NHL Offseason Key Dates Coming Into View For Clubs

The Memorandum of Understanding between the NHL and NHLPA on a CBA extension and ‘Return to Play’ plan has been approved by the NHLPA’s Executive Board. The decision is now in the hands of the players. The NHLPA’s membership will have until Friday to vote on the RTP and CBA deal. If/when it passes, the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs will not be far behind.

On Wednesday night, TSN’s NHL insider Frank Seravalli dropped a number of key dates for the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, offseason and 2020-21 season. Per Seravalli, the NHL is looking to award the Stanley Cup on October 2nd at the latest. The league is also determined to start the 2020-21 season on December 1st.

Everything remains unofficial, and dates could still be shifted back a few days. The Memorandum of Understanding is based on training camps opening on Friday, July 10th. Considering the players are set to wrap up their voting on that day, it seems unlikely camp will open then. The newly reported date has been Monday, July 13th.

Teams could report to their respective hub city as early as July 24th, according to the MOU. The previously reported date of July 26th is also still in play, depending on when training camps start.

#NHL tentative RTP schedule:
July 24: Travel to hubs
July 25: Exhibition games
July 30: Qualif. round begins
🔔 Aug. 9: First round of playoffs begins
🔔 Aug. 23: Second round begins
Sept. 6: Conf Finals begin
🔔 Sept. 20: SCF begins
🔔 Oct. 2: Last poss. game of SCF

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 8, 2020

Games could also start two days later, August 1st, depending on when training camps open.

Both the Western and Eastern Conference Finals will take place in Edmonton, as will the 2020 Stanley Cup Final. The Final is slated to open on September 20th and run until October 2nd at the latest.

Just six weeks after the Stanley Cup is awarded, training camps are slated to open. The NHL has listed November 17th as the opening date for training camp for the 2020-21 season. The regular season would open on December 1st, just under two months from the conclussion of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Offseason Frenzy

That six-week offseason will cram a number of key dates in. The NHL Entry Draft is tentatively scheduled to take place on October 6th, a Tuesday night. Three days later COULD be the start of free agency. The annual feeding frenzy will open on either October 9th, or seven days after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Final. It will occur on the later of the two days.

All dates, per Seravalli, are subject to change.

Tentative dates listed in #NHL and #NHLPA Memorandum of Understanding:

🔔Later of Oct. 9 or 7 days after Cup Final ends is opening of #FreeAgentFrenzy

🔔 Nov. 17: Opening of training camps for 2020-21

🔔 Dec. 1: Opening of 2020-21 regular season

All subject to change.

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 8, 2020