Coyotes to Begin 2020-21 Season in Mid-January

The NHL and NHLPA
announced an agreement
Sunday to play a 2020-21 regular-season schedule of 56 games. The season will begin January 13 and conclude May 8.
Each team's 56 games will be played within a span of 116 days.
Formal training camp for the Coyotes is expected to begin two weeks from Sunday's announcement, on January 3, at Gila River Arena. There will be no preseason games.

The Coyotes will play the entirety of their schedule in a re-aligned West Division, comprising eight teams. Arizona will play each of its seven division opponents eight times. The West Division is composed of the Anaheim Ducks, Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues and Vegas Golden Knights.

The current plan is for each team to play its home games in its respective home arena. The NHL is studying whether fans will be permitted in certain markets. If necessary, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the league will make neutral sites available.
The top four teams from each division will qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The format will be 16 teams and four rounds. Each series will be a traditional best-of-seven. The first two rounds will feature intra-divisional play. The semi-final teams, one from each division, will be seeded by regular-season points totals.
The NHL plans to award the Stanley Cup in mid-July. It hope to return to a "normal" calendar for the 2021-22 season.
A new ice surface at Gila River Arena, featuring the purple crescent moon logo at center-ice, will be installed Wednesday.

Lead Photo Credit: Tyler Rittenhouse - Arizona Coyotes // Footer Photo Credit: Norm Hall - NHLI via Getty Images