary division realignment, and Coronavirus health protocols are the last steps in order to get a season started. 

Both sides targeting Jan. 13 start to season in order to get 56-game sked but even with financials no longer an issue as @DarrenDreger first reported, still some work to be done on protocols, schedule, critical date, etc, plus subject to NHL BOG and NHLPA executive board approval https://t.co/ESSjY94Slt

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) December 8, 2020