NHL would be wise to open 2020-21 with a bang with slate of rivalry games

Opening the 2020-21 season with an almighty bang should be a priority for the NHL.

It is expected that schedules for the 2020-21 NHL season will be announced later today, and it will be intriguing to say the least to see what Opening Night looks like.

Ever since the NHL announced that the 2020-21 season was a go on Sunday, news, updates and signings have begun to really roll at a crazy pace.

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And we will move a step closer to the NHL returning today when the schedules are released, a mini event that should get a lot of fans excited.

It will be interesting given that, with a 56-game schedule and Division Realignment introduced this year due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, how the schedule will exactly look with it being widely reported that teams will play a two and three-game set against opponents.

But, what we all really want to see is a mouthwatering feast of games on Opening Night to ensure that the 2020-21 NHL season gets off to a blistering start.

After all, we haven’t been treated to live NHL hockey since the summer so there are real cravings that need to be satisfied and there will be a lot of eyeballs on the league on Jan. 13, 2021.

As such, it would be a real smart play by the NHL to roll out a slate of compelling and tantalizing games that will really capture the imagination and also draw a large TV audience given that there will be no fans in arenas.

Having one game from each Division would be one way of doing it, especially as there will be more intrigue around each one in the wake of realignment.

For instance, one option that has been floated out there is the Boston Bruins taking on the New York Rangers in what would be a thrilling Original Six matchup on Opening Night.

Both teams are in an absolutely stacked East Division and it should be a hell of a game too given that the Bruins are still very much in their win-now window, while the Rangers are a resurgent force and will have No. 1 overall pick Alexis Lafreniere ready to lead an exciting new era of Blueshirts hockey.

Putting a Vegas Golden Knights – San Jose Sharks matchup or a Colorado Avalanche against Golden Knights showdown would also be an exciting way to go, while a repeat of the 2019-20 Stanley Cup Final between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Dallas Stars is another possible direction the NHL could take.

And then there is the small matter of the All-Canadian Division, which throws up so many mouthwatering possibilities for an Opening Night tilt.

What better way to start a new season than by throwing out a Battle of Alberta showdown between the Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary Flames? Or, the NHL could decide to go old school and put the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Montreal Canadiens in a primetime slot.

There are literally a plethora of options out there for the NHL when it comes to putting together an unforgettable Opening Night, and it is important they do so in order to ensure that the 2020-21 season starts off the way it means to go on.

After all, the NHL will be relying on TV audiences for the majority of 2020-21 and laying on a stellar Opening Night lineup would go a long way to engaging fans from the very get-go.