The National Hockey League has yet to determine if they will play out the remainder of the 2019-2020 season due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Check out the details and NHL Odds up to date!
NHL Update – May 4th Edition
NHL 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs
- When: TBD
- Where: TBD
NHL Stanley Cup Odds
- Boston Bruins +450
- Vegas Golden Knights +800
- Tampa Bay Lightning +600
- Colorado Avalanche +700
- Washington Capitals +1200
- Pittsburgh Penguins +1200
- Louis Blues +900
- Dallas Stars +2000
- Philadelphia Flyers +900
- Toronto Maple Leafs +2000
- Edmonton Oilers +2000
- Nashville Predators +3000
- New York Islanders +4500
- Vancouver Canucks +3300
- Calgary Flames +3300
- New York Rangers +5000
- Arizona Coyotes +5500
- Columbus Blue Jackets +10000
- Minnesota Wild +6600
- Winnipeg Jets +5500
- Montreal Canadiens +100000
- San Jose Sharks +100000
- Buffalo Sabres +100000
- Chicago Blackhawks +25000
- Anaheim Ducks +100000
- Ottawa Senators +100000
- New Jersey Devils +100000
- A. Kings +100000
- Carolina Hurricanes +3300
NHL wants to move up June draft
The 2020 NHL Draft was scheduled for two days in late June, the 26 and 27. Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly sent a letter to team owners last Friday talking about moving the draft up to June 5.
The National Hockey League wants to get the draft out of the way. It makes sense. While NHL hopes for the coronavirus pandemic to recede, they can take care of some business. The NHL Draft happens after the season. But this year is a different situation.
Also, the NFL proved that an online draft could happen. Few National Football League teams ran into issues during their online only draft. That should give NHL owners confidence that a June draft is possible.
NHL targeting a December start for the 2020-2021 season
The National Hockey League appears committed to finishing the 2019-2020 NHL Season. So much so, that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has floated the idea of starting the 2020-2021 season in December. Bettman’s idea makes a ton of sense.
The league can recoup some money lost from the shutdown while taking pressure off for the new season. The NFL should start the upcoming season on time. If college football starts on time, the NBA restarts during the summer, and Major League Baseball plays, we could have a fantastic sports September.
Nothing says NHL can’t change their schedule. And a fall sports celebration for both the U.S. and Canada sounds great. When it comes to television rights, no problem. NBC and NBC Sports carry NHL games in the U.S. That network carries a single Sunday night NFL football game.
Pushing the start of the new NHL season out to December gives the hockey league more leeway to push the return into the summer.
Also, a September end to the season with a December start to the new one gives the National Hockey League a chance to see if the dreaded “second wave” happens. Many medical experts expect a second wave of the coronavirus.
Hopefully if a second wave does come, new measure will be in place to prevent an NHL shutdown.
NHL must recoup some money lost
Sports have lost an incredible amount of money. The National Hockey League must try and recoup some of that money lost while planning for next season. A summer start makes the most sense with a December start to the new season.
Let’s cross our fingers and hope this happens.
