NHL Rumors: Here's Latest Details About 2020-21 Season From NHLPA's Call

It appears more details are getting hammered out for the return of the NHL.

The league wrapped up in September after a four-month pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the Tampa Bay Lightning were crowned Stanley Cup champions, it’s been unknown when next season would begin.

Jan. 1 long had been the target date, but that dwindled away as the calendar turned to December.

Commissioner Gary Bettman revealed a Dec. 3 Opening Night still was a “work in progress,” noting they were focused on the health and safety of their players and staff.

TSN’s Darren Dreger on Monday reported the target date now is Jan. 13, with ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski reporting that date had been confirmed by an NHL team executive.

And while TSN’s Frank Seravalli didn’t report on the Jan. 13 rumor, he did provide some details from Tuesday’s call with the NHL Players’ Association’s executive board.

Check out all the details:

As reported on Insider Trading on @SportsCentre, CGY, EDM and VAN plan to leave their AHL teams in 🇺🇸 for 20-21 season – making additional cross-border call-ups quite difficult.

Manitoba, Toronto, Laval and Belleville plan to play in AHL’s all-🇨🇦 div.

Tentative Feb. 5 AHL start
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) December 9, 2020

As for NHL start, some teams individually told players today to expect to begin COVID-19 testing on Dec. 26.

Training camp start date still TBD, but sounding more and more like camps will open on Jan. 3.

All details subject to discussion and approval.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) December 9, 2020