LA Kings: All signs point toward a December 28 training camp start date
By Ryan Sikes
The NHL and NHLPA have reportedly agreed to the financials for the 2021 season, meaning the LA Kings training camp could open on December 28.
We appear to be very close to having LA Kings hockey again. Having not played since mid-March, Los Angeles (along with six others) watched 24 teams travel to their respective playoff bubbles to finish out the 2019-2020 campaign, with Tampa Bay hoisting the Stanley Cup.
The Kings were geared towards the NHL Draft, taking Quinton Byfield with the second overall pick to further bolster the prospect pool.
And in the background, the NHL and NHLPA sought to agree on a shortened 2021 season.
Originally, both were targeting a December 1 start date for the regular season, which was later pushed back to January 1. Now it appears, the two sides have agreed on the financials, with an expected start date of January 13.
A lot of details left to hammer out to get an NHL season going, but multiple reports out of Canada pegging Dec. 28 for a camp start and Jan. 13 for a 56-game season start if the sides agree and, of course, if Covid situation in markets doesn’t make things untenable. https://t.co/NXuL01N8YB
— Mike Harrington (@ByMHarrington) December 8, 2020
The upcoming season will consist of a 56-game schedule, and the NHL still needs to determine division re-alignment, protocols, logistics, among other things. And it appears that the LA Kings and the six other teams that failed to qualify for the postseason bubble will not have the much-expected seven days or so of additional training camp.
Instead, it appears they will get just three or four additional days.
Nothing finalized, however, focus in discussions related to NHL training camps has been on 10 day camps with no exhibition games. In the summer, RTP non playoff teams were hoping for a 7 day head-start to 20-21 training camps. 7 days is unlikely at this point.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) December 8, 2020
More details to come, but it looks like it’s game on for the LA Kings and the NHL in 2021.