After two shortened seasons and one postponed, hockey season 2021 is finally set to begin. The NHL will play a full 82-game schedule and return to the conference and divisional alignment that fans are used to. The league is introducing just a couple of changes, with the expansion Seattle Kraken making their NHL debut in the Pacific Division and the Arizona Coyotes moving to the Central. The Stanley Cup playoffs will return to the traditional format of the top three teams in each division and two Wild Card teams advancing.
The NHL has made some adjustments to the regular season this year in an effort to cut down on travel. The league has eliminated the baseball-style scheduling that saw teams play each other eight times apiece and canceled some cross-country road trips. In addition, players trading between teams in the United States will face a potential seven-day quarantine if they fly commercially to their new city, so some trades may be difficult or impossible to complete.
But the NHL is focusing on what it can control. Attendance last season eclipsed 20.7 million and will be a key indicator of the health of the game. The league will continue to provide an enhanced experience for fans, with more than a dozen clubs offering premium suites and club level seating at some games. ESPN and ABC will each broadcast 28 exclusive NHL games, while Hulu will stream 75 NHL regular-season games.
A number of players have moved to new teams this summer. Sidney Crosby will look to add to his already impressive list of accomplishments with the Pittsburgh Penguins, while Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon are expected to lead their respective conferences. The Los Angeles Kings are overflowing with young talent, while the Vancouver Canucks boast a potent offense led by Jacob Markstrom in goal.
In addition to these marquee names, there are a number of other interesting storylines. Veteran Mark Giordano will be looking to rebound from a disappointing season in Calgary, while Alex Wennberg is poised to have an outstanding campaign with the Chicago Blackhawks. The Edmonton Oilers are in the midst of an impressive rebuild, and they will be bolstered by the additions of defenceman Matt Benning and forward Jordan Eberle.
In a nod to the importance of community, the NHL will place a special emphasis on its youth programs and support for local charities. It will also introduce a commemorative patch for the first time this season. The NHL will also step up its corporate sponsorship opportunities, with each team featuring a name of a sponsor on their jerseys and more than a dozen teams including a corporate sponsor’s logo on their helmets. The league will also offer a special “Hockey for Kids” week that will feature several events in the weeks leading up to the start of the season.