Stanley Cup champions the Tampa Bay Lightning are due to host the Chicago Blackhawks in one of five games to open the NHL’s COVID-19-shortened season on Jan. 13.
The league on Wednesday released a first-of-its kind schedule, featuring four realigned divisions based on geography and limited to division play only.
Each team is to play 56 regular-season games, which would be squeezed into what is tentatively scheduled as a 116-day stretch ending on May 8.
Photo: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports
It includes an NHL first: An all-Canadian North Division of the nation’s seven teams would play each other nine or 10 times.
The three remaining eight-team divisions have all US teams, which would face each division foe eight times.
Although the playoffs are set to open on May 11, that date could be pushed back in the event the league is required to reschedule games amid the pandemic.
While the schedule is set, much remains undetermined, including game times. A much bigger question is whether the NHL would receive approval from Canada’s provincial and federal health officials to allow the nation’s teams to play in their home cities.
The San Jose Sharks are planning to open training camp on Thursday next week in Scottsdale, Arizona, and their season with two games at the Arizona Coyotes.
Like the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers who are closing out their season at Arizona, the Sharks are temporarily without a home after Santa Clara County banned contact sports through at least Jan. 8.
The NHL took into account the possibility of the ban being extended by having the Sharks open with eight straight road games. Their home opener against Vegas is not scheduled until Feb. 1.
There are numerous quirks in the schedule, which would feature at least one game a day over an 868-game season, and has teams playing mostly two-game sets against the same opponent in the same city to reduce travel.
“The back-to-backs are more like baseball,” Washington Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said. “You are going to do a lot of prep and then going to have a very good knowledge of where that team is at after you play that first game.”
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