Quote:
Originally Posted by Resolute 14
I think they would absolutely start without fans in 2020-21. That's one of the benefits of the CBA - if the revenue is reduced by lack of fans, both owners and players share the loss. But, both owners and players make *some* money. And both sides will want that.
However, assuming the NHL insists on trying to complete this season, I would think that the 2020-21 season will be shortened simply to give a bit of a break between a July/August end of this season and a September/October start to next season.
Semi-related, I really wonder how the impact on junior hockey will affect the NHL? The CHL especially I simply cannot see operating without fans. The development pipeline is going to be seriously affected by all of this.
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From everything I've heard, the NHL is projecting a December start to next season with a 45 to 55 day gap between the end of one season and the start of the next. Assuming a mid-November training camp, that tells me that end of September is as late as the Cup Finals can go for 19-20.
In order to get 82 games in, the NHL is also not ruling out a late end to next season, either, having it potentially go into July.