Breaking down all the latest news, rumors, reports surrounding 2020-21 NHL season

COVID-19 Precautions

As great as it is that the NHL is on the cusp of a triumphant return, the threat of COVID-19 always looms large over every single facet of life.

Sports is no exception and that is probably why reports have started swirling that the NHL would be interested in securing a private batch of the COVID-19 vaccine and administering it to players.

That would obviously solve a major headache for the NHL in that if players, coaching staff and other support / front office staff all have the vaccine, then it would mean no postponements of games due to COVID-19.

With the NHL hoping to have a Stanley Cup Champion awarded by no later than July 15 due to the Tokyo Olympics beginning on NBC on July 23, postponements and natural issues caused by the Pandemic could cause major problems.

Of course, there aren’t enough vaccines to go around currently for those who really need them and, per John Shannon, a renowned hockey journalist in Canada, the NHL is adamant that they would not jump to the front of the line ahead of those who really need it.

Basically, they will wait and, if a vaccine becomes available for private purchase, then they will make their interest known but they will not take it out of the hands of those who need it more.

That would be an incredibly bad look and it would create a PR nightmare that the NHL needs to avoid.

So, in liu of a vaccine for players right now, the 2020-21 season will be fraught with challenges caused directly by the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Chief among them is schedule flexibility with the NHL probably needing to set a week or two aside at the end of the regular season for any games postponed due to COVID-19.

Also, with teams expected to play in their own arenas and therefore travel for road games, although travel will be dramatically cut down due to Division Realignment, what will will the testing procedure look like?

We’ve seen both in MLB and in the NFL that travel only helps to spread COVID-19 and cause major outbreaks, so the NHL will need to have a bullet proof plan in place when it comes to testing each team throughout the 2020-21 season.

It is expected that the NHL will draw up a list of hotels for teams to stay in with the hope that staying in the same hotels will eradicate some of the risk that comes with travel in the age of a Pandemic.