With no hockey to discuss at present, there’s no better time to take an early look at what next season could hold. The 104th official season of the National Hockey League is set to begin in October, with 31 teams competing for the Stanley Cup.
When it comes to the 2020/21 season, there are a number of things to note that will mark small changes in the sport – from more open odds to further use of technology. When the games do return you can bet here on who will come out on top. But for now, we’ll take a look at what to expect from the upcoming NHL campaign and how it could differ from previous ones.
Playoff Prospects
With the draft still to come before the start of next season, odds on who will be the teams to back next season are unclear. Last year’s winners, the St. Louis Blues, were having another impressive season in the Western Conference, as were the Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals in the East.
With the draft postponed until further notice, it’s unknown as to whether the current roster of players each team has will carry over into next season and how this will affect how each side prepares to go into it.
On top of this, with a long delay between the seasons, everything is up in the air with regards to how these teams will adjust to a new one and whether they’ll carry their form over. Because of this, odds for the 2020/21 season may be open game.
Hot New Hockey Technology
The 2020/21 season of the NHL will mark the first where all 31 venues for games with use puck- and player-tracking technology.
The technology will enable data analysts and commentators to track all players on the rink as well as the puck in real-time, while broadcasters will use it to enhance the visibility of the game’s action.
NBC Sports, whose ten-year exclusive media rights contract runs out at the end of the 2020/21 season, intends to use the technology for instant visual graphics that will allow viewers to more easily spot the intricacies of hockey play.
Marquee and Special Events
As of now, the planned events for the 2020/21 season are set to go ahead with no reschedules.
The Bridgestone Winter Classic, which sees the St. Louis Blues go up against Minnesota Wilds, is going ahead on New Year’s Day 2021, with Target Field in Minneapolis set to play host to the outdoor event.
Later the same month, the NHL All-Star Weekend will run from January 29-30 in South Florida, where players from both sides of the US will face up against each other. The Atlantic All-Stars will be looking to regain the title after it was bitterly snatched from them by their Pacific rivals earlier this year.
The NHL 2020/21 season may feel a while away now, but with new developments to the game and unprecedented pre-season circumstances, next season could prove to be one of the most competitive we’ve seen in a long time.
