On Sunday, the NHL and NHLPA officially agreed to terms on a 56-game schedule, but the LA Kings will play their home games without fans.
Christmas came early for the LA Kings and the rest of the NHL. On Sunday, the league and the NHLPA agreed to terms on a 56-game schedule but still have a few logistics to sort out. One thing is for certain. The Kings will play in the hybrid “West Division” consisting of the Coyotes, Ducks, Avalanche, Kings, Wild, Sharks, Blues, and Golden Knights.
The top four teams in each division will qualify for the postseason.
The finalized divisions vary slightly from what was previously outlined in that Dallas was projected to slide into the West. Given how well the Stars performed last season, that could end up playing favorably for the Kings, but the hybrid Pacific Division is going to be a challenge regardless.
Kings training camp will officially open up on December 31, with the regular season commencing on January 13.
Most teams are expected to begin the year without fans in attendance, but Kings’ President of Operations Luc Robitaille already made it clear that the Staples Center will see no fans enter through the gates this year — at least right now.
From Kings President Luc Robitaille on not having fans to start: "Our org will do whatever possible to ensure a safe, healthy environment for our players & our staff during this unique season. Unfortunately, we will not be able to host fans at STAPLES Center at this time." https://t.co/vWu3QmAZvy
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) December 20, 2020
Going one step further, The Fourth Period also reported that Dallas and the Florida Panthers plan to allow approximately 5,000 fans per game. Of course, with a couple of vaccines in circulation, other teams may loosen their restrictions as the season progresses.
Both the Sharks and Canucks could be looking for new venues to play at the start of the season due to local governments’ restrictions currently in place. The Kings will not be playing the Canucks in the 2021 season, but they may be forced to play the Sharks away from the SAP Center.
A couple of other notes that could be interesting to monitor for the Kings:
- Entry-level slide for rookie contracts is reduced from 10 games to 7 in 2021
- NHL teams are required to carry three goalies, which aligns with Troy Grosenick making the taxi squad roster.
And below is a complete schedule from season start to finish.
So, to recap:
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) December 20, 2020
Puck drop: Jan. 13
Trade deadline: April 12
End of reg season: May 8
Expansion draft: July 21
NHL draft: July 23-24
Free-agent Frenzy: July 28
July 29: LeBrun goes to cottage https://t.co/um2EkAIOc6