The NHL will lose more than a billion dollars by staging the 2020-21 season in largely empty arenas, Commissioner Gary Bettman said Monday, but owners and players are intent on playing a 56-game schedule to provide diversion for fans and keep hockey on the sports map.
The delayed and shortened season, scheduled to begin Wednesday, already has been altered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Dallas Stars, who had six players and two staff members test positive for COVID-19, won’t play their first game before Jan. 19. In addition, the San Jose Sharks are expected to learn Tuesday whether Santa Clara County health restrictions that caused them to move their training camp to Arizona will be modified to permit them to play home games at SAP Center.