Key dates for the start up of the NHL season.
Report: NHL reveals key dates for 2020 playoffs, offseason
- July 31: Beginning of qualification round
- Aug. 9: Start of Stanley Cup Playoffs
- Oct. 2: Last possible day of Stanley Cup Final
- Oct. 6: 2020 draft (must follow end of playoffs and precede free agency)
- Oct. 9 (or seven days after conclusion of final): Start of free agency
- Nov. 17: Opening of training camps for 2020-21 season
- Dec. 1: Beginning of 2020-21 regular season
It sounds on paper like a tight turnaround to the new season, but then you recall that the players of 7 teams won't have played since mid-March, and another 8 will have played a total of 5 games tops in that time. Even for those players who go deep in the playoffs, they've just had an enforced 4 month break, plus another few weeks to come in Oct-Nov. Unusual times, but that should be enough to endure the grind of a whole new season.