| Detroit Free Press
Video: Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman on challenges of 2021 season
Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman on challenges of COVID-19 shortened 2021 season. Dec. 22, 2020.
Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press
The Detroit Red Wings begin training camp on Dec. 31, jumpstarting what will be a busy 2021.
The NHL and NHL Players Association released key dates for the season Tuesday, two days after formally agreeing to the framework of a 56-game season.
CAPTAIN TO CAPTAIN: Yzerman: Wings will have captain in 2021 season
The pandemic has forced numerous changes, starting with temporary divisional realignment designed to minimize travel. The U.S-based teams will be divided into three groups: the Central Division (the Wings, the Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning), the East and the West. U.S.-Canada travel restrictions led all seven Canadian teams to be in one division, the North.
Major dates
Jan. 13: First day of regular season
April 12: Trade deadline (3 p.m.)
May 8: Last day of regular season
May 11: Stanley Cup Playoffs begin (subject to adjustment)
July 9: Last possible day of Stanley Cup Final (subject to adjustment)
July 17: Deadline for protection lists for expansion draft (5 p.m.)
July 21: Expansion draft for Seattle Kraken (8 p.m.)
July 23: Round 1 of NHL draft
July 24: Rounds 2-7 of NHL draft
July 28: Restricted free agent/unrestricted free agent signing period begins (noon)
(All time Eastern.)
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her book, The Big 50: The Detroit Red Wings is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.