Bruins fans need to know these key dates for 2020-21 NHL season

Share

The layout of the 2020-21 NHL season is finally coming into focus.

The league and NHLPA reportedly had a "tentative agreement" on a 56-game season Friday night, with training camps to begin in late December/early January and the first regular season games scheduled for Jan. 13.

Ranking the Bruins' top prospects entering the new season

TSN's Pierre LeBrun has reported the key dates for the other notable events during the 2020-21 campaign, including the trade deadline, the 2021 NHL Draft and the expansion draft for the Seattle Kraken.

Here's a list of those dates, per LeBrun:

Puck drop: Jan. 13

NHL trade deadline: April 12

End of regular season: May 8

2021 NHL expansion draft: July 21

2021 NHL draft: July 23-24

2021 free agency: July 28

The Boston Bruins enter the upcoming season as one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup, but a mid-January start date could force them to begin the season without their top two scorers from last year in first-line wingers David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand.

Both of these players underwent offseason procedures, with Marchand expected to make a mid-January return and Pastrnak expected to be ready in mid-February.

The Bruins also will be in a different division than normal. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the league to group all the Canadian teams together in one division for this season because of travel restrictions. The B's, as a result, will be in an eight-team division with some familiar rivals.

It's going to be a weird season for a lot of reasons, and there could be a few hiccups along the way, but it's great to see hockey coming back soon. The wait for a new season is almost over.

Contact Us