When the NHL was playing bubble hockey in 2019-20, we knew the impact of Covid-19 was far from over. The NHL and the players did an exemplary job of creating a safe environment for hockey.

Games were played, a champion was crowned, But we knew the 2020-21 season would also be a challenge. We’ve gotten through this 56-game mostly season without fans. But fans are now returning and soon we will celebrate our second champion of the covid era.

Now we are thinking about the 2021-22 season, and NHL team executives will tell you that the Covid impact still isn’t over.

Covid pushed the 2020-21 season into July, which means we won’t see next season’s schedule until later in July, a month later than usual. We could also end up with two schedules, one with Olympic participation and one without because the Olympic deal isn't finalized.

It’s all part of the Covid fallout.

Fans are clearly ready to come back, but no team can be sure whether ticket sales will be as brisk as they were before Covid attacked us.

And every team will have to decide what to do with ticket prices. Do you discount them to further entice fans? Do you just keep them the same? You can’t raise them to help make up for the lost revenue, or can you?

Teams have worked throughout the pandemic to stay in touch with their season ticket holders because they all know it’s easier to keep a season ticket holder than to find a new one.

But in the back of everyone’s mind is the knowledge that the world has changed since we last saw full NHL arenas. Have some fans grown too accustomed to watching games on television? Will some decide they don’t want to mix with crowds anymore? Are some fans simply not in the economic position to attend games?


Teams can’t be sure what to expect next season. We've all changed.


Not all, but some teams, laid off sales staff during the pandemic. Those teams will be beefing up the size of their staff to prepare to aggressively sell tickets.

Remember, the non-playoff teams haven’t had more than a few hundred people in their arenas for the past season and a half. The Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames and Ottawa Senators hasn't had any

Meanwhile, owners will be dealing with last season’s red ink and general managers will be coping with a flat salary cap.

The expectation is that the Olympic participation details will be worked out. That will require the NHL to shut down for two weeks-plus to accommodate players going to China. Owners don’t enjoy the Olympic shutdown during the best of times because some markets have difficulty getting their fans to come back. They fall out of the habit of attending games.

Imagine the angst owners will feel shutting down in the midst of the third season of Covid impact.
Everyone has a positive attitude going into 2021-22, but rebuilding from Covid will have its challenges.

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