Amelia Ciotola (9) | SPORTS REPORTER
Just like that, the NHL is back in action.
The National Hockey League announced that Tuesday, October 12 will be the start of the 2021-2022 season. Players will be competing against the 31 teams over the course of the next seven months. Unlike the last two seasons that were cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this season is a full 82-game regular season.
What can we expect from this season due to COVID-19 restrictions? Last year the NHL was reduced to playing 56 games because of the pandemic. This season is a drastic change since it will consist of its regular 82 games. However, this can change if COVID-19 numbers go up, so keep your fingers crossed. The health of players remains the league’s priority for the season. Full vaccination for the players and clubs is in play. As well, there are additional preventatives in place to stop the transmission of the virus for those who are not vaccinated fully. The NHL has worked with the Canadian health guidelines to create a safe environment for the players and crowds at the game. With all of the safety procedures put in place to start the season, this is not all that has changed in the NHL 2021-2021 season.
Major player movement across the NHL through trades has also occurred. Ryan Ellis was traded to the Nashville Predators on July 16, giving the Flyers a qualified right-shot defenceman to play along with Ivan Provorov. From the Vegas Golden Knights, Marc-Andre Fleury will give the Chicago Blackhawks an experienced goaltender that they lacked last NHL season. The Blackhawks made many different changes in their defence, so expect some modifications to their lineup since they will be figuring out the best combinations for their team. The Oilers signed Zach Hyman to a seven-year, 38.5 million dollar contract on July 28. Hyman will provide the Oilers with a fierce take of the left-wing, and make the team far more capable of winning.
There are some important dates that you may want to write in your calendar for this NHL season. On December 1, the Pittsburgh Penguins will face the Edmonton Oilers featuring Connor McDavid vs. Sidney Crosby. On March 3, 2022, Duncan Keith returns to Chicago Blackhawks as the Edmonton Oilers face the Chicago Blackhawks. The Stanley Cup Playoffs will start May 2 and the last possible date of the final is June 30. Predictions for the overall division’s standings are being discussed and analyzed. These predictions for the winners of each division are: Tampa Bay Lightning (Atlantic Division), New York Islanders (Metropolitan Division), Colorado Avalanche (Central Division), Vegas Golden Knight (Pacific Division). Even though there are predictions for who may win the NHL 2021-2022 Stanley cup, anything can happen.
