NHL Expects Canadian Teams to Be Able to Play Home Games Amid COVID-19

With less than a month before the NHL season begins, the league's deputy commissioner said the league's Canadian teams should be able to play games at home.

In a statement, Bill Daly said the league and Provincial Health Authorities "are aligned and in agreement on the conditions" that will allow the Canada-based teams to play north of the border.

The NHL announced that the league would be broken up into four new divisions for the 2020-21 season and that games would only be played within those divisions through the first two rounds of the playoffs in an effort to lessen travel amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The border between the United States and Canada is closed until at least Jan. 21. 

All seven of the Canadian teams—the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets—make up the North Division. Final details are dependent on agreements from local officials.

The other divisions include Boston, Buffalo, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington and both New York teams in the East. Carolina, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Florida, Nashville and Tampa Bay are in the Central Division. In the West Division are Anaheim, Arizona, Colorado, Los Angeles, Minnesota, San Jose, St. Louis and Vegas. 

The league's 56-game season is slated to begin Jan. 13, with the Stanley Cup playoffs extending into July.