NHL outlines critical dates, protocols for 2020-21 season

On Tuesday, the NHL and NHL’s Players’ Association (NHLPA) released a list of critical dates as well as protocols for the upcoming season, even if few of them will actually happen in 2020.

Dec. 31 — Training camps open for seven clubs that did not participate in the resumption of play for the 2019-20 season (Anaheim, Buffalo, Detroit, Los Angeles, New Jersey, Ottawa, San Jose)

Jan. 3 — Training camps open for the remaining 24 teams

Jan. 13 — Regular season begins

April 12 — Trade deadline (3 p.m. ET)

May 8 — Last day of regular season

May 11 — Stanley Cup Playoffs begin*

July 9 — Last possible day of Stanley Cup Final*

July 17 — Deadline for protection lists for expansion draft (5 p.m. ET)

July 21 — Expansion draft for Seattle Kraken (8 p.m. ET)

July 23 — Round 1 of NHL Draft

July 24 — Rounds 2-7 of NHL Draft

July 28 — Restricted Free Agent/Unrestricted Free Agent signing period begins (noon EDT)

* — Subject to change.

As far as medical protocols go, the league issued an extensive list of rules players and teams must follow this season, beginning with training camp, with regards to the coronavirus pandemic.

Some of the most notable points:

• Players who travel to their home city for training camp must quarantine for seven days before joining the team.

• Testing will be conducted daily for the duration of training camp and for the first four weeks of the regular season. After four weeks, the NHL and NHLPA will re-evaluate the requirements for daily testing.

• During training camp, teams will not release information on players who have tested positive aside from a league-wide number. Once the regular season begins, players who do test positive will be identified.

• Any player who tests positive, could be barred from exercising for 14 days and must receive clearance from a cardiologist and a team physician before returning to play.

• In the event a player tests positive, teammates who came in close contact with him will not have to quarantine if they test negative, remain asymptomatic and do not have a fever.

• Coaches are required to wear masks on bench during games.

• Team will be limited to 50 people (players and staffers) for traveling parties to away contests.

• Players are not permitted to carpool to games and all members of a traveling party will have individual hotel rooms.

• While on the road, players are only permitted to be at hotels, practice rinks or playing venues. Restaurants, bars, clubs, etc. are not permitted.

• While on-ice activities will have unlimited participation, off-ice activities, such as training in a weight room, will be limited to 10 players at a time.

• Team practices are not permitted to be open to the public.

• Independent media will be permitted to attend practices and games subject to local laws.

• Fans are permitted to attend games subject to local laws.

Additionally, the NHL announced a rule change is it pertains to being offside.

The rule now reads:

“A player is on-side when either of his skates are in contact with the blue line, or on his own side of the line, at the instant the puck completely crosses the leading edge of the blue line. On his own side of the line shall be defined by a “plane” of the blue line which shall extend from the leading edge of the blue line upwards. If a player’s skate has yet to break the “plane” prior to the puck crossing the leading edge, he is deemed to be on-side for the purpose of the off-side rule.”

The league issued a video explaining the change:

UPDATE TO @NHL RULE 83.1 (OFF-SIDE): Beginning in the 2020-21 regular season, a player's skate will not have to be in contact with the blue line in order to be on-side.

Updated language: https://t.co/gp5npRIw9k pic.twitter.com/pT6YmA6qP5

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 22, 2020

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