What will 2021 NHL Divisions look like for the upcoming NHL season?
If the players and owners can figure out the finances on how much the players will get paid this season, how much the owners will get, the NHL will likely start in mid-January.
With Canada not allowing cross border travel, the NHL will have to re-align the divisions for the 2021 NHL season. There will be a Canada only division. As for the other NHL divisions, it is looking like there will be three.
Regardless of how the league re-aligns its divisions, it will require a lot of travel for the Canadian teams, as well as more travel than normal for any American teams west of St. Louis. Travel is costly for teams – particularly when most aren’t going to be able to sell tickets. One way the NHL can help limit travel is by adopting a series-based schedule similar to Major League Baseball.
There has been no word on how many teams would make the playoffs? My guess would be the top 4 teams from each division will make the playoffs then possibly doing two separate bubble playoff formats like last year with 8 teams in each bubble.
Will the teams be re-seated or have the Canadian division vs the Metropolitan division and Pacific/Central vs Atlantic Central. Once the NHL and NHLPA come to an agreement we will find out exactly how the NHL season will take place.
