NHL finalizes details for 2020-21 season

The Golden Knights will return to action next month.

The NHL and players’ association announced in a joint statement Sunday that they approved a plan for a shortened 2020-21 season and will drop the puck Jan. 13.

Training camp is slated to begin Jan. 3 at City National Arena for the Knights, who will play a 56-game schedule. The regular season will end May 8.

“The National Hockey League looks forward to the opening of our 2020-21 season, especially since the return to play in 2019-20 was so successful in crowning a Stanley Cup champion,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. “While we are well aware of the challenges ahead, as was the case last spring and summer, we are continuing to prioritize the health and safety of our participants and the communities in which we live and play.”

Added Donald Fehr, executive director of the NHLPA: “The players are pleased to have finalized agreements for the upcoming season, which will be unique but also very exciting for the fans and players alike. During these troubled times, we hope that NHL games will provide fans with some much needed entertainment as the players return to the ice.”

The Knights are part of a temporarily realigned West Division with Colorado, Minnesota and St. Louis added to holdovers Anaheim, Arizona, Los Angeles and San Jose.

The schedule has yet to be released, but each team will play eight games against division opponents. Games will be played in home arenas, according to the agreement, and local health guidelines will dictate whether fans can attend.

A Knights spokesperson declined to comment Sunday on the team’s plans for games at T-Mobile Arena. Gov. Steve Sisolak extended a statewide pause until Jan. 15 that restricts public gathering sizes in Nevada to 50 people or to 25 percent of capacity, whichever number is lower.

By comparison, the NBA opens the first half of its season Tuesday with teams playing a home-and-road schedule in arenas. Details on fan attendance is being released on a team-by-team basis.

The NHL’s return-to-play plan was awaiting approval Sunday from health officials in Canada. That is expected to pave the way for a seven-team, all-Canadian division while the border between the U.S. and Canada remains closed to nonessential travel.

The league said in its statement that it was prepared to have games in one or more “neutral site” venues per division, if necessary.

The NHL scrapped exhibition games, and the seven teams that did not qualify for the playoffs last season will open training camp Dec. 31.

The playoffs will consist of the top four teams from each division playing best-of-seven series, with intradivision play in the first two rounds. The winner advances to the Stanley Cup semifinals, which will be seeded by regular-season points total.

The playoffs are expected to conclude around mid-July.

The sides previously agreed to use the economic framework from the collective bargaining agreement that was ratified in July.

The salary cap remains flat at $81.5 million, and teams will have a maximum 23-player roster with four to six players available on a taxi squad.

Players can opt out of the season because of the coronavirus pandemic. The deadline is Thursday for nonplayoff teams and Dec. 27 for playoff teams, according to Sportsnet.

Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.