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With plans for the 2020-21 finalized, the NHL has started rolling out some of the important details, including some key dates to keep in mind:
- Dec. 31: Training camps open for the seven teams who did not participate in the Return to Play/2020 postseason
- Jan. 3: Training camps open for the remaining 24 NHL teams
- Jan. 13: Regular season begins
- April 12: Trade deadline - 3 p.m. ET
- May 8: Final day of regular season
- May 11*: Stanley Cup Playoffs begin
- July 9*: Last possible day of Stanley Cup Final
- July 17: Deadline for teams to submit protected lists for 2021 NHL Expansion Draft
- July 21: 2021 NHL Expansion Draft
- July 23: First round of 2021 NHL Draft
- July 24: Rounds 2-7 of 2021 NHL Draft.
- July 28: Free agency opens (12 p.m. ET)
*subject to change
On top of those critical dates, the NHL also announced a long-overdue change to the offside review (via @FriedgeHNIC):
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And if you were curious about how officials will manage these strange times and closed borders...
There will be a stable of officials designated to the North Division. There could be officials asked to cross the border to work games. They would have to quarantine. Teams will see the same officials a lot. Best of a tough situation. https://t.co/ozIGniC7F8
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) December 22, 2020
More to come - amazingly enough, hockey’s just around the corner!