NHL will not go lower than 48 games next season

The NHL will not consider anything lower than a 48-game season if they are forced to play a shortened campaign in 2021, sources told ESPN's Emily Kaplan and Greg Wyshynski.

In a normal year, the NHL season would have begun approximately three weeks ago, however due to the COVID-19 pandemic, last year's season was paused in March and then outright cancelled months later. As a result, the Stanley Cup Playoffs took place in August and September, which has caused the 2020-21 season to be delayed. The league is reportedly looking at starting the season on Jan. 1st. There has also been talk that they would need to reward the Stanley Cup prior to July 23, which is the start date for the Summer Olympics, however that apparently is not a big concern for the NHL.

“I think there is some flexibility if we were to choose that route. There's a lot left to be played out on the Olympics front too,” deputy commissioner Bill Daly said. “We have models that extend past the Olympic time period. Those are alternatives that are on the table. I can't tell you they're the ones that are necessarily going to be pursued, but I think there's some flexibility there.”

While a 48-game season isn't ideal, it would not be the first time the NHL has been forced to do so. They used the exact same 48-game schedule during the lockout shortened 2012-13 campaign. Of course, that campaign had fans in the buildings, something the league is still hopeful for this season.

“I think the ultimate goal is to end up with fans in the arenas. I don't think we'll get to capacity, but I think we'll have enough socially distanced fans,” an NHL source told Wyshynski.

Sources also told Wyshynski the league absolutely wants fans in the stands for the playoffs if restrictions will allow for it. We have already begun to see fans start to make their way back into some stadiums, particularly in the NFL, although in limited capacity.

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