The 2019-20 NHL season is over and one of the biggest questions is when the next one will begin.
Normally around this time, teams are getting ready to wrap up their preseason and begin their 82-game schedule. But 2020 has been anything but normal, and the Stanley Cup was just awarded to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night.
It's unclear exactly when the 2020-21 season will start, though we do know when the NHL Draft and free agency begin.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman joined SiriusXM NHL Network Radio to discuss a timeline for next year.
"I don't know what we're going to do yet," he said. "But we are focusing on what the issues are and when we know more about how those issues either get resolved ... we'll be in a better position to announce what our plans are and what the contingencies are. That exercise is going to require a few more weeks. We intend on playing the 2020-21 season. My goal would be to play a full season, regular season, and then go into normal playoffs.
"We need a little more time to work on the planning."
We're sure hockey fans are eagerly awaiting the start of the next season.
