A deal to start the 2021 NHL season has been tentatively reached between owners, players

Posted: Dec 18, 2020 / 10:00 PM CST / Updated: Dec 18, 2020 / 10:02 PM CST

EDMONTON, ALBERTA – AUGUST 18: Jonathan Toews #19 of the Chicago Blackhawks shakes hands with Nick Cousins #21 of the Vegas Golden Knights after the Golden Knights won 4-3 to clinch the series and move on to the second round after Game Five of the Western Conference First Round of the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoff at Rogers Place on August 18, 2020 in Edmonton, Alberta. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)

NEW YORK – Initially, there was hope that the league would be able to start their season on January 1st, with this week being used for training camp.

That didn’t happen, as the NHL and NHLPA weren’t able to get things worked out for a New Year’s Day beginning, but they won’t be too far off.

Quote from NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly:
“We have a tentative Agreement with the Players’ Association on plans for the 2020/21 NHL Season. The agreement is subject to approval by both of our respective constituencies.''
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) December 19, 2020

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed on Friday night that a tentative agreement has been reached to start a 56-game NHL season. That agreement has to be put to paper and eventually voted on by both sides, but a path to get the campaign started is in place.

Per numerous reports, training camps for teams would open up shortly after the new year on January 3rd with play set to begin on January 13th. It’s expected that the playoff teams will be decided within modified divisions that will be created to keep teams in closer proximity due to the pandemic.

The top four teams from each division would make the postseason and they would play each other to determine a winner who would go to the Stanley Cup Semifinals.